2024 Patch Girl Scout Cookie Throwdown Poll: And The Winner Is …

ACROSS AMERICA — Thin Mints may once again be the favorite among the 710 Patch readers who answered our informal Girl Scout Cookie Throwdown Poll, but more cherished are the memories of women who sold the minty chocolate wafers as far back as the 1950s.

One reader said just a nibble on a Thin Mints cookie brings back memories of her days in the 1950s as the “Cookie Queen” in Weehawken, New Jersey. Another reader recalled “delivering then by little red wagon.” And yet another, who said Caramel deLites/Somoas are “so good that this cookie box empties fast in our house,” recalls selling cookies to her neighbors as an 8-year-old in 1948.

In 1962, “the best location to sell was in front of the local bank,” someone else said.

“I loved selling them,” said another reader. “I felt like a little entrepreneur — still love that thought.

“I still think about it often, as it was the best time in my life. Thank you for the memories. ‘On my honor,’ ” she said, quoting the opening line of the Girl Scout Promise.

‘Sad And Disappointed’

Thin Mints, described by a reader as “flavor nirvana,” was the favorite among about 36 percent of readers responding to the poll. Peanut Butter Patties, known in some markets as Tagalongs, finished second at about 27 percent, followed by Caramel deLites, or Samoas, at about 22 percent.

The full results of the poll are found at the bottom of this story.

Another reader described Thin Mints, also the favorite Girl Scout Cookie in last year’s survey, as “heaven on earth.”

Someone else lamented the limited availability of Thin Mints.

“It’s got just the right amount of mint in that crispy, chocolaty, bite-sized cookie to keep you wanting more, so you can’t eat just one,” the reader said. “There have been years I have been unable to buy the cookies, and it’s a sad and disappointing feeling knowing that I would have to wait another year.

“But they’re always worth the wait!” the reader continued. “It makes the cookie a special annual indulgence, and it will always hold a special place in my heart and on my palate.”

Another reader is sad and disappointed that the limited-edition Raspberry Rally cookie, the “twin” to Thin Mints but infused with the fruity flavoring, wasn’t available this year. The cookies sold out quickly, and the Girl Scouts scolded cookie profiteers who were selling at exorbitant prices by third-party vendors. Some cookies ended up on eBay.

The Raspberry Rally-loving reader, who settled for Thin Mints in the poll, wasn’t alone.

“Raspberry Rallies are a disappointment — both last year, when I couldn't get them, and this year, when [Girl Scouts USA] chose not to sell them,” another reader said, voting for Girl Scout S’mores.

“S’mores are simply delicious, an explosion of flavor unlike no other!” another reader said.

‘I Always Pay Double’

Some of the other cookies that finished near the bottom of the poll received equally passionate defenses.

Peanut Butter Patties/Tagalongs, the No. 2 cookie in our poll, are “creamy, not too sweet and a classic flavor blend that can’t be topped,” one reader said.

“The blend of chocolate and peanut butter flavors is delicious and the texture between the soft peanut butter creme and the of crunch of the chocolate cookie do wonders for each other,” another reader elaborated.

The cookie is the “best peanut butter cookie combination on the planet,” someone else noted. Another person said “the ingredients taste high quality, too.”

“I was a Girl Scout in the early 1970s,” said another reader with an affinity for The No. 2 cookie in our poll. “I love that my favorite cookies are still sold today!”

With a vote for Caramel deLites/Samoas, another reader recalled buying 20 boxes of cookies at a time to give as gifts. “I always paid double the price, loving to watch the Scouts’ happy reaction,” the reader said.

“I was a Girl Scout, a cookie mom and a troop leader,” said another fan of Caramel deLites/Samoas. “Both of my children were Scouts. I loved the friendships that my children and I developed through Scouting, and the confidence they developed, particularly through camping.”

“Peanut butter … ‘nuff said,” a Girl Scout dad said, defending his choice of Do-si-dos/Peanut Butter Sandwiches. Some of the best times with his daughter involved selling Girl Scout Cookies in February in cold, snowy Wisconsin.

“Now there’s an adventure to have enjoyed as a daughter-dad team,” h

“Crisp cookies with caramel, coconut and chocolaty stripes,” another reader said. “What more could you possibly want?”

“The combination of chocolate and coconut with the crisp of the cookies is absolutely amazing, making it completely addicting,” someone else said.

Trefoils, inspired by the original Girl Scouts shortbread recipe, are “a simple cookie that tastes great any time, said a 71-year-old former Girl Scout who recalled selling cookies for 50 cents a box.

“A classic flavor for this non-chocolate-eating former Girl Scout,” another reader said of Trefoils. “I had trouble remembering the difference between the Girl Scout motto and the slogan, and now I don’t remember either. I do remember Camp Trefoil, though, and fun and learning and friendship.”

‘A Sense Of Community’

Summer camps are among the activities funded by the all-important cookie sales. The net proceeds remain with local councils and troops to fund other activities year-round and support girl-led community projects.

“The cookies help fund some wonderful activities,like going to the ‘Nutcracker’ ballet, beauty school for hairstyling, many crafts and haunted houses on Halloween,” said a mom who led troops for seven years between her two daughters.

“The funds also went toward the badges the girls earned, and crossing the bridge from Brownies into Girl Scouts,” she said. “We were grateful for the many cookie sales the girls made and parental support.”

Scouting, one reader pointed out, “brings girls all together from all walks of life.”

