45 Girl Scout Cookies, Ranked From Worst To Best

Girl Scout Cookie season is perhaps the first major test of your healthy new year's resolutions; or maybe you've been waiting for the colorful boxes to arrive since last year's cookie season ended — but there's something here to tempt you either way. There have been a few new additions to the Girl Scout cookie menu over the last couple of years, so here's your chance to catch up while also revisiting some beloved classic cookies.

Originally, Girl Scout cookies (as well as preserves and canned fruits) were made by the troops themselves as far back as 1917. In the 1920s one specific recipe was given to Girl Scouts across the country to standardize Girl Scout cookies. Over the decades, cookie sales grew, solidifying it as a major fundraiser for Girl Scout troops everywhere. Beginning in 1951, standardized commercially-produced cookies were introduced that Girl Scouts would begin selling, paving the way for the cookies we know and love today (via Girl Scouts). Since then there have been several producers of Girl Scout cookies, including the two bakeries that are currently making the cookies, Little Brownie Bakers (which began producing Girl Scout cookies in 1974) and ABC Bakers.

So take a walk with us down Girl Scout cookie memory lane as we review the cookies that are currently available, as well as the options we've said goodbye to from seasons past and rank them from the worst boxes to the greatest of all time.

The Toffee-Tastic gluten-free cookie was launched back in 2014  and is still on the list of available Girl Scout cookies — which is a pretty long time for a cookie that's not one of the core originals. Obviously, the Girl Scouts had their work cut out for them when developing a gluten-free cookie that would appeal to a wide audience and live up to the sacred Girl Scout cookie legacy. The cookies are described as, "Rich, buttery cookies with sweet, crunchy toffee bits." Unfortunately, this particular cookie seems to have missed the mark with some people. 

In 2017, a notorious review of the cookie by an actual Girl Scout went viral. "The Toffee-tastic is a bleak, flavorless, gluten-free, wasteland. I'm telling you its as flavorless as dirt," she griped (via People). But to keep things in perspective: People who follow a gluten-free diet are typically already aware of some of the texture and flavor differences between gluten-free foods and their glutenous counterparts. So for them, a cookie that's a little more on the crumbly side because it's made with rice flour instead of wheat probably won't be that surprising. Luckily, Toffee-Tastic isn't the only gluten-free cookie option currently available.

We like the idea of Cinna-Spins, cinnamon roll-flavored cookies that are molded into a little spiral shape. Introduced in test markets in 2007 and released nationally the following year, the cookies came in pre-portioned 100 calorie packs which contained 15 of the tiny treats (via New York Post). We'll admit that we have issues when it comes to pacing ourselves with Girl Scout cookies, so for those looking to show some restraint, this seems great in theory. But the truth is, Girl Scout cookies are an indulgence that we don't always want to restrict. 

Thus it probably wasn't much of a surprise that the reduced calorie cookies didn't last long — The Cookie Tin reports that Cinna-Spins were retired in 2009. We think that they needed to be served with a side of gooey cream cheese frosting for dunking. Of course, that would have absolutely destroyed the 100 calorie serving and made them just as unhealthy as the rest of the Girl Scout cookies, but it would have been well worth it.

Little Brownies sound great in theory — brownie-style cookies studded with mini chocolate chips has got to be a winner, right? Not necessarily. The Little Brownies cookies were introduced as a sugar free option in 2008. It was a good idea to make a sugar free cookie deeply chocolatey to mask some of the artificial sweetener flavors, but even still, it ended up coming up short. It turns out when you tell people that something's a brownie (even if it's actually referring to a young Girl Scout), they expect a brownie. 

These cookies didn't make a lot of waves, and only ran until 2009. But the Girl Scouts didn't completely give up on the idea of brownie-inspired cookies. In 2022, they took another pass at it with the Adventurefuls cookies (more on those later). It remains to be seen how long the newest rendition will fare, but we've got high hopes.

If you've ever noticed that not all Girl Scout Cookies taste the same, it's because they're sourced from two different suppliers: ABC Bakers and Little Brownie Bakers. Most of the time the cookies are a little different with the same name, or have different names for essentially the same cookie (like the Samoas versus the Caramel deLites or the Peanut Butter Patties versus the Tagalongs). This is one of the rare circumstances where the two bakeries produced two completely different cookies, but used the same name for each. Unfortunately, if this version of the S'mores cookie were to be pitted against the Little Brownie Bakers version (which makes an appearance on this list much later) in a bake-off, the Little Brownie Bakers version would win. 

The ABC Bakers version, which was discontinued in 2021, stood out from the rest of the Girl Scout cookies because it was vegan, which the other S'mores cookie is not. It was essentially a graham-flavored cookie that had been dipped in a thin layer of icing to mimic marshmallow, and then dipped once more in chocolate. While the chocolate flavor was a little thin, the cookie as a whole could have been mistaken for a non-vegan cookie if the consumer didn't know the difference, which is good. But the marshmallow part of the cookie was incredibly underwhelming, especially since it's such an integral part of an actual s'more.

