Girl Scout Cookie Program®

Find quick answers to your questions about Girl Scout Cookies®.

 

Buying Girl Scout Cookies

When do Girl Scout Cookies go on sale and how do I find them?

Girl Scout Cookies can be purchased from girls participating in the Girl Scout Cookie Program ® only during your local council’s cookie season. Find cookies, learn when cookie season starts in your community, and locate cookie sale booths by simply entering your zip code in the Find Cookies! search box.

You can also call or email your local Girl Scout council. Your council’s phone number, website, Facebook page, and Twitter account are all on the Council Finder page. Council staff or volunteers can help you find a cookie booth near you. Councils conduct their cookie season for about a six- to eight-week period per year, most between January and April, but some as early as September. 

Try our free mobile Girl Scout Cookie Finder app for your iOS or Android device. You can search for cookie sales in your neighborhood, get details on your favorite Girl Scout Cookies, and use social media to tell your friends. 

How is the Girl Scout Cookie Program valuable to girls?

When you buy Girl Scout Cookies, you power amazing experiences and life-changing opportunities for girls' year-round—from awesome trips to community projects to outdoor adventures. The more cookies you buy, the more you help Girl Scouts build essential skills as they begin to think like entrepreneurs and learn to take the lead, both now and in the future. Girls gain these skills from working with others, setting goals, and connecting with you, the cookie customer! It's about the experience of running her very own cookie business, gaining five essential skills (goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics) as she learns to think like an entrepreneur. We know that Girl Scouts have an entrepreneurial edge compared to their non-member peers according to Girl Scout Research Institutes research report, Today’s Girls, Tomorrow’s Entrepreneurs. This study also revealed that girls want more opportunity to practice and develop entrepreneurial skills and the Girl Scout Cookie program is just the right place to do learn and grow.

Can I buy Girl Scout Cookies online?

Yes, if you know a Girl Scout who is participating in the Digital Cookie® platform. Our Digital Cookie platform keeps girls front and center as we move beyond the booth and offer a convenient way for consumers to buy cookies online and support girls at the same time!

Depending on the council, girls will either use a personalized cookie website, mobile app, ecard, or direct link to ask their customers to make a Digital Cookie purchase. To find out if the Digital Cookie platform is available in your area, visit www.girlscouts.org/digitalcookie. If you know a Girl Scout, tell her you're interested in becoming a Digital Cookie customer—and she’ll take it from there!

Only registered Girl Scouts can sell Girl Scout Cookies. We caution against purchases of Girl Scout Cookies found for sale online at auction, community list sites, or sites such as eBay and Amazon, because GSUSA, your local Girl Scout council, and our licensed cookie bakers cannot guarantee the freshness or integrity of these cookies. In many instances, these cookies are actually expired, or the sellers are using Girl Scout intellectual property without our authorization. Further, purchasing cookies in this way does not support Girl Scouts participating in the cookie program.

Are Girl Scout Cookies shipped?

Girl Scout Cookies purchased via the Digital Cookie platform can be shipped within the United States, including to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and military or diplomatic locations with an APO/FPO/DPO address. To find out if the Digital Cookie platform is available in your area, visit Digital Cookie. If you know a Girl Scout, tell her you're interested in becoming a Girl Scout Digital Cookie customer—and she’ll take it from there!

Why are Girl Scout Cookies available only for a short time?

The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the largest girl-led entrepreneurship program in the world, but it is just one part of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. Girl Scouts participate in varied activities throughout the year and work on many projects. The cookie program is just one of those activities. And because only registered Girl Scouts may sell Girl Scout Cookies, their market availability is normally limited to the six- to eight-week period when girls are engaged in the program through their local council. 

 

General Product Information

Which Girl Scout Cookies are currently available?

There are many different kinds of Girl Scout Cookies! You can learn about the cookies on the Meet the Cookies page of our website. Availability varies depending on the local area, so contact your local Girl Scout council to find out which varieties are available near you. 

What if I'm not satisfied with my Girl Scout Cookies?

Contact the cookie baker if, for any reason, you aren't satisfied with a package of Girl Scout Cookies. The baker contact information is listed on the side of each package, or you may contact Little Brownie Bakers or ABC Bakers directly.

How can I be sure my Girl Scout Cookies were baked for the current season?

