The Best Girl Scout Cookies, Ranked
We love supporting a good cause…and when there are cookies involved? The deal is sealed, friends. That’s why Girl Scout Cookie season is among the best times of the year. (Supporting girls’ financial literacy and goal-setting skills while enjoying a sleeve of Thin Mints? Nothing wrong with that.)
But, when faced with 12 different options for a sweet treat, it’s pretty much inevitable that we’ll play favorites (so many options, only so much room in our stomach). So, we present to you the best Girl Scout Cookies, ranked according to our humble opinion.
The Best Girl Scout Cookies, Ranked in 2024:
12. Toffee-tastic
Girl Scouts
Release Date: 2014
We have a few thoughts. 1) Kudos to the Girl Scouts for adding a gluten-free cookie to the lineup. 2) These cookies are fine, albeit a little bland and kind of dry. We would appreciate more caramel flavor.
11. Lemon-Ups
Girl Scouts
Release Date: 2020
With a perfectly enjoyable lemon cookie already on the roster (see no. 4), why add another to compete? These crisp lemon cookies don’t have a lot going on, and the lemon flavor that is there is a little artificial.
10. Caramel Chocolate Chip
Girl Scouts
Release Date: 2019
Another gluten-free offering, these soft chocolate chip cookies could be improved upon. Reviewers say they’re dry, with a surprising salty note that isn’t entirely appreciated.
9. Girl Scout S’mores Sandwich Cookies
Girl Scouts
Release Date: 2017
Sometimes, more is more, and sometimes more is just OK. These cookies fall into the latter camp. They’re not bad, but they’re not all that remarkable either. The “graham” cookie doesn’t give strong graham cracker vibes, and the filling could use more marshmallow.
8. Adventurefuls
Girl Scouts
Release Date: 2022
New to the scene since 2022, these caramel-creme-filled, brownie-inspired cookies are…not bad! Kinda good, actually! If you’re a fan of the crisp corner pieces of a batch of brownies, you’ll probably like this cookie.
7. Trefoils
Girl Scouts
Release Date: 1974
Like vanilla ice cream, shortbread gets a bad rap for being boring. We disagree, and we bring Trefoils as evidence. They’re buttery, crisp and just the thing we want to dip into a cup of coffee or tea.
6. Toast-Yay
Girl Scouts
Release Date: 2021
A French toast-inspired cookie has the potential to go so wrong, and yet, the Girl Scouts manage to make things right with this crispy treat. We’re fans of all things maple, so we like the subtle sweetness of these cookies (but can’t help imagining how they’d be even better with some sort of creamy filling).
5. Tagalongs / Peanut Butter Patties
Girl Scouts
Release Date: 1976
Our slightly hot take? Tagalogs (aka peanut butter patties) can be hit or miss. We love the creamy PB filling and silky chocolate, but sometimes the cookie underneath falls short and makes the whole thing taste stale.
4. Lemonades
Girl Scouts
Release Date: 2006
Think lemon Oreos. They’re an underdog, for sure, but give them a chance and you’ll fall in love with their bright, sweet flavor.
3. Thin Mints
Girl Scouts
Release Date: 1974
Diehards will argue that the Thin Mint is the best Girl Scout Cookie of all time, but we think there’s a caveat to these minty, crisp biscuits. They’re better when they’re frozen, no?
2. Do-Si-Dos / Peanut Butter Sandwich
Girl Scouts
Release Date: 1974
Salty, sweet and satisfying, these hefty sandwich cookies are among the best of a bunch (if you as us, of course). They’re reminiscent of another peanut butter sandwich cookie you can get at the grocery year-round (aka the Nutter Butter), yet somehow better since they’re seasonal.
1. Samoas / Caramel deLites
Girl Scouts
Release Date: 1974
Coconut haters, stay back. These classic cookies are caramelly and chocolaty in all the right ways, with a crisp base and plenty of coconut for texture. Perfection doesn’t exist…but these babies come close.
Plus, a Brief History of Girl Scout Cookies
If it seems like Girl Scout Cookies have always been around, that’s probably because the first cookies sold date as early as 1917 in Muskogee, Oklahoma. According to the Girl Scouts of the United States of America, these treats were home baked by members (with moms assisting as “technical advisors”). Sales went nationwide in 1922, though they were still baked by girls and their mothers. It wasn’t until the 1930s that commercial production began—but butter, sugar and flour shortages during World War II required a pivot to Girl Scout calendars in the ’40s. Postwar, the cookies returned, and throughout the century, they gradually evolved to the boxes we know now (including some iteration of the beloved Thin Mint, even).
What Are the Top 3 Selling Girl Scout Cookies?
According to data from the GSUSA, the top three best-selling Girl Scout Cookies are:
How We Ranked the Cookies
As it turns out, crowd-sourcing opinions on Girl Scout Cookies isn’t a difficult job. Along with our own tasting notes, we asked our coworkers and friends for their thoughts on which cookies reign supreme.