In 1977, granola was just beginning to find its place in everyday kitchens, and in an effort to join in on the emerging trend, the Girl Scouts released a "Granola" cookie. The 1960s saw a re-emergence of granola as an alternative food for those seeking out healthier anti-establishment products (yes, hippies). But by the 1970s, it started to catch on, making its way out of hippie culture and into mainstream production. According to Jesus Sanchez of the Los Angeles Times, General Mills created Natural Valley Granola as a granola cereal in the early 1970s, but instead of pouring it in a bowl with milk, they found people were eating it dry as a snack. This revelation launched the Natural Valley granola bar, popularly known today as the Nature Valley brand.

So it's no surprise that the Girl Scouts would also pull this relatively new snack into the cookie lineup, especially when the younger generation was leading the charge here. The Granola cookie itself was relatively straightforward, made of rolled oats, molasses, unbleached flour, sesame seeds, wheat germ, and brown sugar — many of the same ingredients you might find in a bag of granola. While the cookie was pulled from the lineup in 1978 granola-style products would go on to fill the void.

After the Granola cookie's short run on the Girl Scout cookie menu, it would appear that the Scouts decided to stick with the granola theme, but turn it into a more recognizable cookie that might appeal to a wider audience. In 1979, Forget-Me-Nots were released and marketed as a granola-style cookie with oats and raisins, which was certainly a new way of saying "oatmeal raisin cookie." 

Perhaps the bakers had to repurpose all of the granola cookie ingredients that didn't sell the year before to make the Forget-Me-Nots, or maybe they just really wanted the granola thing to catch on. Whereas the Granola cookie was mostly forgettable, the Forget-Me-Nots were a little more memorable (self-fulfilling prophecy?). The cookies stayed on the menu until 1981, but wouldn't be replaced with a similar granola-style cookie until the early 1990s. Sometimes it takes a while for something to catch on, especially when it's a politicized food that has as-yet-undefined health benefits.

With a name like Snaps, you might be thinking these cookies were like gingersnaps, but it turns out that they were actually crunchy oatmeal raisin cookies. Available from 1994 to 1997, the confusingly-named cookies offered a low-fat oatmeal cookie option. The highlight of these cookies is that they were glazed with a little bit of icing, perhaps to offset the relatively boring composition of Snaps. 

But the cookies clearly had appeal, since they managed to last for four seasons — longer than many of the other oatmeal cookie options over the years. Snaps were one of several Girl Scout cookies offered in the 1990s that were low fat, low sugar, low sodium, and even no-sugar for those following restrictive diets. Different reduced-fat and sugar-free cookies have stayed in the mix since, with the addition of gluten-free options to help appeal to a wider range of consumers.

This cookie and trail mix fusion, which was offered from 1990 to 1991, played off the outdoorsy Girl Scout camping theme. The Girl Scouts described Trail Mix as, "A unique and delicious blend of chocolate chips, oatmeal, sesame seeds, raisins, sunflower seeds, almond and apple pieces. Baked slowly to enhance the natural flavors. Can be warmed in the microwave." 

Once you realize all of the goodness they managed to stuff into these cookies, it makes perfect sense why they're named Trail Mix, and seem like the perfect cookie for a long hike. But if we're being honest, most of the time we don't eat Girl Scout cookies on long hikes; we eat them by the boxful laying in bed watching "Friends" reruns, and we want the cookies to be a little more comforting and indulgent than an afternoon of physical exertion. We'll admit that these are definitely an upgrade from the granola cookies of the late 1970s, but not by much.

There are several oatmeal cookies that have made the list over the decades, but very few of them have stuck around for any substantial amount of time. As a matter of fact, the only oatmeal-type cookie on the list right now is the Do-Si-Dos which many people consider more of a peanut butter cookie than an oatmeal cookie. But for one Girl Scout cookie season in 1999, Upside-Downs were available. According to Food Network, they resembled one of America's favorite oatmeal cookies, the Oatmeal Cream Pie by Little Debbie. 

The Upside-Downs weren't a direct knock-off of Oatmeal Cream Pies by any means. The cookies were crunchy instead of soft like the pies, and rather than sandwiching a cream filling, the Upside-Downs had frosting on the bottom (which is essentially how they got their name). Whether or not Upside-Downs were really made to compete directly with Little Debbie or not, we may never know — but they didn't last more than a year, whereas Oatmeal Cream Pies have been going strong since 1960.

The Praline Royale Girl Scout cookies had a short run in the early 1990s but still manage to hold a place in a few hearts. According to Mental Floss, the vanilla cookies were stuffed with praline, pecans, and coconut filling. For decoration, the cookies were drizzled with chocolate icing to create an attractive looping lace-like pattern. Traditional European-style praline is typically made from almonds or hazelnuts, while American-style praline originates in the South, and typically employs pecans, which is the direction it looks like these cookies were going in. 

Incidentally, a Chocolate Royal Cake is a French specialty which has many of the same flavors as this particular cookie, including a praline filling, nuts, and plenty of chocolate. The cake and the classic Southern praline are tough to be beat, which may be why the cookie version of the treats had such a short window of availability.  