Every Girl Scout Cookie package is stamped with a seasonal “use or freeze by” date. This date corresponds with the end of each cookie season. Accordingly, Girl Scout Cookies with a 2021 date have been baked for the 2020–2021 season.

How much is a package of Girl Scout Cookies? Why do prices vary in different regions?

Each of the 111 Girl Scout councils sets its own price based on its needs and knowledge of the local market. Today's prices reflect both the current cost of cookies and the realities of providing Girl Scout programming in an ever-changing economic environment. Remember—the proceeds stay with your local council and troop to power amazing experiences for girls. To find out when Girl Scouts are selling in your area, use the Find Cookies! search box.

Who bakes Girl Scout Cookies?

Currently, two commercial bakers are licensed by Girl Scouts of the USA to produce Girl Scout Cookies: ABC Bakers and Little Brownie Bakers.

How many cookies are in a package of Girl Scout Cookies, and how big are they?

Girl Scout Cookies are sold by weight, not by size or number. The number and size of cookies vary by variety and by baker. This information is featured on every package. You can learn more about the cookies on the Meet the Cookies page of our website.

Why are my Caramel deLites® now called Samoas®? Why are my Trefoils® now called Shortbread?

Each Girl Scout council chooses a licensed baker, either ABC Bakers or Little Brownie Bakers. A cookie may be called Trefoils when baked by one baker and Shortbread when baked by the other. The two cookies look and taste similar, but the name of the cookie and the recipe may be different. The exceptions are Thin Mints ® and Girl Scout S’mores ®, which are names used by both bakers. Even if Girl Scout Cookie names are the same, the recipes may differ.  

Who selects Girl Scout Cookie varieties?

GSUSA collaborates with both licensed bakers in the development of Girl Scout Cookies. Any new additions or optimizations to products in the portfolio are approved by GSUSA. Councils select the varieties offered in their area.

To see a listing of all current varieties of Girl Scout Cookies, along with pictures and descriptions, go to Meet the Cookies.

What are the best-selling Girl Scout Cookies?

The best-selling Girl Scout Cookies are:

  1. Thin Mints®
  2. Caramel deLites®/Samoas®
  3. Peanut Butter Patties®/Tagalongs®
  4.  Do-si-dos®/Peanut Butter Sandwich ®
  5.  Trefoils ® /Shortbread ®
Where can I find recipes that use Girl Scout Cookies?

Check out our Cookie Recipes page. You can also visit Pinterest to find and share recipes. 

Who are the girls on the Girl Scout Cookie packages?

All of the girls pictured on the packages are registered Girl Scouts or Girl Scout alums. Every package shows Girl Scouts in action participating in Girl Scout program activities.

Why do my Girl Scout Cookie nutrition labels look different?

In May 2016, the FDA announced that the new Nutrition Facts label for packaged foods would reflect new scientific information, including the link between diet and chronic diseases, such as obesity and heart disease. The new label on some Girl Scout Cookie packages will help consumers make better-informed food choices.

Visit the FDA’s website for more information.  

Should people with diabetes buy or consume Girl Scout Cookies?

We encourage consumers concerned about sugar intake to discuss dietary options with a doctor or registered dietitian.

For consumer convenience, each of our licensed bakers lists dietary exchanges on the cookie information pages of their websites, so people with diabetes and parents of children with diabetes can make informed choices. The amount of sugar and carbohydrates is also listed on each cookie package. 

Do Girl Scout Cookies contribute to childhood obesity?

Girl Scout Cookies are sold for a short time every year and are considered a snack or special treat. As with all treats, they should be enjoyed in moderation.

GSUSA promotes a healthy lifestyle for girls, which includes a well-balanced diet and plenty of exercise. Our health and fitness programs encourage girls to adopt fitness and healthy eating habits early in life and to continue them into adulthood. Girls are also taught to consider ingredients and portion size when choosing snacks.

Girl Scouts announced a new cookie, why isn’t it available in my area?

Each Girl Scout council chooses a licensed baker, either ABC Bakers or Little Brownie Bakers to supply them with cookies so availability varies depending on the local area. Contact your local Girl Scout council to find out if Toast-yay! is available in your area.

How can I purchase the new cookie Toast-Yay!TM cookie?

Toast-Yay is available for purchase through councils served by ABC bakers.  Contact your local Girl Scout council to find out if Toast-yay! is available in your area.

