Coconut Peanut Butter Apple Slices (Samoa Apples)

These coconut peanut butter apple slices aim to replicate a classic cookie in a healthy way, and while they don’t do that completely, they are an incredibly delicious snack.

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Apple picking is one of my favorite parts of the fall season. And each year, after ending up with way more apples than we know what to do with, I set about coming up with an apple themed recipe. Last year I made these mini thousand layer apple pies and the year before it was these chipotle apple grilled cheeses. This year I’m trying my hand at a recipe that I’ve seen floating around the internet for a while, these coconut peanut butter apple slices. They’re meant to look and taste like the classic Samoa Girl Scout Cookie, which is a cookie topped with caramel, coconut, and a drizzle of chocolate. And while they may not taste exactly like the original, they are an incredibly delicious treat that you can feel good about eating.

Do these coconut peanut butter apple slices actually taste like Samoa cookies? If I’m completely honest, no, they don’t. But then again, there’s nothing that really tastes like a cookie except, well, a cookie. One of the main ingredients in this recipe is peanut butter, which makes these super easy to make. But on the other hand, Samoa cookies don’t actually have peanut butter in them. But apples and peanut butter are on of my favorite combinations, so even if it’s not Samoa-like, I think the peanut butter works perfectly in this recipe. And yes, they’re not butter and flaky like a cookie, but they are really delicious, and made with good-for-you ingredients.

Making Coconut Peanut Butter Apple Slices

This recipe coconut peanut butter apple slices recipe really couldn’t be any easier to make. Simply core your apples and slice them into rounds. I don’t have an apple corer, but if you do, it’s probably easiest to core the apple first, then slice it. If, like me, you don’t, you can slice the apples first, then use a spoon to scoop out the centers. You’ll get perfect little apple rings that mimic Samoa cookies. I tossed my apple slice with a bit of lemon juice; it prevents them from browning, and I think that the addition of lemon actually brings the perfect tang to any otherwise sweet “cookie.” But after tossing them, you’ll want to dry them thoroughly with paper towels. They’ll still maintain their lemon juice coating, but they need to be really dry in order for the topping to stick.

Then you’ll make your coconut peanut butter “caramel.” The brilliant part of using peanut butter in this recipe is that it acts as a caramel, without you actually having to make caramel. Simply toast your coconut shreds (because coconut always tastes better toasted), and mix it with the peanut butter to make that caramel-ish concoction that resembles the one on Samoa cookies. Then spread it onto the apple slices. Heat some chocolate, either over a double boiler or in the microwave in 30 second increments, and then drizzle it over the apples. Let them set in the fridge for the chocolate to harden, and you have the perfect sweet-yet-healthy treat.