Each of the two major bakers for the Girl Scouts has their own gluten-free cookie offering. While Little Brownie Bakers makes the Toffee-tastic, ABC Bakers produces the Caramel Chocolate Chip cookie. From first glance alone, we're already more excited about this gluten-free option. Chocolate chip cookies are difficult for most people to turn down, making these an ideal gluten-free offering, in our opinion. To thwart some of the textural issues cookies made with rice flour face, these cookies are made with oat flour instead. The caramel isn't just a fun choice, but also a useful addition to replace some of the toasty flavor imparted by toasted wheat in traditional cookies. 

Generally, these cookies are geared towards people who like crispy chocolate chip cookies. If you're a soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie kind of person, these probably aren't going to rock your world, regardless of the gluten content.

These were the last of the Girl Scout cookies to be introduced in the 1990s, replacing the Chalet Cremes (which turned out to be a big mistake). Lemon Drops were crunchy lemon-flavored cookies that had creamy lemon-flavored morsels mixed in, sort of like a completely lemon-flavored chocolate chip cookie. It's not that the Lemon Drops weren't good cookies — there have consistently been lemon-flavored Girl Scout cookies in the cookie lineup, and what's not to love? But it's hard to follow such a beloved cookie as the Chalet Creme.

The Lemon Drops cookies ran from 1998 to 1999 and never made it to the new millennium. It would be four years before the Girl Scouts would introduce another lemon cookie, and by then the Lemon Drops cookies had almost completely faded into history. If these happened to be one of your favorite cookies, they're probably easy to recreate with a lemon-flavored sugar cookie or shortbread dough, filled with lemon morsels.

This is the first appearance of Juliettes, although when they show up again further down this list, they are an entirely different cookie. The first Juliettes appeared from 1984 to 1985, and were daisy-shaped shortbread cookies. According to Food Network, the cookies were named for the founder of the Girl Scouts, Juliette Gordon Low. The package came with two sleeves of cookies, not unlike the way Thin Mints are packaged, but the two sleeves of Juliettes cookies were backed with two different types of coatings: One sleeve of shortbread cookies had a lemon coating, while the other sleeve had a pecan-praline coating. 

It seems like the lemon Juliettes cookies would eventually become the Lemonades cookies that are so popular today, and the pecan-praline cookies would inspire the Juliettes created nearly a decade later. We're not sure how well the lemon and pecan praline flavors go together, but we're impressed that the producers went to so much effort to give us essentially two types of cookies for the price of one.

We get the distinct impression that the Girl Scouts were really trying to psyche us up for this cookie, given that the name is quite literally cheering us on — understandably so, as many people aren't overly-enthusiastic about oatmeal raisin cookies. This crunchy oatmeal cookie was stuffed with raisins as well as Greek yogurt-flavored chunks, which was a creative choice that we were wary about at first, but are generally fine with. While the cookies weren't low fat or low sugar, it was clear that they were geared towards cookie consumers with a more health-conscious mindset. 

The Rah-Rah Raisins box shows Girl Scouts playing and cheering on a soccer match, encouraging activity and healthy lifestyle choices, which has been part of the Girl Scout curriculum for years. But describing a cookie as "hearty" doesn't really win a lot of hearts, and the Rah-Rah Raisins cookie came off the menu after a short run from 2014 to 2016.

By name alone, it isn't entirely clear what kind of cookie this is. You can assume it's meant to be enjoyed with coffee or tea, but is it made with coffee? Are we serving coffee to Girl Scouts now? It was, in fact, not made with coffee. The Café Cookie was available from 2005 to 2007, and was essentially a crispy brown sugar cookie, delicately spiced with cinnamon, which sounds nice. The top is stamped with the cookie's name, which we feel like was a little bit of a missed opportunity, given how creative the Girl Scout bakers have been in the past with stamped cookie designs. 

While we're a big fan of spiced cookies with warm apple cider or tea, we understand that this particular offering wasn't quite as exciting as some of the other chocolate-dipped or caramel-drizzled options. We like this cookie as a starting point, and hope to see the brown sugar and cinnamon flavors developed into a new cookie in the near future.

There were actually two Dulce de Leche cookies that were almost exactly the same. The first ran from 2008 to 2009, while the second version stuck around from 2009 to 2014. The initial Dulce de Leche cookie was a vanilla cookie studded with dulce de leche chips, and drizzled with even more dulce de leche. The cookies weren't made with any dietary restraints, and were a caramel lover's dream. 

But for some unknown reason, the cookies were altered slightly when they appeared on cookie order forms again in 2009. The newer Dulce de Leche cookies were  bite-sized, and came without the additional dulce de leche drizzle on top. The change didn't seem to rock the boat too much since the cookie stayed on the menu for five years, but we'll always miss that extra dulce de leche drizzle that put the first cookie over the top. Given how popular these cookies were, we think they were in inspiration for the current gluten-free offering from Little Brownie Bakers, the Toffee-Tastic, which bears a striking resemblance to the Dulce de Leche cookies.

The Iced Berry Piñatas are one of those Girl Scout cookies that are relatively fresh in some peoples' memories, having been available from 2003 to 2005 (via Eat This, Not That). The cookies were similar to jam-filled thumbprint cookies, with a sugar cookie base and berry jam baked on top of the cookie. The cookie's box even claimed that the cookies were made with real strawberries, so it's safe to assume that the berry jam was predominantly, if not entirely strawberry-flavored. There was also an addition of small cinnamon-flavored crumbs added to the top before the cookie was drizzled with icing. 