Will Girl Scouts sell these cookies in-person? 

The safety and security of our Girl Scouts is our top priority, and we will continue to work with our Girl Scout councils to monitor the pandemic in accordance with guidelines from the CDC.

Why are some Girl Scout Cookie varieties priced differently from other ones?

Like other specialty products, our gluten-free cookie varieties and Girl Scout S’mores cookies may be priced higher than other Girl Scout Cookies, reflecting the cost of production and/or specialty ingredients.

 

Product Ingredients

How do I find out the ingredients, nutritional value, and allergen information for Girl Scout Cookies?

This information is clearly listed on both the cookie package and the cookie order form. You can also find the information on the Meet the Cookies page of our website or on the Cookie Finder app.

With special regard for allergen concerns, our bakers bake Girl Scout Cookies in state-of-the-art facilities, and consumers can be assured that every required safety protocol is adhered to in order to prevent cross-contamination of ingredients. Consumers with additional questions can find out more by visiting the baker websites: ABC Bakers or Little Brownie Bakers. To find out which licensed baker supplies your council with cookies, contact your Girl Scout council. Ingredients may differ slightly by baker.

I noticed the allergen disclosure on the Girl Scout Cookie packaging is different. Why was it revised?

All packaged foods in the U.S., including Girl Scout Cookies, are required to include a mandatory allergen disclosure identifying any of the top 8 food allergens present as ingredients either in the ingredients list or through a “Contains” statement. A precautionary allergen disclosure (“Made in a shared facility with”) was added to all Girl Scout Cookie packaging labels to ensure transparency about any allergens that may be present in the bakery where Girl Scout Cookies are made. For more information, check out Meet the Cookies or visit our baker’s websites: ABC Bakers and Little Brownie Bakers.

Has the manufacturing process for any of the cookies changed?

All Girl Scout Cookies are baked in state-of-the-art facilities, and customers can be assured that required safety protocols are adhered to in order to prevent allergen cross-contact. Both bakers can confirm that customers will be buying the same Girl Scout Cookies they know and love—and purchase year after year—with no changes to the manufacturing process. For more information, check out Meet the Cookies or visit our baker’s websites: ABC Bakers and Little Brownie Bakers.

What does this mean for Girl Scout Cookie customers who have food allergies?

Our bakers continue to list all allergens on their Girl Scout Cookie packaging labels. Consumers should always review the ingredient statement for their individual allergies or dietary restrictions for the most up-to-date information on the ingredients contained in the product in that package. For more information, check out Meet the Cookies or visit our baker’s websites: ABC Bakers and Little Brownie Bakers. If you have concerns as to whether a product is right for you, please check with your healthcare provider.

Are all Girl Scout Cookies halal certified?

Yes. Starting with the 2020-2021 season, all Girl Scout Cookies are halal certified. For more information about cookie ingredients, check out Meet the Cookies or visit our bakers’ websites:  ABC Bakers  and  Little Brownie Bakers

Why did Girl Scouts and the bakers go through the process of obtaining halal certification?

The Girl Scout program serves girls from all walks of life across every zip code in the U.S.

It is important that the girls we serve see themselves reflected in the cookie program; from the girls we feature on the packages to the various thing's girls do with their cookie earnings. Adding halal certification to our existing kosher certification was an important step forward in this regard. For more information about cookie ingredients, check out Meet the Cookies or visit our bakers’ websites: ABC Bakers and Little Brownie Bakers

Are all Girl Scout Cookies kosher?

Yes. For more information about cookie ingredients, check out Meet the Cookies or visit our bakers’ websites: ABC Bakers and Little Brownie Bakers.

Why did Girl Scouts and the bakers go through the process of obtaining halal certification?

The Girl Scout program serves girls from all walks of life across every zip code in the U.S.

It is important that the girls we serve see themselves reflected in the cookie program; from the girls we feature on the packages to the various thing's girls do with their cookie earnings. Adding halal certification to our existing kosher certification was an important step forward in this regard. For more information about cookie ingredients, check out Meet the Cookies or visit our bakers’ websites: ABC Bakers and Little Brownie Bakers

Did anything change in Girl Scout Cookies for them to be halal certified?

They are the same delicious cookies that you know and love—obtaining this certification did not require changes to any of the ingredients, recipes or baking processes.

