NEW YORK - It’s not too early to start making out your annual Girl Scout cookie list and checking it twice. Cookie season normally starts the first week of January, with some exceptions around the nation; however, a big, sweet announcement was released this week.
Girl Scouts of the USA will offer two new specialty cookies in 2027 in an effort to address diverse needs, said a press release at girlscouts. org. Families navigating certain food allergies will be able to enjoy GSUSA’s first allergyfriendly cookie, Girl Scout Sparkables, developed with Partake.
In addition, Patch Pals, developed with the organization BARK, is the first cookie GSUSA developed just for dogs. The new cookies will be available to order exclusively online for shipping only during the 2027 Girl Scout Cookie Season.
BARK is a “dog-obsessed company on a mission to make all dogs happy, and inspired by Girl Scouts’ deep love for their dogs, the soft-baked, blueberry muffin-flavored dog cookies celebrate the bond between people and their pups. Each dog cookie has been baked to feature one of four “patch” designs, representing iconic Girl Scout experiences,” said the Sept. 8 press release.
Partake’s facility is designed to avoid the nine major food allergens, the release went on to say. “The crunchy oatmeal cookie features chocolate chips and is dotted with colorful sprinkles, giving families navigating the most common food allergies a way to feel more included during Girl Scout Cookie season.”
Almost 110 years of selling
Cookie sales began as early as 1917 to help finance troop activities, according to information found on girlscouts.org/ en/cookies/cookie-history. html. This was five years after Juliette Gordon Low started Girl Scouts in the United States. Originally, the cookies were baked by girl members with their mom’s help.
Here’s an interesting fact related to Oklahoma from the website. The Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee baked cookies and sold them in its high school cafeteria as a service project. Sales went nationwide in the 1920s. Cookies were packaged in wax paper bags, sealed with a sticker and sold door-to-door for about 25 to 35 cents per dozen.
Since the 1960s, among the best-selling flavors are Chocolate Mint (now known as Thin Mints), Shortbread (the original is now called Trefoils) and Peanut Butter Sandwich cookies (also known as Do-si-dos).
So, go ahead and make that list and check it twice. January will be here before you know it.