These easy-to-make Keto Tagalong Bars taste just like the original Girl Scout Cookie! You won’t believe they are low carb and sugar-free.
Way way back, in the early days of dreaming up low carb recipes, I created some peanut butter shortbread bars. And it took me by surprise, how good they were. Everything came together just perfectly.
My husband took one bite and said they tasted like his favorite Girl Scout cookies, Tagalongs. I was absolutely thrilled with such a comparison. And we made them frequently for a few months.
But as a recipe creator is wont to do, I moved on to make many other wonderful keto cookies and cookie bars. I perfected my Keto Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. I created some gorgeous Salted Caramel Bars. And I conquered the perfect texture for Keto Shortbread Cookies.
I all but forgot my lovely Tagalong Bars in the meantime. Until now!
Why you need these in your life
If you find it difficult to resist the siren’s call of Girl Scout Cookies, then this recipe is for you! They are a delicious sugar-free copycat of the famous Tagalong Cookies.
But unlike individual cookies, these bars are remarkably easy to make. You press the crust into a pan and bake it. You make an easy peanut butter filling and pour it over. Then you melt some sugar-free chocolate and spread it on top. Done, finished, finito!
I actually have a recipe for Keto Tagalong Cookies as well and I love them. But they are definitely more time consuming.
And these bars have just a fraction of the carbs compared to real Girl Scout Cookies. Only 4.1g net carbs per serving!
Ingredients you need
- Almond flour: A good fine almond flour makes the best shortbread crust. I do not recommend coconut flour here. But if you can’t eat almonds, you can try sunflower seed flour.
- Sweetener: I recommend an erythritol based sweetener for the crust, such as Swerve Granular. Don’t use allulose or BochaSweet, as they will prevent the crust from crisping up. You will need a confectioner’s style sweetener for the filling.
- Butter: Good shortbread crusts always use butter!
- Peanut butter: I use a good creamy natural peanut butter like Santa Cruz. They have a no-stir version that means you can just scoop it and measure it out.
- Heavy cream: Heavy cream helps create a delicious peanut butter filling with a frosting-like consistency.
- Caramel or vanilla extract: Vanilla extract is an easy pantry staple. But if you can get your hands on some caramel extract, it adds amazing flavor!
- Sugar free chocolate: ChocZero is one of my favorite brands and you can use the dark chocolate or milk chocolate chips for these bars. Also use FOODDREAMER for 10% off your order!
Step by Step Directions
1. Prepare the shortbread crust: Combine the almond flour, sweetener, and salt in a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine. Sprinkle the butter pieces overtop and continue to pulse until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
2. Bake the crust: Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of a greased 8×8 inch baking pan and bake at 350ºF for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove and let cool.
3. Make the peanut butter filling: In a microwave safe bowl, combine the peanut butter and butter and cook until melted and it can be stirred together. You can also do this in a pan on the stove over very low heat. Stir in the powdered sweetener until well combined and then whisk in the cream and the extract.
4. Spread over the crust: Pour the mixture over cooled crust and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Refrigerate until set, about 20 minutes.
5. Make the topping: In a microwave safe bowl, combine the chopped chocolate and the butter. Heat on high in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until smooth. Be careful not to overheat and make your chocolate seize.
6. Spread over the filling: Spread over the chilled filling. Return to the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set the chocolate.
Expert tips
While almond flour makes the crust more like real shortbread, you can use other nut or seed flours for these bars. It won’t be as fine looking, and you may need a little additional butter to help it hold together better. I do not recommend coconut flour for a crust like this.
Many natural peanut butters don’t contain any salt. If you use unsalted butter and unsalted peanut butter, you may want to add ¼ teaspoon fine salt to the filling. It will bring out the sweetness more.
Melt the chocolate carefully in the microwave, in short increments. But you can also do it in a pan over very low heat. I like to use the same bowl or pan I did the peanut butter filling in so there are fewer dishes to wash at the end!