As for why they're called piñatas, we assume it's because they're stuffed with jam, sort of like a piñata stuffed with candies, but it's a vague association. Nevertheless, this fruit-forward sugar cookie is still missed by many and we're hoping it makes a resurgence in some form or another in future years.  

No, these Girl Scout cookies aren't being passive aggressive. The shortbread Thanks-A-Lot cookies, which were discontinued in 2021 (via ABC Bakers), were stamped with "Thank you" in both English and other languages, and covered in chocolate on the back of the cookie. This isn't the first rendition of this style of cookie over the years, though. All Abouts, available from 2001 to 2008,  were produced by Little Brownie Bakers in celebration of the Girl Scout's 90th anniversary. Each cookie was embossed with a phrase saying "Girl Scouting is all about..." and would continue with "friendship," "leadership," "sharing," "caring," or "fun." 

There were also the Animal Treasures cookies, which were square shortbread cookies stamped with animal images, and also backed with chocolate. According to News & Record, Animal Treasures cookies were launched in 2000 by ABC Bakers, and continued their run before being replaced by the Thanks-a-Lot cookie. There isn't a comparable shortbread and chocolate cookie in the Girl Scout cookie lineup currently, but given how many times we've seen this style cookie come and go in the past, we're relatively confident that we'll see something like it again in the future.

Somehow, Do-si-dos are the Girl Scouts' fourth best selling cookie, which is a little bizarre to us because we've never heard anyone exclaim that these are their favorite. Thin Mints and Samoas, sure. Tagalongs, not everyone adores them but we get it. But Do-si-dos? These peanut butter sandwich cookies (the ABC Bakers version is actually referred to as a Peanut Butter Sandwich) have been around since Little Brownie Bakers began producing Girl Scout cookies in 1974. The cookies themselves are crunchy ground oatmeal cookies — smoother than the oats in a classic oatmeal raisin cookie — which are stuffed with a peanut butter filling, and make for a sort of dense cookie that you definitely need a beverage to wash down. 

Do-si-dos pack a huge amount of peanut butter flavor though, and the cookies are a delicately sweet balance to the more savory filling. A little jam on top and you'd have yourself a peanut butter and jelly cookie, which sounds like a pretty good after school snack (or a perfect late-night snack after the kids have gone to bed).

Golden Yangles weren't really cookies, but cheddar-flavored crackers that were sold in the 1980s before being discontinued in 1992 (via Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan). Some people just don't have much of a sweet tooth, and it was pretty smart of the Girl Scouts to provide a savory snacking option that plenty of people would enjoy. On par with Cheez-its or Goldfish crackers, Golden Yangles were delightfully orange with their own noticeable shape. Resembling small fans, the cheddar crackers were easily recognizable, fit for munching on their own, and also perfectly sized for throwing in a bowl of soup like you would Goldfish crackers. 

But with plenty of other cheddar crackers on the market for people to choose from, Golden Yangles may not have been as competitive as the Girl Scouts hoped. And when you're offering a limited selection of products, you've got to go with what sells. 

What better way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Girl Scouting than with a cookie? Since shortbread is one of the most iconic Girl Scout cookie types, carrying the crest of the Girl Scouts from the very beginning, it certainly made for the most obvious choice of cookies to commemorate the occasion. The 50th anniversary edition of the shortbread cookie didn't stray too far from what many had come to love over the years. 

The Medallions cookies were embossed with the phrase "Girl Scout Cookies over 50 Years" and came in a set with two different flavored bottom coatings. Half of the cookies in the box had fudge bottoms while the other half had pecan praline bottoms. We definitely like the duo of chocolate and pecan praline better than the lemon and praline combination that the early Juliettes offered right after these were released. The medallions ran from 1984 to 1985, although the cookie styles have stayed in rotation ever since.

There are people who absolutely adore white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, and people who generally don't. A big factor is the white chocolate itself, which many people tend to like far less than milk or dark chocolates. So when the Aloha Chip cookies were introduced in 2000, people were either going to love them or hate them. It turns out that the cookies were relatively well-received, and stayed in the cookie lineup through 2004. 

To this day the cookies have a cult following, although we'd argue that it can't be that difficult to find a white chocolate macadamia nut cookie to fill its shoes. The Little Brownie Bakers website claims that the cookie had a "distinctive and exotic taste," which may have been a stretch of a pronouncement in the early 2000s, and certainly by now, macadamia and white chocolate should be a familiar cookie ingredient pairing to many.  

Over the last five decades there have been several chocolate chip cookie contenders, but none of them have lasted very long. The first chocolate chip cookie, the Chocolate Chunk, appeared from 1979 to 1981 and was a straight-forward chocolate chip cookie. Next came the Country Hearth Chocolate Chip which ran from 1988 to1990. This cookie was made with oatmeal and marketed as a low-fat cookie, with no cholesterol, less salt, and less sugar.

