Cookie Q&A

How can I buy Girl Scout Cookies?

Purchase your Girl Scout cookies from local Girl Scouts through the Girl Scout Cookie Compass or find a Cookie Booth near you.

Who can sell Girl Scout Cookies?

All registered Girl Scouts who have written permission from their parent/guardian and no outstanding debt to Girl Scouts of Utah are eligible to participate. Adult members participate only in supporting the direct involvement of girls; it is the girl who closes the sale, sets goals, and learns the leadership skills that are part of the program.

Can girls earn any awards from participating in cookie activities?

As part of their experience, Girl Scouts can earn age-appropriate awards found in their Girls Guide to Girl Scouting Handbook. Additionally, girls can earn the Girl Scout Cookie Activity Pin 2011-2012.

How do you ensure the safety of Girl Scouts who sell cookies?

The safety of our members is always our top priority. Adults must accompany Girl Scout Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors when they are taking orders and selling or delivering product. Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors must be supervised by an adult when selling door-to-door and must never sell alone.

Girls participating in online marketing read and discuss the Girl Scout Internet Safety Pledge. Girls print the pledge and ask their parents/guardians to read and sign the pledge together. Additionally, we offer the "Let Me Know Safety" sites for adults and girls for general help on staying safe online.

Does a Girl Scout troop have to sell cookies?

We find that most girls in Girl Scouting thoroughly enjoy this program and look forward to it each year; however, participation in the Cookie Program is voluntary and requires written permission by a parent/guardian.

Can Girl Scouts who are not in troops participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program?

Yes! Juliettes (Girl Scouts not affiliated with a troop) have two options to participate in the Cookie Program. They may sell as a "group" with other Juliettes in their Service Unit, or they may sell with a troop within their area. Please contact Mindy Harmon (mharmon@gsutah.org), our Juliette Coordinator, with any questions.

Can Girl Scouts donate cookies to military personnel serving overseas?

Yes. Girls may participate in the Gift of Caring program that allows girls to collect donations of cookies for military personnel serving overseas. Troops should coordinate any gifts to military overseas through military or related personnel at the place of origin and the place of receipt. Gifts should not be sent to bases overseas where there are Girl Scouts involved in cookie sales.

When I buy Girl Scout Cookies, where does the money go and how does it benefit girls?

Approximately 70% of every purchase stays in Utah to supply essential services to troops, groups, and individual girls. The balance goes directly to the baker to pay for the cookies.

What portion of the cookie proceeds is shared with the group selling cookies?

Troops receive $0.40 of the purchase price for each box sold. The troop holds the money earned in its treasury and its girl members vote on how to use that money.

Is the purchase of Girl Scout Cookies tax-deductible?

No, if the customer keeps the cookies, because individuals who buy Girl Scout Cookies have purchased a product at a fair market value. For this reason, no part of the price of a box of Girl Scout Cookies used in this way is tax-deductible. Perhaps, if the customer leaves the cookies with Girl Scouts. Many Girl Scouts ask customers to pay for one or more boxes of cookies for use in their community service project--collecting for a food bank, for example, or for "Gift of Caring". The customer is not receiving any Girl Scout Cookies and does not benefit directly from paying for them. Those individuals should contact their tax preparer to see if they may treat the purchase price of the donated cookies as a charitable contribution.

Does any part of the cookie proceeds go to support organizations other than Girl Scouting?

No. The proceeds from our cookie program stay in Utah to support Girl Scouting.

Does any of the money from cookie proceeds go to Girl Scouts of the USA (the national Girl Scouts organization)?

Girl Scouts of Utah decides how all money form the Cookie Program (except the money going to the baker that produced the cookies) is allotted. The bakers pay a royalty out of their share to Girl Scouts of the USA for use of the licensed trademarks. No other proceeds from the Cookie Program go to Girl Scouts of the USA. Girl Scouts of the USA provides contractual services and approves all educational materials developed by the bakers, as well as provides coordination and training for national media, safety standards, leadership programs, and sale guidelines.

Who Bakes Girl Scout Cookies?

Two commercial bakers are licensed by the national Girl Scout organization, Girl Scout of the USA, to produce Girl Scout Cookies: ABC/Interbake Foods and Little Brownie Bakers. Girl Scouts of Utah works with Little Brownie Bakers.