Frequently Asked Questions
Tagalong cookies are a popular treat sold by American Girl Scouts. They feature a shortbread cookie covered in chocolate, with a sweetened peanut butter filling. They are also known as Peanut Butter Patties.
Conventional Tagalongs have 13g of carbs per serving. These Keto Tagalong Bars have only 6.8g carbs and 2.7g fiber per serving. So they have a net carb count of 4.1g.
You can store the bars on the counter in a covered container for up to 4 days, or in the fridge for up to 8 days. They can also be frozen for several months.
More Girl Scout Inspired Recipes
Keto Tagalong Bars Recipe
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ¼ cups almond flour
- ⅓ cup Swerve Sweetener
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup butter chilled and cut into small pieces
Peanut Butter Caramel Filling
- ⅔ cup creamy natural peanut butter
- ¼ cup butter
- ½ cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ teaspoon caramel extract can use vanilla extract
Chocolate Topping
- 3 ½ ounces dark chocolate chips, sugar-free
- 2 tablespoon butter
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and lightly grease an 8×8 inch metal baking pan.
- Combine the almond flour, sweetener, and salt in a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine. Sprinkle the butter pieces overtop and continue to pulse until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
- Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan pan and bake 12 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove and let cool.
Peanut Butter Filling
- In a microwave safe bowl, combine the peanut butter and butter and cook until melted and it can be stirred together. You can also do this in a pan on the stove over very low heat.
- Stir in the powdered sweetener until well combined and then whisk in the cream and the extract. Pour over cooled crust and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Refrigerate until set, about 20 minutes.
Chocolate Topping
- In a microwave safe bowl, combine the chopped chocolate and the butter (you can use the same bowl or pan from the peanut butter mixture).
- Heat on high in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until smooth. Be careful not to overheat and make your chocolate seize.
- Spread over the chilled filling. Return to the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set the chocolate.
Brenda Rintisch says
Seeing a recipe and wowing over it doesn’t have the same impact for me as someone who actually made it and liked it. Kari Cordell’s comment made me try it. I echo her OMG to this creamy smooth and delicious treat that requires great restraints in order not to eat the whole pan. Very few recipes make it into my recipe box. One bite and I was filling in a recipe card!
I made a couple changes by subbing almond butter for the peanut butter, cut the powdered Swerve from 1/2 to 1/3 cup (found it plenty sweet) and used unsweetened chocolate in the topping and added Stevia to sweeten to taste.
Everyone who loves chocolate and peanut butter desserts WILL NOT be disappointed.
sarah says
I just made these and they are DELICIOUS!! One question, I don’t see fiber quantity on the nutrition facts so I was wondering how to calculate net carbs?
thanks!!
Jenny says
I just made these today & we all went crazy for them! Delicious! I feel like I was able to eat a peanut butter patty, in a bar,… but healthy & sugar free! Another win in my book! Thanks Carolyn!!
Karen A says
Another win, my hubby said yum, yum, yummy first bite.
gerry speirs says
Gah, my fav cookie!!!
Pam says
Oh my!!! I made these yesterday and they were delish! I felt so guilty for eating one. Since going keto my taste buds have changed and don’t need so much sweet taste. I am going to cut the portions in half to make 24 servings. Hopefully they will freeze well.
HEATHER PENNEL says
After saying no to the sweet Girl Scouts I am so glad to indulge in these. Amazing. Thank you for another great recipe Carolyn.
Cookin Canuck says
Tagalongs are one of my favorite GS cookies, and I am loving that you made a low carb version in bar form!
Jennifer Farley says
One of my favorite cookies in a low carb form! SO EXCITING!
Lori says
Aka peanut butter patties! (Vs Tagalongs) I don’t recall their having a caramel taste but this sounds good!
Carolyn says
They don’t but my original recipe was caramel and pb and my husband was the one who told me they tasted like tagalongs!
Deb says
Congrats on the success of “Everyday Ketogenic Kithchen” – I preordered it and have used many of the recipes already! A question on the the peanut butter caramel shortbread bars recipe here – is the 1 tsp of water the correct amount when making the caramel? Seems like it’s so small an amount that it would clump and not dissolve -just checking before I try this – photos look great!