From 1996 to 1997 the Girl Scouts produced Le'Chip, which has probably been the most fondly remembered of all of the chocolate chip cookies produced, even though it had one of the shortest runs. With an artistically French-inspired name, this was a "[t]ender cookie with lots of chocolate chips and hazelnuts. Delicious fudge coated bottom" (via Little Brownie Bakers). With a description like that, we'd be delighted to see it return, even for just a limited time. Unfortunately, Le'Chip was immediately replaced by the Striped Chocolate Chip & Pecan cookie. This version was made with pecans, oatmeal, and chocolate stripes in addition to the chocolate bottom coating. It ran from 1997 to 1999, and wasn't replaced with a similar-style cookie until 2004 when the Girl Scouts went all-in on chocolate with the Double Dutch, a chocolate-chocolate chip cookie with both milk and dark chocolate chips. The final chocolate chip contender before the most recent gluten-free option came in 2009, with a sugar-free chocolate chip cookie that only lasted a year.

From 1987 to 1989 the Girl Scouts offered the Echo cookie, which was essentially just a chocolate sandwich cookie with a vanilla cream center. This obviously wasn't the most groundbreaking cookie the Girl Scouts ever offered, but it fit a particular theme in the greater Girl Scout curriculum — exploration, the encouragement of girls and women in the sciences, and building into the future. The back of the Echo cookie box appears to show Girl Scouts studying astronomy, using a telescope, and mapping stars amid an illustration of planets and space. (The name "Echo" may have come from the Echo satellites which were launched into space in the 1960s and were also round.)

As the multitude of Oreos fans can attest, chocolate sandwich cookies are, of course, easy to love — but given the competition and the need for more variety, the cookies were soon replaced with different flavors to keep cookie consumers on their toes.

Over the years, the Girl Scouts released several sandwich cookies, from Van'chos that had both chocolate and vanilla cookies with vanilla filling, to the Chalet Cremes which were vanilla cookies stuffed with lemon or vanilla filling. But in the name of switching things up a bit, in 2013 ABC Bakers released the Mango Crèmes which got a little more creative with the classic sandwich cookie. The tropical package consisted of vanilla and coconut flavored cookies which sandwiched a mango cream filling.  Mango Crèmes also featured a new beautiful decorative design on the cookies themselves. 

The Mango Cremes were made with something called "Nutrifusion" which was described as "nutrients derived from fruits" (via Epicurious). While we thought these developments were a fun twist on an otherwise ubiquitous cookie, they must not have been especially profitable, because the cookies only lasted for one season and were gone by the following year.

Pecan Shortees took the shortbread Girl Scout cookie in a slightly new direction, this time incorporating pecans into the dough instead of dipping the shortbread cookies in an icing. Described as, "[r]ich, delicate shortbread and crisp pecans slowly baked to a tender crunch," these cookies were on the market from 1985 to 1987. 

Pecan shortbread cookies are often called Pecan Sandies because of the crumbly sand-like texture they get from the ground nuts. Sometimes the cookies are baked in a flatter shortbread cookie form, but they can also be found molded into a slightly more balled shape and rolled in confectioner's sugar after baking for a sweeter treat. According to The Wall Street Journal, the powdered sugar-coated version is sometimes referred to as  "moldy mice" by those in the South, and closely resembles traditional wedding cookies that hail from Mexico and Italy. All of these cookies have been around long before the Girl Scouts brought Pecan Shortees to the menu in 1985, but it certainly helped appeal to classic pecan cookie lovers.

Cinnamon-flavored cookies have been a Girl Scout staple over the years, from the low-calorie Cinna-Spins to one of the newest flavors, the Toast-Yay! cookies. The Apple Cinnamon Girl Scout cookies produced by Little Brownie Bakers went in a slightly different direction, incorporating apple flavor into the cookie itself, which was adorably and appropriately shaped like an apple. The top of the cookie was sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, which made it look a little brûléed. 

One of the selling points of the Apple Cinnamon cookie was that it was reduced fat, although it seems like the cookie made up for that sacrifice with the addition of the cinnamon sugar. (We understand, sometimes you've got to pick your battles.) The Apple Cinnamon cookie stayed in the Girl Scout cookie lineup from 1997 until 2001, which is a respectable time frame in the world of contemporary Girl Scout cookies.

Lemon-Ups are the current lemon-flavored cookie offering from Little Brownie Bakers, and are the similar, but still slightly different counterpart to the ABC Bakers Lemonades. They're relatively new to the Girls Scout cookie lineup, having only been introduced in 2020 when they replaced the beloved Savannah Smiles, which were also crunchy lemon-flavored cookies. The Lemon-Ups are described as, "Crispy lemon cookies baked with inspiring messages to lift your spirits," and given the general world climate right now, that sounds like a welcome little bit of sunshine. There are eight different messages total, including, "I am a leader" and "I am a go-getter."

While it's not mentioned in the description, the cookies actually have a thin coating of white lemon-flavored icing on the back of each cookie. "Sadly, the introduction of Lemon-Ups will mean the discontinuation of Savannah Smiles," writes Rachel Ray Magazine. "Onward and forward, though — these new cookies are sure to be loved by everyone who tries them."

If you're familiar with Mexican wedding cookies, or their Southern American counterparts, moldy mice cookies, you've got a pretty good idea of what the Olé Olé cookies were like. (According to the Institute of Culinary Education, Italian wedding cookies are similar but made with star anise, and you'll find versions of other variations of the cookie sprinkled across many cultures.) Per Little Brownie Bakers, Olé Olé, available from 2001 to 2003, were described as, "Bite-sized vanilla cookies with pecan chips, coconut and covered in powdered sugar. These little cookies are a fiesta of taste and fun!"  