Is high-fructose corn syrup used in Girl Scout Cookies?

No, all Girl Scout Cookies are free of high-fructose corn syrup. For a list of specific cookie ingredients, see Meet the Cookies or visit our bakers’ websites: ABC Bakers and Little Brownie Bakers.

Why is palm oil used in Girl Scout Cookies?

Palm oil is an ingredient found in many baked snacks sold in the United States and is the most widely used vegetable oil in the world. Per GSUSA's licensed bakers, it is necessary to use palm oil in our cookies because of its unique ability to provide volume and texture in baked goods, usually without adding trans fats. Additionally, growing palm oil requires less land in comparison to other vegetable oils and supports the livelihoods of more than 4 million farmers globally. One of the primary goals of our Girl Scout Cookie bakers is to create the best-tasting cookies possible using the best ingredients available. 

The world's food supply is intricately tied to the use of palm oil, so we believe promoting sustainable manufacturing principles is the most responsible approach for Girl Scouts and Girl Scout Cookie development. At Girl Scouts, we have an opportunity to use our strong voice to bring about positive change on this important issue, and our bakers have made the following commitments:

  • GSUSA and our licensed bakers are members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), an organization of growers, buyers, manufacturers, conservationists, and other interested parties striving to develop and follow best practices to ensure sustainability.

  • Our licensed bakers are committed to Sustainable Palm Oil in Girl Scout Cookies and are continuing to research viable alternatives. To read more about our bakers’ positions on palm oil, visit their websites: Little Brownie Bakers or ABC Bakers.  

  • Thanks to the encouragement of and partnership with Girl Scout members, GSUSA and our bakers have realized the power of the Girl Scout brand to make a positive difference in the move toward sustainably produced palm oil.

Why don't you offer cookies that are whole wheat, wheat-free, sugar-free, casein-free, organic, low-carb, low-calorie, low-fat, non-fat, fat-free, and the like?

Girl Scout Cookies are produced once a year, making the production of specialty cookies difficult. In addition, the demand has not been great enough to make it economically feasible. We trust our licensed bakers, who are industry leaders, to produce the best-tasting and highest-quality cookies while simultaneously addressing industry trends; scientific trends; and, of course, consumer needs including dietary restrictions and preferences. Don’t forget to check the labels, you may find a variety that fits your dietary needs or goals. 

Do you offer cookies made with vegan ingredients?

Yes. For more information, visit the Meet the Cookies page of our website.

Are there Girl Scout Cookies that are certified gluten-free?

Yes. Responding to an important consumer trend, Girl Scouts in select areas will be selling either the gluten-free Caramel Chocolate Chip or Toffee-tastic® Girl Scout Cookies. Please contact your local Girl Scout council about availability. For more information, visit the Meet the Cookies page of our website.

How is Toffee-tastic Gluten Free certified if it is made in a bakery with wheat?

Toffee-tastic cookies baked by Little Brownie Bakers have been Certified Gluten-Free by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), a third-party organization that verifies through testing of the production line and the finished product that the cookies meet FDA guidelines for labeling them gluten-free. Toffee-tastic cookies are baked on a production line that is cleaned between production runs and tested to make sure the line is free of gluten. The NSF Gluten-Free Certification seal appears on the side of the Toffee-tastic package. For more information, visit the NSF website.

Is palm oil used in Girl Scout Cookies baked by Little Brownie Bakers?

Palm oil is used as an ingredient in our cookies because of its unique ability to provide volume and texture in baked goods, usually without adding trans fats. However, all Girl Scout Cookies baked by Little Brownie Bakers are RSPO Certified (Mass Balance) for palm oil. This Mass Balance System ensures that the palm oil Little Brownie Bakers uses contributes to the production of environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable palm oil.

 

Social Responsibility

Are Girl Scout Cookies sustainable?

Sustainability refers to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors that an organization addresses to provide value not only to consumers but also to the world. GSUSA is working with its bakers toward sustainable and ethical sourcing of Girl Scout Cookie ingredients, including sustainably sourced palm oil. GSUSA is also working with its bakers to improve the environmental footprint of its cookie packaging, as we recognize the need to reduce emissions and the amount of materials used as much as possible. Furthermore, Girl Scouts can choose to use their troop cookie earnings on environmental stewardship and conservation projects.

