Former Girl Scouts of Bradley weigh in on best cookie, retired flavors

by Kate Hedrick

Arts, Style, & Beauty Editor

Six varieties of Girl Scout cookie line up next to one another, each as delicious as the next. Photo by Shutterstock.

Spring is in the air, and Girl Scout cookies are in our hearts, stomachs, and shopping carts. As the weather warms, Girl Scouts all across the nation are setting up shop outside of stores, knocking on the doors of residential neighborhoods, and otherwise touting their signature product: sweet, tasty cookies. As of 2023, there are 12 flavors currently available for purchase. While all Girl Scout cookies are wonderful in different ways, everyone has a favorite, and Bradley students are no exception.

I am a former Girl Scout myself, and if you ask me, Tagalongs are the superior cookie. I have been a lifelong fan of anything peanut butter and chocolate- I swear by Reese’s candy- so this choice isn’t a shocker. Tagalongs are the perfect blend of two delicious flavors, the salty peanut butter perfectly encased by the sweet chocolate coating. Whenever there are cookies available for the taking, I will reach for a box of Tagalongs first.

Others at Bradley are just as opinionated as I am. Madison Sheard (11) and Anna Kellar (12) are former Girl Scouts as well. Anna’s experience as a Girl Scout and the nostalgia surrounding it has influenced her cookie choice, as she likes Samoas “because I would eat them with my grandma when I was in Girl Scouts.” Madison, a self-professed cookie aficionado, corroborated Anna’s opinion.

When asked for her favorite cookie, Madison answered with the conviction you’d expect from a veteran. She stated in no uncertain terms that “the best flavor of Girl Scout cookies are the Samoas. they’re far more flavorful than what most people would say, the Thin Mint, and they’re both decadent and slightly salty.” Samoas seem to be a crowd favorite, as Skylar Zakrzewski (12), yet another former Girl Scout, also expressed her love for the cookie, citing “an amazing blend of melt-in-your-mouth with a touch of crunch.” Samoas are my second favorite flavor, so in my opinion, the praise isn’t unwarranted.

For every Girl Scout cookie sold on store shelves today, there are two or three flavors that have been officially retired from store shelves. There are over 16 retired cookie varieties, some of which were only discontinued a handful of years ago. Many of these are retired due to poor sales, such as the Ra-Ra-Raisins, a rather uninspiring oatmeal raisin cookie. Some of them are cycled out to make room for new flavors. One unfortunate casualty of the Girl Scout cookie business model is the Savannah Smiles, a lemon cookie that was on the roster from 2012 to 2019.

Savannah Smiles are dearly missed, as Madison states that “when I was in Girl Scouts, my favorite flavor was Savannah Smiles. They were lemony shortbread cookies dusted in powdered sugar and super addictive. I'm angry that they’ve been replaced by a much lamer alternative…” That alternative is Lemon-ups, circular shortbread cookies with inspirational messages written on top. Clearly, they are more inspiring to some than others.

Girl Scout cookies are a staple in the American dessert diet, beloved by many and purchased by even more. Being a Girl Scout and growing up being part of a troop is a childhood experience that many girls look back on fondly. I, for one, credit my troop experience with giving me friends and social skills I would not have had otherwise. If a Girl Scout comes knocking at your door and you have the money to spare, consider giving your old childhood favorites a try.