The addition of coconut to this cookie is what sets Olé Olé cookies apart from their traditional predecessors. While we think these were a really fun addition to the Girl Scout cookie lineup, it's also one of those cookies that we're fully capable of making at home, probably a little better. But we'll be taking a page from the Girl Scouts and adding a little bit of coconut into our next batch of homemade Mexican wedding cookies.

Thank U Berry Munch are not to be confused with the chocolate-dipped shortbread Thanks-a-lot cookies — apparently the Girl Scouts are big fans of showing their appreciation via their cookies. Available from 2009 to 2014, these were a delightfully fruity addition to the Girl Scout cookie lineup. Most Girl Scout cookies tend to be chocolate, vanilla, caramel, nutty, lemony, or occasionally coconut-inspired (or some combination of those), but there have been far fewer berry options over the years. 

According to the official Girl Scouts description of Thank U Berry Munch cookies, "real, premium cranberries provide a delightful tartness ... sweetened with creamy, white fudge chips and crispy rice to deliver a satisfying crunch" (via Morning Journal). It seems like there was a lot going on in these cookies, and we'll admit that this was a pretty creative move on the part of the Girl Scout bakers. But it all made for a balanced cookie that was both sweet and tangy, crunchy, and creamy.

Kookaburras are a thing of legend, an '80s apparition in the collective Girl Scout cookie memory, per Phoenix New Times. It was a bar cookie that was almost a candy bar, made of rice wafers that were layered with caramel, then all dipped in chocolate. The cookie is sort of what we'd imagine it would be like to construct a Kit Kat bar but with the flavors of a Twix. And with that in mind, we understand why Kookaburras had such an appeal.

Digging a little deeper, we tried to make the connection between Kookaburras — the Tasmanian bird that is the cookie's namesake — and the Girl Scouts. Apparently a song called "Kookaburra" is a Girl Scouts favorite, and it's perfect for singing around a campfire or while taking a hike (via Girl Scout Guide). The Girl Scouts have named plenty of cookies after various people, places, and things that have connections to the organization, so it makes sense that they'd name a cookie after a classic camping song. But we were otherwise hard-pressed to find an Australian cookie that would have inspired this one. 

If you never knew the magic of the original Kookaburra cookies, hope remains. According to Aisle of Shame, Aldi sold a "dupe" of the cookie called Benton's Delight. While a Reddit thread indicates that the cookie has been discontinued as of 2021, one Redditor suggested that the chewy caramel version of the Australian Tim Tam cookie offers a similar flavor experience.  

A new style of lemon Girl Scout cookie made its debut in 2003. The lemon wedge-shaped cookies, called Lemon Coolers, were almost like a cross between the Lemon Drops and Olé Olé. This cookie was vanilla flavored and studded with lemon chips. The dough was shaped into a half-moon lemon wedge, and the whole cookie was rolled in powdered sugar. This was yet another reduced fat option, which it seems the bakers made up for with an additional helping of sugar. The Lemon Coolers stayed on the menu until 2006, and in 2007 they were replaced with the beloved Lemon Chalet cookies.

But it seems that lemon cookies, in almost every form they come in, perform very well on the Girl Scout cookie menu. When the Lemon Chalet Cremes were once again retired, a cookie called Savannah Smiles replaced it, and according to HuffPost, they looked nearly identical to the Lemon Coolers of a few years before. This time, the cookies were lemon-flavored and omitted the additional lemon chips, but the lemon wedge-shape and powdered sugar coating remained. The cookies weren't reduced fat like the Lemon Coolers had been, which may be part of what kept people coming back for more for so long. The Savannah Smiles ran from 2011 until 2019, and continue to be missed by many.

Baked in the shape of the Girl Scouts logo, Trefoils (also known as Shortbread) are about as iconic as it gets. Another one of the original Little Brownie Bakers cookies produced in 1974, these have stood the test of time, in large part due to their timeless simplicity. Shortbread cookies are easy for just about anyone to love, even though they aren't especially complex. These cookies are buttery and sweet, with a nice crisp bite and a crumble that doesn't turn to sawdust in your mouth. Nutritionally-speaking, you've also got a little bit of wiggle room with these cookies, since five of them is considered one serving size and will only cost you 160 calories. 

True to traditional shortbread recipes, these cookies do not contain eggs, although for people with allergies the packaging does point out that the cookies are made in a facility that also handles eggs.

Van'chos hit the market at the same time the original Little Brownie Bakers lineup of Girl Scout cookies did in 1974, and continued to be offered until 1983. The name Van'chos is just a mashup of the words "vanilla" and "chocolate" as this box of cookies included vanilla as well as chocolate sandwich cookies, both with vanilla cream filling. It would be like if Oreo decided to package the classic chocolate sandwich cookies with the Golden Oreos (and maybe they should). 

The Van'chos cookies were emblazoned with the Girl Scout crest and each box sold for about $1.25 each. Over the years, sandwich cookies have multiple appearances in the Girl Scout cookie lineup in more flavors than just chocolate and vanilla, but this is where it started. We're also partial to Girl Scout cookies with especially unique names, and "Van'chos" is just so fun to say (we'll wait while you say it out loud a few times).