Carolyn says
It just helps it start to caramelize. Like sugar, it will begin to melt when heat is applied.
Mary says
I made these and took them to a company Christmas party. I didn’t tell anyone they were sugarfree, low carb or anything else. I set them down with the other deserts, thinking I would have some to take home, but they were all gone when I went back. What was left was the full sugar, high carb stuff!
Aimee Curtis says
I am making a cake where the topping is chocolate chips and peanut butter mixed together. Do you think I could make this chocolate topping and add the 4 tbsp of peanut butter without it affecting the consistency? I love the taste and texture of this topping!
Carolyn says
It’s hard to say because PB can get kind of clumpy at times. It might work!
olivia says
*please reply to this comment as i forgot to click notify me of response by email on the other!*
hey these looks awesome!
im low carb low sugar so its amazing not to see maple syrup filled recipe for these
unfortunately im dairy free so what would i sub for whipping cream? cooconut yoghurt, coconut lumpy butter cream i made (dessicated coconut blitzed with water)?
als im sensitive to almonds and wondering what i can sub for
i used ground up hazelnuts once but they never get to the real consistency of flour…is there anthing i can do with coconut flour?
hope to hear back! olivia x
Carolyn says
Full fat coconut milk could sub for the whipping cream. Coconut flour would not be good here but you can get hazelnut flour from Bob’s Red Mill.
Lori says
These look fantastic. For those with peanut allergies, can you replace the peanut butter with butter and get the same result?
Carolyn says
With butter or with another nut butter? It won’t work with just regular butter. But almond or sunflower seed butter could work.
Lori says
Thanks for your quick response. Yes, I was thinking regular butter so it’s good to know that won’t work. I just found your recipe for low carb Twix bars and that’s what I was going for with these, thinking I would eliminate the peanut butter. Now I’ve got to great options! 🙂 Thank you!!!
Carolyn says
Oh good, glad you found that one!
Lori says
Can’t wait to try both of these. I’m going to make the Twix bars with my sister when I visit her in Denver. She’s wanting to start a low carb way of eating and I’ve raved about your website. Thanks again for all of your work! 🙂
Carolyn says
Lovely to hear, thanks!
Amy says
I saw this last night and heard the call of “make me, make me” and had all the ingredients available. I made them and they are scrumptious, and pretty too!
Carolyn says
Thanks!
Lisa says
Question: the erythritol smoked terribly and filled the house with smoke. It never came to a boil either. Any ideas?
Carolyn says
The erythritol does indeed smoke but it shouldn’t fill your house with smoke and it should boil. I wonder two things…what kind of pan were you using? Maybe it wasn’t heavy duty enough? And also…what kind of erythritol? What brand?
Michelle says
These are amazing!! I made them this afternoon and couldn’t wait to try them!! I cut into them after about 50 minutes…just couldn’t take the suspense any longer! The chocolate was set, but still soft. They will be even more amazing when the chocolate layer is completely set! I will be making these again (assuming I can behave myself and not eat too many servings) and next time might add 1/4 – 1/2 tsp almond extract to the shortbread layer. I love almond extract in shortbread and think it would add a great flavor to this dessert! A little goes a long way though, so I will be careful not to over power the other amazing flavors! Thanks for posting this recipe!
Carolyn says
love the idea of the almond extract!
Lorna Hess says
if you just have stevia in Bulk what would that compare to drops.
Carolyn says
Do you mean powder? Or stevia that is made to measure like sugar (Stevia In the Raw, that sort of thing)?
Lorna Hess says
I meant stevia powder or truvia
Carolyn says
Stevia powder would be about 1/8 teaspoon. But Truvia is only a tiny bit of stevia and the rest is erythritol. Use 1/4 cup of that.
carole says
Hi there.I want to make these but doubt that I can buy agave nectar.I live in new Zealand and doubt that we have this here….unless I can buy it online.what else could I use?
Carolyn says
Just use a little honey.