Every year, the arrival of Girl Scout Cookies heralds not just a delicious season of treats, but the start of the largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world.1 Whether you’re a long-time fan searching for the latest cookie lineup, a parent wanting to understand the benefits for your daughter, or a curious buyer looking for the history behind the box, this article has you covered.
We’ll reveal the most popular flavors (yes, including Thin Mints!), detail the five key skills girls learn, and give you the essential information for the upcoming cookie season. Every purchase does more than satisfy a craving—it directly funds leadership and service programs for young women across the country.2
The 2026 Girl Scout Cookie Lineup: Must-Have Flavors
The annual lineup includes beloved classics, regional favorites, and sometimes an exciting new flavor.3 Note that your local Girl Scout council determines which of the two licensed bakers (ABC Bakers or Little Brownie Bakers) they use, which is why some cookies have different names but similar flavors.4
The Top 3 Bestsellers (By Any Name)
These three cookies consistently rank as the best-selling Girl Scout Cookies year after year, forming the foundation of every sale:
- Thin Mints: The undisputed champion.5 A crisp, chocolate wafer dipped in a refreshing, mint-flavored chocolaty coating. Expert Tip: Try them frozen for the ultimate experience!
- Samoas / Caramel deLites: A complex, tropical treat.6 Crisp cookies coated in caramel, sprinkled with toasted coconut, and striped with a dark chocolaty coating.7
- Tagalongs / Peanut Butter Patties: The perfect sweet and savory combination.8 A crispy cookie layered with creamy peanut butter and covered in a rich chocolaty coating.9
New and Exciting Cookies for the 2026 Season
The Girl Scouts often introduce a new cookie to keep the lineup fresh.10 For the 2026 season, keep an eye out for a new addition:
- Exploremores™: A rocky road-inspired sandwich cookie featuring chocolate, marshmallow, and toasted almond-flavored crème.11 This flavor celebrates the spirit of exploration and the outdoors at the heart of Girl Scouting.
More Than a Treat: The 5 Essential Skills
The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the largest financial literacy program for girls globally.12 It’s an invaluable, hands-on learning opportunity that teaches girls essential skills that translate directly into future success in school and career.
According to the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA), the program is designed to instill five key entrepreneurial skills:
- Goal Setting: Girls learn how to set a specific sales goal (e.g., to fund a troop trip or service project) and create a tactical plan to achieve it.13
- Decision Making: Troop members collaboratively decide when, where, and how to sell cookies, and collectively determine how their troop proceeds will be spent.14
- Money Management: From collecting cash and making correct change to creating a troop budget, girls gain real-world financial literacy and responsibility.15
- People Skills: Selling at cookie booths and door-to-door builds confidence, communication skills, and teaches girls how to interact effectively with all types of customers.16
- Business Ethics: Girls learn the importance of honesty, reliability, and fulfilling promises to customers, all while adhering to the Girl Scout Law and Promise.17
The Impact: Research shows that girls who achieve these five skills are significantly more likely to report that their cookie selling experience was both fun and helpful for their performance in school and life.
How the Girl Scout Cookie Program Works
Cookie sales run annually during Girl Scout Cookie Season, which typically begins in January and runs through April, though the exact timing is set by local councils.18
🍪 3 Ways to Buy Girl Scout Cookies
- 1. The Order Card (The Traditional Way): A Girl Scout takes pre-orders from friends and family using a paper card, and returns weeks later to deliver the cookies.
- 2. Cookie Booths: The most common way to find immediate cookies! Troops set up cookie booths outside local stores, malls, and community centers, usually on weekends during the height of the season.19
- 3. Digital Cookie Platform: Since 2015, Girl Scouts can sell cookies online through their own personalized, safe, and secure Digital Cookie website or mobile app.20 Customers can order directly for delivery or to donate.21 This method allows the Scouts to learn valuable e-commerce and digital marketing skills.
Where Does the Money Go? The Financial Breakdown
Many customers wonder what percentage of the price of their $5 or $6 box goes to the girls. The answer is that 100% of the net revenue stays local to support Girl Scouting in your area.22
- Local Council (Approx. 65–75%): Used for council programs, maintaining camps and properties, volunteer training, and providing financial aid to keep Girl Scouting accessible to all.23
- Local Troop (Approx. 10–20%): This money is kept by the troop selling the cookies.24 They vote on how to spend it, often for field trips, service projects, or summer camp.25
- Bakeries: The remaining portion covers the cost of the cookies themselves.
A Century of Sweet History
The tradition of the Girl Scout Cookie began long before it was a national commercial phenomenon.26
- 1917: The Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma, started the tradition by baking cookies and selling them in their high school cafeteria to raise money for troop activities.27
- 1922: The official Girl Scout magazine, The American Girl, published a simple sugar cookie recipe so that troops nationwide could bake and sell their own.28
- 1934: The Greater Philadelphia Council became the first to sell commercially baked cookies, ensuring a more standardized product.29
- 1937: The national organization began licensing commercial bakers, leading to the nationwide program we know today.30
The Thin Mint variety was introduced in 1939 (originally called “Cooky-Mints”) and has been a staple ever since!31
By purchasing a box of Girl Scout Cookies, you are participating in a century-old tradition that empowers young entrepreneurs and funds the future leaders of tomorrow.32
You can see a video about the announcement of the 2026 cookie to see one of the ways the program stays current and engages the public: Girl Scouts unveil new cookie for 2026 season.
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