If you'll recall, the first cookies to be named Juliettes appeared in 1984 and included two shortbread cookies one dipped in lemon, the other in pecan praline. In 1993, another box of Juliettes cookies was introduced, and they were very different from the original cookies. The new Juliettes were round chocolate-covered cookies stuffed with a pecan caramel that stretched beautifully while you ate them. Described as, "A delightfully crunchy combination of caramel and pecan covered with a fudgy chocolaty coating," this version of the Juliettes was nearly irresistible. 

The cookies had a pretty decent run, staying in the Girl Scout cookie lineup through 1996. For fans of turtle cookies, this was a relatively close flavor profile. It's unclear why the cookies eventually came off the menu, but when you search for Juliettes these days, this is the cookie that appears most often over the shortbread cookies that came nearly a decade before.

You're going to have to go back a little further than contemporary Girl Scout cookie producers to find the Scot-Teas cookies, which were produced by Burry's in the 1960s. These were  shortbread cookies shaped like the Girl Scout logo, with the addition of sugar sprinkled on top. We assume that Scot-Teas were essentially the predecessor of the Trefoils and Shortbreads that we enjoy today. Even after all these years, there are people that swear these were the best Girl Scout cookies ever produced, with some even going so far as to set up a petition and a Facebook page to bring the cookies back. 

Burry Lu Bakeries began baking Girl Scout cookies as far back as 1936, when Keebler was also making Girl Scout cookies, and continued to produce cookies for over 50 years. But in 1989, Burry's was bought by ABC Bakers, which still produces Girl Scout cookies today (via Orlando Sentinel). Over time, it's likely that the shortbread recipes have changed, optimizing the cookies for packaging, storing, and shipping.

Taking the place of the Echo sandwich cookies in 1989, Cabana Cremes offered two sandwich cookie flavors in each box. The vanilla cookies sandwiched either vanilla or lemon cream, which was a sweet and bright departure from the traditional chocolate sandwich cookies. But these cream-filled cookies were just a layover on the way to Chalet Cremes which ran from 1990 to 1995. The cookie components were the same — vanilla cookies sandwiching lemon or vanilla cream fillings. The Chalet Cremes were either round or rectangular depending on the producer, and stamped with images of the first Girl Scout International World Center based in Switzerland.

Even though the original Chalet Cremes were discontinued in 1995, the Girl Scouts capitalized on their popularity and offered Reduced Fat Chalet Cremes from 1995 to 1997, and Sugar Free Chalet Cremes from 1997 to 1998. Removing Chalet Cremes from the menu proved to be more than cookie buyers could stand, and the lemon creme version of the Chalet Cremes were returned to order forms by popular demand in 2007 where they stayed until 2011. With over a decade of time spent in the Girl Scout cookie lineup, it's not a stretch to say that these were some of the most popular Girl Scout cookies ever produced.

Toast-Yay! cookies are currently made exclusively by ABC Bakers which mean that they aren't available everywhere, unfortunately. Shaped like little bite-sized pieces of French toast, stamped with the Girl Scout trefoil outline, and then dipped in icing, these are the breakfast inspired cookies we've been dreaming of (sorry Cinna-Spins). This is just their second year in production, but we're thrilled to see them return for another cookie season. 

While not the size of an actual slice of French toast, these are a little larger than some of the other cookies, perhaps because of their square shape. "The smell and initial taste actually reminded us of another nostalgic snack, the Dunkaroo, thanks to a subtle cinnamon flavor that blends in well to the shortbread base," Carolyn Menyes writes for The Daily Meal. "[T]he ratios make this cookie a star trooper, the balance of cinnamon, shortbread and vanilla flavor is great."

The Little Brownie Baker Girl Scout S'mores cookies landed on order forms back in 2016 and are still going strong today, unlike their inferior ABC Bakers counterparts. The cookie is a layered sandwich cookie that is built exactly the way you think a traditional s'more would be built. The cookies themselves are graham-flavored cookies that sandwich both chocolate and marshmallow fillings. They've got a little less marshmallow than you'd find with a campfire s'more, but requires a lot less work. We're big fans of microwaving these s'mores cookies for a few seconds till they're warm and the filling is slightly melted. 

Unfortunately, if you aren't in the areas supplied by Little Brownie Bakers, these particular cookies won't be an option for you. And even if you are, Girl Scout S'mores cookies may be difficult to get a hold of. Due to supply chain issues, this popular cookie is facing shortages as of February 2022, and has been removed from many troops' online ordering pages (via The Wall Street Journal). If you can get a hold of a box, you're one of the lucky few. Of course, if you're really eager to lay your hands on a box, there's always third-party sellers like Amazon where you can still find a box or two.

Tagalongs joined the Girl Scout cookie lineup in 1976, just two years after the original trio of Little Brownie abana cBakers cookies were introduced. While the Do-si-dos appealed to the classic peanut butter sandwich cookie lovers, Tagalongs introduced a new peanut butter experience — a crispy cookie topped with creamy peanut butter, all covered in chocolate. For context, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups were created in 1928, but didn't gain widespread popularity until the brand was bought by Hershey in 1963. At that point there was no stopping the chocolate and peanut butter dream machine. 