Is the cocoa used in Girl Scout Cookies ethically sourced?

Our licensed cookie bakers are actively working with their suppliers to ensure that the cocoa used in Girl Scout Cookies is responsibly sourced. Our bakers are required to provide assurance that cocoa sourced for Girl Scout Cookies is child- and slave-labor free. To provide this assurance, our bakers require compliance from their cocoa suppliers through strict supplier codes of conduct. Our bakers are working with cocoa suppliers, farmers, and industry partners to identify risks and support education and training that promotes sustainable and ethical practices.  

GSUSA understands that, despite the best efforts of our manufacturers and the ongoing work by their suppliers, we also have a responsibility to provide leadership on the topic of slave labor and human trafficking. We are committed to using our powerful voice and brand wherever possible to effect change in this area. 

Little Brownie Bakers is part of the global confectionery and branded-chocolate company Ferrero Group. Ferrero is committed to working on the challenges to end deforestation in the cocoa sector, as well as to implementing key principles and strategies that underpin socially and environmentally sustainable cocoa production. In 2017, Ferrero Group released its action plan to fulfill its commitment to the Cocoa and Forest Initiative signed between leading cocoa and chocolate companies and the governments of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. The collective aim is to end deforestation, restore forest areas and create better lives for farmers and their communities in these cocoa-producing countries, with a particular focus on women and youth.

Do Girl Scout Cookies contain GMOs?

GSUSA is committed to providing cookie customers with the highest-quality products available. We understand that customers have questions about the foods they choose to eat, and GSUSA works alongside its trusted bakers to develop recipes using ingredients that will produce the best-tasting and highest-quality cookies.

Currently, Girl Scout Cookies contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Girl Scouts recognizes that many people have concerns about GMO ingredients, and we monitor member and consumer opinion on this matter while simultaneously addressing industry trends; scientific trends; and, of course, consumer preference.

It is important to note that there is worldwide scientific support for the safety of currently commercialized ingredients derived from GMO agricultural crops. The World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and the American Medical Association all share this assessment. It is also important to note that in the future, GMO ingredients may offer new, cost-effective alternatives to feeding the world’s growing population.

What does the RSPO Credits logo on the side of my Girl Scout Cookie package represent?

ABC Bakers is a member of the RSPO, an organization of growers, buyers, manufacturers, conservationists, and other interested parties striving to develop and follow best practices to ensure sustainability. The RSPO Credits logo on Girl Scout Cookie packages baked by ABC Bakers signifies a commitment by our licensed baker to support the production of certified sustainable palm oil. Since 2012, ABC has been purchasing RSPO Credits to cover the palm oil used in the production of Girl Scout Cookies. Visit the RSPO website to learn more about these certificates.

What’s the significance of the RSPO logo on the side of my Girl Scout Cookie package?

RSPO stands for Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, a global association established in 2004 with the objective of promoting the growth and use of sustainable palm oil products through credible global standards and engagement of stakeholders. The RSPO logo signifies that Little Brownie Bakers has “contributed to the production of certified sustainable palm oil.” In order to use the logo, Little Brownie Bakers bakery was audited by the RSPO to ensure its compliance with the RSPO criteria. Visit https://www.rspo.org/ to learn more about RSPO.

Is my Girl Scout Cookie package recyclable?

Recycling is community dependent. Girl Scout Cookie packages may or may not be accepted by your local recycling service depending on the types of materials it processes.  

Several Girl Scout Cookie varieties are produced in soft pack packaging only, without a carton. The film overwrap is similar to the protective wrapping found inside the boxes of all cookie varieties and is recyclable in certain markets. While the shift to film overwrap has eliminated thousands of pounds of paperboard from the waste stream and the reduction in packaging weight has saved thousands of gallons of diesel fuel, the material may not be accepted by some local recycling services. The box packaging for many of our cookies is made from paper and is recyclable. It contains 100% recycled content so may have been recycled numerous times already! We continue to work with our bakers to evaluate ways to maximize the recyclability of the package, while maintaining freshness and shelf life.  

 

Selling Girl Scout Cookies

Who can sell Girl Scout Cookies?

All registered girl members of Girl Scouts may participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program. Although parents and Girl Scout adults may assist, girls make the sale, set learning and sales goals, learn to think like entrepreneurs, and gain five essential skills that are part of the program.