Who selects the cookie varieties?

Licensed bakers can offer up to eight varieties of Girl Scout Cookies; only three types are mandatory: Thin Mints, Do-si-Dos and Trefoils. The national Girl Scout organization reviews and approves all varieties proposed by the bakers. Any of the five optional cookies can be changed every year. Each bakery names its own cookies, so Girl Scout Cookies that are quite similar may have different names. To see a listing of our current varieties of Girl Scout Cookies, along with pictures and descriptions, click here.

What are the sized, quantities, and prices of Girl Scout Cookies?

Girl Scout Cookies are sold by weight, not by size or number. The number and size of cookies may vary by variety. The national Girl Scout organization monitors the weights of the cookies, which are set by contract. Girl Scout Cookies sell for different prices in different areas of the country. Each Girl Scout council has the right to set its own price based on its needs and knowledge of the local market. Our current price, $3.50 per box, reflects both the current cost of cookies and the realities of providing Girl Scout activities in an ever-changing economic environment.

Are all Scout Scout Cookies kosher?

Yes.

What are the best-selling Little Brownie Baker Girl Scout Cookies?

• 27% Thin Mints
• 21% Samoas
• 14% Tagalongs
• 10% Do-si-dos
• 10% Trefoils

The other varieties combined account for the remaining 18%.

Where can I find recipes using Girl Scout Cookies?

On the Little Brownie Bakers website.

What if I'm not satisfied with my cookies?

Contact us if you are not satisfied with a box of Girl Scout Cookies you purchased. We will be happy to help you.

Who are the girls on the Girl Scout Cookie boxes?

All of the girls pictured on the boxes are registered Girl Scouts. Every box shows Girl Scouts in action having fun.

How do I find out the ingredients, nutritional value, and allergen information for one or more of the Girl Scout Cookie varieties?

So that consumers can make an informed choice, the ingredients and nutritional profile of each variety are clearly listed on both the cookie box and the cookie order form. Additionally, the bakers licensed by Girl Scouts of the USA to produce Girl Scout Cookies list specific product information in the "Cookies" section of their respective websites. Click here for Little Brownie Bakers information.

Are there any preservatives used in Girl Scout Cookies?

No. They are all made with pure vegetable shortening, are kosher, and freeze well to extend their shelf life. A "best to use or freeze by" date is on each box.

Are there any partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats) in Girl Scout Cookies?

For several decades, it was thought that partially hydrogenated oils--sometimes referred to as trans fats--were a healthier food choice compared with saturated fats. In recent years, data has emerged suggesting that, in fact, trans fats are not a healthier choice than saturated fats. Girl Scouts of the USA is proud to say that all Girl Scout cookies are "zero trans fat per serving" with the same great taste that has made them one of America's favorite treats over the years. All varieties contain less than 0.5 grams trans fat per serving, which meets or exceeds the FDA guidelines for the "zero trans fat" designation.

Girl Scouts of the USA has worked diligently with our bakers over the past several years to address the issue of trans fats. We began listing the amount of trans fats one full year before FDA requirements went into effect. It is important to remember that Girl Scout Cookies are a snack food and are meant to be consumed in limited quantities within the context of a balanced diet. So that consumers can make an informed choice, the ingredients and nutritional profile of each variety are clearly listed on both the cookie box and the cookie order form.

Don't Girl Scout Cookies Contribute to the childhood obesity problem?

Starting with our youngest members, the Girl Scout organization promotes a healthy lifestyle for its girl members, which includes a well-balanced diet and plenty of exercise. Our health and fitness programs encourage girls to adopt healthy fitness and eating habits early in life and continue them into adulthood. Girls are also taught to consider ingredient contribution to their overall diet and portion size when choosing snacks.

Why don't you offer cookies that are whole-wheat, wheat-free, non-dairy, dairy-free, vegan, sugar-free, gluten-free, organic, low-carbohydrate, low-calorie, low-fat, non-fat, fat-free, etc?

The demand for specialty cookie formulations is simply not great enough to make it economically feasible to offer a variety of specialty types. Of all the different possible formulations, sugar-free seems to be the most popular, yet in the past, even the sugar-free Girl Scout Cookies that have been offered have had to be discontinued due to lack of demand. Our bakers continue to experiment with formulations that balance the best tasting cookies using the healthiest ingredients.