Quick Cookie Bites

  • photo of thin mint cookieJuliette Gordon Low, founder of the Girl Scout organization, held the first troop meeting with 18 members in Savannah, Georgia on March 12, 1912. Today, Girl Scouting has over 2.8 million girl members, most of who participate in Girl Scout Cookie activities.
  • The earliest mention of a cookie sale found to date was that of the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma, which baked cookies and sold them in its high school cafeteria as a service project in December 1917.
  • In 1934, Greater Philadelphia became the first council to sell commercially baked cookies.
  • Photo of Peanut Butter Sandwich cookie In 1936, Girl Scouts licensed its first professional baker.
  • Thin Mints is the most popular Girl Scout Cookie, accounting for over 25 percent of the more than 210 million boxes of Girl Scout Cookies sold each year.
  • Historically, the most popular cookies are: Thin Mints, Samoas or Caramel deLites, Peanut Butter Patties or Tagalongs, and Shortbread.
  • All of the revenue, or cookie dough, if you will, stays in the area where the cookies are sold and benefits girls in those local communities.
  • Photo of Girl Scout Shortbread cookie At the Girl Scout troop level, girls vote on how to spend the money they have earned. Troops may take a trip, visit a museum, have an overnight stay at camp or a state park, or donate the money to a worthy cause.
  • Selling Girl Scout cookies is a voluntary activity. Every girl who participates must provide written parental consent. Participants receive training in Girl Scout Cookie program activities.
  • There are two bakeries licensed by Girl Scouts of the USA to do business with Councils across the country: ABC Bakers (the bakery of choice for Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council) and Little Brownie Bakers.
  • Photo of Thank you cookie Research indicates that the top reason people purchase Girl Scout Cookies is because they want to support Girl Scouting. When given the opportunity, the average household purchases approximately five boxes of Girl Scout Cookies. Almost three out of four consumers who are not approached to buy Girl Scout Cookies say they would buy them if asked.