Participation in the Girl Scout Cookie Program is voluntary and requires written permission from a parent or guardian. The experience helps girls learn essential life skills while powering amazing troop experiences for girls year-round.

We caution against purchasing Girl Scout Cookies for sale online at auction, community list sites, or sites such as eBay and Amazon, because GSUSA, your local Girl Scout council, and our licensed cookie bakers cannot guarantee the freshness or integrity of these cookies. In many instances, these cookies are expired or are using Girl Scout intellectual property without our authorization. Further, purchasing cookies in this way does not support Girl Scouts participating in the cookie program. 

Can Girl Scouts who aren’t in a troop participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program?

Yes! To do so, registered Girl Scouts must abide by guidelines published by GSUSA and their local Girl Scout council and be supervised by a council-trained adult. For more information about how Girl Scouts in your area can participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program, contact your local Girl Scout council.

I've moved, and now I have to pre-order my cookies. Why is selling and buying cookies different from one community to the next?

Each Girl Scout council determines its precise method of helping Girl Scouts sell cookies to customers. Cookies can generally be purchased via the following means, or some combination thereof:

  • Preorder. Girl Scout councils provide participating girls with an order card and, for some, access to a mobile app to collect orders from potential customers. Girls turn in their order cards, the council orders the cookies, and then girls go back to the customer to deliver the cookies a few weeks later.

  • Direct sale. Participating Girl Scouts sell cookies directly to customers, bypassing the order-card process.

  • Booth sales. Participating girls sell cookies at booths authorized by councils and set up inside and outside various retail establishments. To find a cookie booth near you or learn when cookies go on sale, simply enter your zip code in the Find Cookies! search box. The safety, health, and wellbeing of our girls and volunteers is and must be our priority, and we are encouraging all Girl Scout councils to comply with local and federal social distancing guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

  • Online and mobile sales. Many councils participate in the Digital Cookie platform, and more councils join every year! To check if your council participates, visit Digital Cookie. Through Digital Cookie, girls can sell online and through mobile devices. Many girls enjoy marketing their online cookie business by inviting customers, via an email or social media link, to visit their personalized cookie websites. Other girls take in-person orders using a mobile app designed specifically for Girl Scouts.

Girl Scouts participating in the Girl Scout Cookie Program may only sell cookies according to their council’s policies and procedures and within the council’s published sales dates.

How does Girl Scouts keep girls safe as they sell cookies?

The safety, health, and wellbeing of our girls and volunteers is and must be our first priority, and we are encouraging all Girl Scouts to comply with local and federal social distancing guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Girls’ safety and security is always our chief concern—and we have strict safety guidelines. Depending on their age, Girl Scouts must be accompanied or supervised by an adult when selling and delivering Girl Scout Cookies or use the buddy system when selling and delivering door-to-door. Adults must always be present during cookie booth sales. Girls participating in online marketing initiatives, including the Digital Cookie platform, must read, agree to, and abide by the Girl Scout Internet Safety Pledge together with their parents/guardians and follow online safety guidance. Digital Marketing Tips for Cookie Entrepreneurs and Families. 

Do girls earn Girl Scout badges by participating in the Girl Scout Cookie Program?

Girls may earn official Cookie Business, Financial Literacy, and Entrepreneurship badges at every level of Girl Scouting. Girls earn badges based on completing established program activities that allow them to build new skills year after year. Girls may also earn the Cookie Entrepreneur Family pin with support from their families as they set individual goals and identify business tactics that support their troop goals. In 2020 Girl Scouts introduced new Entrepreneur badges, Girls will be able to develop an entrepreneurial mindset as they engage in age-appropriate exercises that help them create and pitch a product or service that solves a problem. They build their own business plan and think about topics like production, cost, profit, marketing, and competition. Separately, girls can earn rewards based on their sales activity, such as recognition items and program credits. Contact your local Girl Scout council to learn more about the rewards established by local councils for girls in your community.

Can Girl Scouts donate cookies to military personnel or local charities?

Yes! Girls may participate in a council-approved "Gift of Caring" or “Cookie Share” program that allows girls to collect donations of cookies for military personnel or local charities. 

What happens to the leftover cookies at the end of the cookie sale?