The cookies are currently produced by both cookie baking companies, although the version produced by ABC Bakers are labeled "Peanut Butter Patties" instead of "Tagalongs." These are definitely cookies that you'll want to enjoy with a glass of milk to wash them all down. While the cookie provides a little bit of texture to balance the peanut butter, it's still a relatively dense cookie that will have you smacking your lips.

Golden Nut Clusters spent a woefully short amount of time in the cookie lineup, in our humble opinion, but performed relatively well while they were available — even outselling some of the classics in some areas (via News & Record). Available from 1991 to 1993 and baked by Little Brownie Bakers, these cookies were mostly soft and chewy caramel, with pecan pieces folded in. The caramel enrobed a soft thin sugar cookie, and the whole thing smelled like maple syrup. Kids were likely to lose teeth eating them if one was especially loose, but that didn't stop us from eating them by the fistful. 

If you didn't have the pleasure of tasting one of these clusters in the short window that they were available, imagine having a caramel turtle cookie, just without the chocolate. Of the many cookies that have been discontinued over the years, this is one we'd definitely love to see make a comeback. Unfortunately, we haven't come across any copycat recipes for this particular cookie, which means we may really be out of luck this time.

While the Lemon-ups produced by Little Brownie Bakers have only been on the market since 2020, the Lemonades, courtesy of ABC Bakers, have been around since 2006, and are so popular that they've got their own official Facebook page. The cookies are similar in that both are crispy, buttery, lemon shortbread cookies, and both have a lemony icing on the back. The Lemonades are stamped with a citrus slice design instead of inspiring phrases, and the lemon icing on the back of the cookie is thicker and more pronounced. While we think the motivational messages on the Lemon-ups are great, we're also perfectly happy with the lemon design. 

But what really puts these cookies above the Lemon-ups is the stronger showing of frosting on the back of the cookie. We're assuming that extra frosting is what gives the Lemonades 10 more calories per serving than the Lemon-ups, but that's something we're prepared to live with. One additional difference is that the Lemonades are made with vegan ingredients while the Lemon-ups are made with milk products.

These are the newest addition to the Girl Scout Cookie lineup, launching this cookie season. It's been over a decade since the Girl Scouts had a brownie-style offering, and this year the Adventurefuls are so popular that many troops are having trouble keeping them in stock, per NPR, even though they are being produced by both Girl Scout cookie baking companies. These are round brownie-inspired cookies with a shallow well in the center that have been filled with a delicately salty caramel, before being partially dipped and drizzled with more chocolate. How could you say no to something like that? 

According to a review on Buzzfeed, the chocolate drizzle seems more like that chocolate coating that's used on the Thin Mint cookies, but didn't see that as a negative at all. The cookies are also more crisp, like typical cookies rather than soft and chewy like brownies. Again, not a deal-breaker, just not what the reviewer was expecting. Overall, the cookie is impressively delicious, and a strong contender for the top spot depending on how you feel about the classics. Only time will tell if this one takes the throne eventually.

We know, ranking Samoa cookies in second place is a highly controversial move. For many, it's the end-all be-all of Girl Scout cookies, and we completely understand why. The crispy cookie base is topped with a soft caramel and plenty of toasted coconut, all before getting dipped and drizzled with chocolate. It's every texture, tropical, buttery, and chocolatey, all in one cookie. Not to mention an iconic cookie look that can be recognized anywhere. The only reason why we can think it might not take the top spot is because there are people out there that don't like coconut — which is hard to wrap our minds around, but true nonetheless.

We also wish there were more cookies in each package (there are about 14 cookies per box), because we somehow manage to get to the end of every box in the blink of an eye, and we've never ordered enough boxes to satisfy our cravings. Of course, other non-Girl Scout cookie brands have taken advantage of the cookie's popularity and created similar cookies to get us through the long months between cookie seasons, most notably the Keebler Coconut Dreams cookies that look exactly like Samoas.

Thin Mints are the Girl Scout cookie that really need no introduction. They've officially been around since 1951 when they were known as Chocolate Mints, and then transitioned to Thin Mints as part of the original 1974 lineup of Little Brownie Bakers Girl Scout cookies. And anyone who loves them (which would seem like everyone considering it's the most-searched Girl Scout cookie), can tell you just how delicious they are. Once you tear open one of the silver foil sleeves, it's hard not to eat every Thin Mint in the wrapper. There's just something so perfect about those simple and crispy mint and chocolate wafer cookies dipped in more chocolate.

What you might not know is that Thin Mints are made with vegan ingredients. Little Brownie Bakers doesn't go so far as to market them as vegan cookies, because they're produced in the same facility that handles eggs and dairy, but ABC Bakers has intentionally labelled the cookies as "made with vegan ingredients." Of course, just about everyone loves Thin Mints, whether they follow a vegan diet or not. And even though people have very strong opinions about what the best Girl Scout cookie is, the numbers don't lie. The Girl Scouts website lists Thin Mints as the number one selling cookie, followed by Samoas/Caramel deLites. The only real question is do you prefer to eat them frozen or at room temperature?