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 1/4 tsp 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 1/4 cups (140 g) almond flour
- 1/3 cup (60.67 g) Swerve Sweetener
- 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) salt
- 1/4 cup (56.75 g) butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
Peanut Butter Caramel Filling
- 2/3 cup (172 g) creamy natural peanut butter
- 1/4 cup (56.75 g) butter
- 1/2 cup (91 g) powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 1/4 cup (59.5 g) heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) caramel extract, can use vanilla extract
Chocolate Topping
- 3 1/2 ounces (99.22 g) dark chocolate chips, sugar-free
- 2 tbsp 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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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I’m getting 18 carbs per bar for this recipe. Are you doing a version of net carbs for the macros? They look yummy! Would one have to use stevia instead to keep the carbs low?
You’re counting the erythritol which has zero carb impact. I have a very clear nutritional disclaimer at the bottom of each post.
My husband actually walked in the door with a box of Tagalongs as I was making these. I tried a cookie and these bars for a side-by-side comparison and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this version so much more!
A taste test! That’s wonderful to hear!
Hi Carolyn. These Tagalong bars are delicious! I’m so happy I have come across your blog. One question: Does your crust stick together well? If mine didn’t, might you have an idea why? Should I have baked it longer or something? I froze mine just to try to keep the crust together better and to make cutting them easier, and it did help.
Thanks so much!
~ Jamie (from Ottawa, Canada)
Difference in almond flour is my guess. Try adding a little more butter. My crust stayed together very well.
Thanks for the great recipe!! Tagalongs were always my fav GS cookie. I just made these and am currently in the torturous state of having to wait for them to cool. I can’t wait to get your next dessert cookbook! I made your taco pie earlier today and had leftover blueberry coconut waffles this morning, so it’s been all Carolyn recipes in my house today.
So glad to hear it!
Thank you so much for this recipe. I made these yesterday and they came out exactly like your photo and are delicious. The recipe was easy and didn’t take long. I enjoyed them so much, I made your Samoas Bars today. Both filled the void of a low carb dieter who can’t eat GS cookies anymore. I really enjoy your blog and have made a few other recipes. Good Job!
Did I miss the fiber amount? I don’t see it, just the 6.1 total carbs. That sounds high to me, too.
I made these yesterday, and they are by far the best sweet low carb recipe I have ever made! The crust is crunchy and sweet, and the peanut butter layer is just too delicious. I wondered how well the unsweetened chocolate ganache would taste, but it is PERFECT! My question is, is the carb count on the nutritional info the NET CARBS? If so, it is kind of high, but they are so delicious that they are worth making every now and then. I am trying to keep my daily carbs at 30 gr. or less.
No, it’s total carbs. That’s why the fiber is also listed.
The recipe is super easy but takes a bit of time (cooling and setting). Hubby has a sweet tooth and one of these more than satisfies without being too sweet. It fills a void in the no sugar department. I added a bit of coconut oil to the peanut butter mixture as my pb was a bit dry (hubby eats pb by teaspoon when needing ‘something’ without stirring completely). I would equate this more to an adult peanut butter cup (we don’t know tagalong in our area of Canada). Try it, you’ll like it!
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.
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!!
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!!
Another win, my hubby said yum, yum, yummy first bite.
Gah, my fav cookie!!!
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.
After saying no to the sweet Girl Scouts I am so glad to indulge in these. Amazing. Thank you for another great recipe Carolyn.
Tagalongs are one of my favorite GS cookies, and I am loving that you made a low carb version in bar form!