To ensure freshness, Girl Scouts only sell cookies produced for the current season. Therefore, if a council or troop has cookies left at the end of the sale, GSUSA encourages it to work with local food pantries and other charitable organizations to distribute cookies as a special treat for people seeking food relief services. GSUSA works with our licensed bakers to ensure that they too have an annual plan for responsibly managing leftover cookie inventory. 

 

Who is the top seller of Girl Scout Cookies?

The Girl Scout Cookie Program has never been about individual sales results but rather the program outcomes, through which girls learn important entrepreneurial and life skills and invest their earnings in powering troop activities year-round. GSUSA does not currently track the top seller(s) of Girl Scout Cookies on a national level. There are many impressive cookie bosses throughout the United States, and the Girl Scout Movement will continue to recognize those girls as top sellers. However, GSUSA does not currently identify a specific Girl Scout as the number one or “record-breaking” national cookie seller, because doing so does not highlight the essence of the Girl Scout Cookie Program.

The program strives to offer girls important experiences in entrepreneurship, business, and finance from a young age, as well as provide girls and Girl Scout councils with the funding necessary for a variety of activities and programs throughout the troop year. Our 111 councils, which handle their own sales tracking, may continue to track their top sellers locally to showcase the skills girls learn and the incredible ways in which girls are investing their cookie earnings to create positive change in their communities.

 

Cookie Revenue

Where does the money from my purchase of Girl Scout Cookies go?

When you buy delicious Girl Scout Cookies, you’re helping power new, unique, and amazing experiences for girls that broaden their worlds, teach them essential life skills, and prepare them for a lifetime of leadership.

The net proceeds from Girl Scout Cookie sales stay local with the originating council and troop to fund activities for girls year-round as well as impactful girl-led community projects. Each council determines its own revenue structure depending on how much it costs the council to buy cookies, the local retail price to sell cookies, and the amount of revenue shared with participating troops.

Cookie program revenue is a critical source of funding for Girl Scout councils to deliver essential programming to troops and is often what makes it possible to reach girls in underserved areas and maintain camps and properties.

Additionally, Girl Scout troops can pool their proceeds to pay for necessary supplies, activities, and group travel. Girl Scouts may not earn proceeds as individuals. However, Girl Scout councils offer a wide variety of recognition items, program- and store-related credits, and travel experiences that girls are eligible to earn individually based on their sales. All troop proceeds and other rewards earned through participation in the Girl Scout Cookie Program must be used to enhance all girls’ Girl Scout experience.

Does any of the money from cookie sales go to GSUSA (the national Girl Scout organization)?

No. All Girl Scout Cookie sale proceeds stay local. GSUSA is paid a royalty by its licensed bakers to use Girl Scout trademarks based on gross annual sales. Girl Scout councils do not provide any portion of their cookie revenue to GSUSA, and no other revenue from cookie sales goes to GSUSA.

GSUSA approves all marketing and sales materials developed by the bakers. GSUSA also provides councils with coordination and training for media activities, safety standards for girls and volunteers, a world-renowned girl leadership program, and support during cookie season.

Is my purchase of Girl Scout Cookies tax-deductible?

If you buy Girl Scout Cookies and take the cookies home (to consume them), you've purchased a product at a fair market value. For this reason, Girl Scout Cookies used in this way are not tax-deductible.

Many Girl Scouts ask customers to pay for one or more packages of cookies for use in community projects or as part of a council-approved Gift of Caring or Cookie Share program. If you would like an acknowledgement of your donation for tax-deductible purposes, contact your Girl Scout’s council. 

Does any part of Girl Scout Cookie Program revenue support organizations other than the local Girl Scout council?

After paying the bakers, the net proceeds from Girl Scout Cookie sales are retained by the originating council and troop to power amazing experiences for girls and impactful girl-led community projects. Girl Scout troops set goals for how to spend their proceeds on program-related activities, such as paying their own way to a community event or museum. Girl Scout troops may also choose to use proceeds to purchase materials for a project to benefit the community.

Girl Scout Cookies and cookie-inspired flavors can be found in some popular food items. Can any business use Girl Scout Cookies and cookie-inspired flavors in its products?