“Girl Scouts teaches friendship, entrepreneurship, community, and cultural tolerance and relationships,” said another reader, who recalled selling cookies as a Brownie in 1957.

“As a Black girl in Florida, I remember being part of a troop and attending meetings that instilled a sense of community in me,” she said. “Years later, when my daughter was in second grade, I became the leader of her troop because I wanted her to be part of a Girl Scout troop.”

She continued as a troop leader for 17 years, and her daughter maintains the friendships with the women who were in her Girl Scout troop. She’s still friends with other Brownies from the late 1950s.

“Girl Scouts is a wonderful entrance into a community of lifelong female bonds. … I continue to support Girl Scouts and my daughter and I are both lifetime members of the organization.”

“I loved having my aunt and my mother as troop leaders and going to Camp Edey in Suffolk County (Virginia) on a camping trip,” a reader said. “It was awesome. All of my friends were in my troop ,and we had such a wonderful time and learned so much about nature. I miss those days.”

Other readers recounted the ways selling cookies helped them gain confidence and leadership skills.

“It’s a great program for girls — teaches entrepreneurship and customer service skills and to care about their world,” one person said.

“Love the leader it created in my daughter and the opportunity for her to experience different things instead of focusing on different things, instead of on one thing,” another reader said. “Especially as she got older, she was not afraid to try something different!”

“I sold door to door throughout my childhood for the Girl Scouts,” one woman said. “It helped me to be less shy.”

“I love it that Girl Scouts provide an opportunity for our young ladies to form strong bonds and be successful and supportive at an early age,” another reader said. “These are qualities that will last a lifetime.”

A Girl Scout from kindergarten through her sophomore year in high school said she “learned to be empathetic, kind, respectful and charitable.”

“I have continued these traits into my 70s,” she said.

“Support from people made me feel loved,” someone else said.

Girl Scout Cookies were once sold entirely door-to-door. As the program evolved, Girl Scouts were given spots at local businesses and other community institutions. Now, online ordering is a popular option.

“No one comes to houses,” one reader lamented, noting Girl Scout Cookies are now “hard to find.”

“Totally HATE the online order,” another person, explaining the ability to interact with Scouts about their lives and goals was an incentive to buy the cookies.

“Part of this was to have the girl engage with others,” the reader continued. “This eliminates that. If I can’t do in-person orders with cash, then my future support will be zero for the Girl Scouts.”

‘Hard Work But Fun’

Former Girl Scouts are some of the greatest supporters of the annual cookie sales, according to comments in our survey.

“It was hard work but fun,” said a reader who recalled selling them as a young girl more than 50 years ago. “So, as an adult, I always support the Girl Scouts to encourage the girls.”

Another person who supports today’s Scouts said the “memories of days gone by are beautiful. I remember running from house to house to deliver them and how excited everyone was to get the cookies.”

Parents who have led their daughters’ troops describe the cookie sales season as a hectic but treasured time spent with their daughters.

“I remember being a leader in Brownies and Girl Scouts and sorting through the cookies when they arrived,” one reader said. “Being a leader was one of my fondest memories. The girls were always so excited and eager to do crafts and camping. It was so much fun!”

That reader prefers Lemonades, by the way.

“I love the lemon flavor and the way you have to bite into the cookie,” she said. “It’s almost like a sugar cookie but with a subtle lemon flavor. Delicious!”

Being a Girl Scout is a tradition for generations of women.

.“I loved my years as a Girl Scout, then my daughter and now my granddaughter are enjoying the organization, and I have a source for cookies!” one woman said.

“I was a Girl Scout and loved it — my daughters also,” one reader said. “It’s a wonderful organization for young girls.”

A reader who served as her troop’s cookie captain recalls stacks of more than 3,000 boxes of cookies in her living room. Her neighbors good-naturedly called her the “cookie pusher,” she said.

“We needed a U-Haul truck to get them all there,” she said. “I had girls arriving day and night. They’d come empty-handed and leave with armfuls of boxes?”

“I have memories of my mother being a ‘cookie mommy,’ I guess, and we received the delivery of all the cookies and had to sort and deliver them,” a former Scout said. “I remember my mom getting frustrated because there were so many cookies in the house.

“And it was hard not to eat cookies that weren’t in our order,” the reader said. “She delivered them very quickly, so we didn’t have any problems.”

Even grownups who were never Girl Scouts recall fond memories woven around the cookies.

“When me and my brothers were young, we’d go to the lake to swim in the summer,” the person recalled. “My mom would always pack PB&J sandwiches, chips and frozen Thin Mints. We’d have them all year because my mom would buy a bunch an freeze them. Great memories at the lake always included frozen Thin Mints.”

Full Poll Results

Here are the 2024 cookies and how they finished in our unscientific poll:

• Thin Mints: 35.6 percent
• Peanut Butter Patties (Also known as Tagalongs): 27.4 percent
• Caramel deLites (also known as Samoas): 22.4 percent
• Do-si-dos (also known as Peanut Butter Sandwiches): 8.3 percent
• Trefoils: 6.1 percent
• Lemonades: 4.2 percent
• Adventurefuls: 3.1 percent
• Girl Scout S'mores: 2.5 percent
• Lemon-Ups: 2.1 percent
• Toffee-tastic: 1.7 percent
• Caramel Chocolate Chip: 0.7 percent
• Toast-Yay!: 0.5 percent

Cookie sales continue until April. The Girl Scout Cookie Finder can connect you with a Girl Scout troop or online sales opportunities. Information on how to buy Girl Scout Cookies is also available by texting COOKIES to 59618.