Everyone has that one friend. You know the one—they track the local troop’s booth schedule like a private investigator and clear out a shelf in their freezer every January. It’s a ritual. Whether you’re a die-hard Thin Mint devotee or someone who thinks the Peanut Butter Patties are objectively superior, the specific types of Girl Scout cookies available each year spark a level of debate usually reserved for sports or politics.
But here is the thing.
It isn't just about sugar. These cookies are a massive $1 billion enterprise that fuels leadership programs for millions of girls. Honestly, the logistics alone are kind of staggering. Two different commercial bakeries, ABC Bakers and Little Brownie Bakers (LBB), handle the production, which is why your favorite cookie might have a different name depending on which side of a state line you're standing on. It’s confusing. It’s also why some people swear the Caramel deLites taste different than Samoas—because, well, they actually do.
The Core Lineup: Why Some Types of Girl Scout Cookies Never Change
If the Girl Scouts stopped selling Thin Mints, there would probably be a national emergency. Some flavors are just untouchable. They are the backbone of the organization's fundraising.
Take Thin Mints. They are the undisputed heavyweight champion. According to Girl Scouts of the USA, these account for about 25% of all sales. They’re vegan, which a lot of people don't realize, and they have that distinct "crunch" that somehow gets better when they’ve been sitting in the back of a freezer for three months. Both bakeries use the same name for this one, which makes life easier for everyone involved.
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Then you have the peanut butter heavy hitters. This is where the naming gets messy. If your local troop uses Little Brownie Bakers, you’re eating Tagalongs. If they use ABC Bakers, you’re eating Peanut Butter Patties. Are they the same? Not quite. Tagalongs usually have more layers of cookie and a different chocolate-to-peanut-butter ratio, while the Patties tend to have a slightly more "vanilla" forward cookie base. It's a subtle difference, but if you grew up on one, the other feels like a lie.
Samoas (or Caramel deLites) are the other "Big Three" member. These are the ones with the hole in the middle, the toasted coconut, and the stripes of dark chocolate. Some people find the coconut texture polarizing. Others would basically walk through fire for a box. The Samoa (LBB) is known for having a heavier caramel coating and a darker chocolate drizzle than its ABC counterpart.
The Regional Rivalries and Different Names
It’s honestly wild that in 2026 we still have this split-system, but it’s baked into the history of the organization. Most people just want their cookies; they don't want a lesson in supply chain management. But knowing which bakery your region uses tells you exactly which types of Girl Scout cookies you can actually buy.
- Do-si-dos vs. Peanut Butter Sandwiches: Do-si-dos (LBB) are crunchier and have a more oatmeal-heavy texture. The Peanut Butter Sandwich (ABC) is a bit smoother and, frankly, a little more like a standard sandwich cookie you’d find at a grocery store.
- Trefoils vs. Shortbread: These are the simplest of the bunch. They are the "dipping" cookies—perfect for tea or coffee. The Trefoil has that iconic shield shape, while the ABC version is just a standard, delicious Shortbread.
- Lemon-Ups vs. Lemonades: This is a big point of contention. Lemon-Ups (LBB) are crispy cookies with motivational messages like "I am a Leader" stamped on them. Lemonades (ABC) are shortbread circles with a tangy lemon icing layer on the bottom. If you like icing, you want Lemonades. If you want a "snap," you want Lemon-Ups.
The New School: Adventurefuls and the Toast-Yay! Phenomenon
The Girl Scouts don't just rest on their laurels. They experiment. Sometimes it works. Sometimes... it doesn't.
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Adventurefuls joined the permanent roster recently and honestly, they’re a vibe. They are brownie-inspired cookies with a "caramel-flavored crème" and a hint of sea salt. They feel more modern, almost like something you’d get at a high-end bakery rather than out of a cardboard box. They’ve stuck around because they fill a gap for people who want something richer than a Thin Mint but less "salty-sweet" than a Tagalong.
Then there’s the Toast-Yay! cookie. It’s shaped like a little piece of French toast. It tastes like maple syrup and cinnamon. It’s an ABC Bakers exclusive, so if your local troop is an LBB troop, you’re just out of luck unless you know someone in a different council. This kind of regional exclusivity is what drives the secondary market on eBay, which is a real thing that happens every spring. People actually pay $15 a box for cookies they can't get in their zip code.
The Ones We Lost (The "Gone But Not Forgotten" List)
The history of types of Girl Scout cookies is littered with the crumbs of discontinued favorites.
Does anyone remember Le Chip? It was a hazelnut-flavored cookie from the late 90s that had a cult following. Or Aloha Chips, which had white chocolate and macadamia nuts? These didn't last because, at the end of the day, the Girl Scouts run on efficiency. If a cookie doesn't hit a certain percentage of total sales, it gets the axe to make room for the next experiment.
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One of the most recent heartbreaks was the Raspberry Rally. It looked exactly like a Thin Mint but was pink inside and tasted like raspberries. It was an "online exclusive" experiment in 2023. It sold out so fast that it caused a literal frenzy, and then... they just didn't bring it back. The organization cited supply chain issues and the need to focus on the core flavors. It’s a lesson in "get it while you can."
How to Find Your Favorites Without Stressing
If you're hunting for a specific box, don't just wander the grocery store parking lot hoping for the best. The Girl Scouts have actually gotten pretty tech-savvy about this.
- The Cookie Finder App: You can literally download an app that uses your GPS to find the nearest booth. It’ll tell you the dates and times girls will be there.
- Digital Cookie: Most scouts have a personalized link now. You can buy them online and have them shipped directly to your house. This is the easiest way to get your hands on the regional exclusives you might be missing out on.
- The "Buy Five" Strategy: Many troops offer a deal where if you buy five boxes, you get entered into a raffle or a "Gift of Caring" program where they send boxes to military members or local food banks.
The Real Impact of Your Cookie Habit
It’s easy to joke about eating a whole sleeve of Thin Mints in one sitting (we’ve all done it), but the money stays local. After the bakeries are paid, the council and the individual troop keep the rest. That money pays for camping trips, community service projects, and badges. For a lot of these girls, this is their first real experience with "business." They have to manage inventory, handle money, and—most importantly—deal with people who say "no."
So, when you're looking at the different types of Girl Scout cookies this year, remember that you aren't just buying a snack. You're funding a girl’s trip to a NASA space camp or helping a troop build a community garden.
Actionable Next Steps for Cookie Season:
- Check the Bakery: Ask your local troop if they carry "Samoas" or "Caramel deLites." This tells you immediately which bakery (LBB or ABC) they use, which helps you manage your expectations for the texture and flavor of the other cookies.
- Freeze Your Stash: Thin Mints and Tagalongs (Peanut Butter Patties) are structurally better when frozen. The chocolate coating becomes snappier and the flavors are more concentrated.
- Try the Newcomers Early: If there’s a new seasonal flavor (like the Adventurefuls), buy it in January. These are the most likely to sell out by March and usually won't be restocked until the following year.
- Support the "Gift of Caring": If you’re on a diet or just don't want the sugar in the house, you can still "buy" boxes that the troop will donate to local shelters or overseas military. You get the good karma, the girls get the sales credit, and you don't have to deal with the temptation of a box of cookies on your counter.
Ultimately, the best cookie is whichever one you have in your hand. Just make sure you get them before the season ends in April, or you’ll be stuck waiting another nine months for that specific, minty fix.