A restaurant or small business may use Girl Scout Cookies in its desserts, provided it buys the Girl Scout Cookies from a Girl Scout, but it cannot use the Girl Scout name or trademarks to brand and market the products. Prohibited uses are “Thin Mint Shake,” “Girl Scouts Cupcake,” “Thin Mint Cake,” and similar constructions. GSUSA has contractual relationships with select companies to include Girl Scout Cookies and cookie-inspired flavors in their products and to use the Girl Scout name and trademarks in conjunction with those products. These rights are granted under national licensing agreements, and GSUSA is the only entity that may enter into such an agreement. For more on rules and regulations pertaining to the Girl Scout brand, or to inquire about becoming a licensee, email permissions@girlscouts.org.

 

Cookie Entrepreneur Family Pin

What happened to the Cookie Activity pin?

The Cookie Activity Pin was retired after the 2018-19 season.

What is the Cookie Entrepreneur Family pin?

The new Cookie Entrepreneur Family pin, which launched in 2019, enables families to support girls as they learn to think like entrepreneurs through the Girl Scout Cookie Program. Each Girl Scout grade level has its own set of requirements to help families guide their Girl Scout as she runs her own cookie business year after year. Girls can earn all 13 pins in the collection—one unique pin for every year they participate.

What is the structure of the new Cookie Entrepreneur Family pin?

There are six sets of requirements, one for each Girl Scout grade level. Girls can earn a pin every year they participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program and meet the requirements. Although the requirements don’t change year to year within a grade level, how a girl approaches the requirements will change. Girls earn a year-one and year-two version of the pin (plus a year-three version for Cadettes) within their grade level. Girls must earn year-one pin in order to earn year-two and year-two to earn year-three. This structure is similar to the My Promise, My Faith award structure.

Why did the pin requirements change?

The Cookie Activity pin had one set of requirements for all grade levels. To provide a well-rounded programmatic experience that differentiates activities by grade level and is set apart from the Cookie Business badge requirements, we decided to take the learning to the family level, where girls are already implementing many parts of their cookie program experience.

Families are an important element of the foundational Girl Scout Leadership Experience and play a key role in supporting a girl’s cookie business. Girls often prepare for the cookie program through their troop by earning Financial Literacy and Cookie Business badges as they gain five skills: goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics. We recognize that girls often practice these skills at home, too, as they sell Girl Scout Cookies with support from their families. This new pin will encourage families to be there for their girls as they develop the five skills and learn to think like entrepreneurs.

Why is the pin design changing?

The Girl Scout Cookie Program is an important part of the Girl Scout Movement’s history and reputation for supporting girls as they discover their inner power and ability to do good in the world. Reimagining the Cookie Activity pin gives us the opportunity to refresh and modernize the design and bring the image of our famous Girl Scout Cookies to the front of the uniform.

The new pin also eliminates the need to search online for a missing pin from a particular year. This new pin collection will be evergreen, meaning Girl Scout shops will have the supplies on hand year round. The design changes as girls progress through the program rather than the design changing each year.

Does the pin carry over from uniform to uniform?

The Cookie Entrepreneur Family pin is designed to stay on the grade-level uniform. The only pins that carry over uniform to uniform are the World Trefoil pin, highest awards, Journey Summit Awards, Membership Stars, and Discs and Life Saving Awards. The previous Cookie Activity pin was also designed to stay on the grade-level uniform, but some girls decided to carry it over year to year.

When do I place the Cookie Entrepreneur Family Pin?

Visit our Where to Place page.

When and where can I find the pin’s requirements?
  • The requirements are on the Volunteer Toolkit in the resources tab and are included as a meeting aid for all Cookie Business badges in the Volunteer Toolkit (Daisy, Brownie, Junior and Cadette Only).
What about girls who do not have a traditional family environment?

Girls live in many different environments. This is exactly why we chose the word “family,” which includes a girl and her own definition of family. This can be brothers and sisters, extended family, a foster family, or the caring adult/caregiver closest to her.

When will the pins be available for sale?

Celebrate your family’s teamwork and get the pin—available now! Buy today!

How much will the pin cost?

The new pin will retail for $3.00.

How do I order the pin?

Council retail staff can work with their Girl Scout merchandise retail business consultant for ordering information.

Can I keep last year’s cookie pin on my uniform alongside the Cookie Entrepreneur Family pin?

Yes! The older cookie pin is designed to be worn on the grade level uniform. If your girl chooses to continue to wear it alongside the new pin, that’s fine.

Where can I get more information about the new pins?