The Definitive Ranking Of The Best Girl Scout Cookies

Girl Scout cookie season—generally a six- to eight-week period between January and April—is pretty much its own holiday. Once those tables with green tablecloths hit supermarkets nationwide, we start dreaming about towering stacks of coconut-flecked Samoas. Or are they Caramel DeLites? (Wondering why some cookies have different names? Check out 9 Things You Didn't Know About Girl Scout Cookies.) Enthusiasm for their cookies is matched only, we think, by the ferocity of fans' opinions on the best varieties.

Which is to say: We know we're playing a dangerous game by picking the best (and worst) Girl Scout cookies. But here at Delish, we do the hard and sometimes precarious work for the sake of our readers. But first, some insight into how we made our choices :

What are the best-selling Girl Scout cookies?

They say numbers don't lie, and we took them into consideration while making this list. According to The Girl Scouts of the U.S.A., these are the top-selling cookies:

1. Thin Mints
2. Caramel deLites/Samoas
3. Peanut Butter Patties/Tagalongs
4. Do-si-dos/Peanut Butter Sandwich
5. Lemonades/Lemon-Ups

How we ranked the Girl Scout cookies

We called on our team of very opinionated Delish editors. We also asked a few chefs to chime in, and of course, we looked to the internet to see what people are saying. Just a note: This is an all-time ranking and not all of these cookies are available every year. So here they are, ranked from worst to best.

Looking to recreate America's favorite cookies in dessert form? Try this Samoa dessert lasagna or this Thin Mint cheesecake.

These had potential—who doesn't love a good brown-sugary cookie? While a great option for gluten-free Girl Scout cookie fans, the wheat-lovers in the Delish office found these dry, crumbly, and a little bland. We know the Girl Scouts can do better.

These get props for their inspirational messaging and for the fact that they're super crispy and light. But they have an artificial, lemon-y flavor. While our video producer Marc Stauble loved them, other Delish team members found the flavor reminiscent of cleaning supplies.

There's always a lot of hype when there's a new Girl Scout cookie on the block, and we had high hopes for the Thin Mint-inspired Raspberry Rally. Just like with the pepperminty version, we froze these cookies ahead of time for the ideal experience. And yet, we were let down. The cookies are naturally flavored but still somehow taste like artificial berry. We're sticking with the OG, thanks.

Again, props for having gluten-free options, but can we make them taste better? People with dietary restrictions deserve so much more than dry and cakey approximations of one of the most beloved type of cookie. And, according to many of our team members, it even tastes slightly salty.

There's no denying that the combo of graham cracker, chocolate, and marshmallow is a winner. However, this sandwich cookie inspired by our favorite campfire treat divided our office. Some of us loved the fluffy, sweet flavor of the marshmallow filling. For the rest of us, it fell short of capturing the magic of s'mores.

Rivaling the Nutter Butter, these peanut-y numbers are sweet and salty with a strong crispy-to-creamy texture ratio. They are definitely on the dry, crumbly side, but in the same pleasing way that a Butterfinger is dry. Our team of peanut butter lovers had no problem eating these, but most of us would opt for the Peanut Butter Patties in a heartbeat.

Don't you dare say shortbread is boring. This buttery, soft, yet crispy cookie is the ultimate in classic desserts, and the original Girl Scout cookie. "The freshness and snap is everything," this reviewer wrote. "This buttery cookie reminds me of my childhood."

This celebrated cookie came onto the scene for the first time in 2022, and people are loving it. "Nothing is too sticky, which I like, and they're the perfect size to eat something a little sweet when the craving hits," read our Delish review. "They were truly incredible, I almost ate half the box when taste-testing them to write this. No exaggeration.

We love the name of these under-the-radar cookies, but we love the maple-y flavor even more. The crisp, pancake-esque cookie gets dunked in a cinnamon and maple flavored glaze that evokes all of the comfort of a Sunday breakfast. "I literally can't stop eating them," said one of our Delish reviewers.

These minty cookies have been a heavy hitter in the Girl Scout cookie lineup for years, and for good reason. Ellie Black, video editor, called them "magic." Lindsey Ramsey, director of content operations, declared "FROZEN THIN MINTS 4 EVER," which we think would make a great tattoo.

This may be controversial, but we're keeping Thin Mints in third place. These cookies have a devoted fan base as well as an equally passionate group of haters (including many of us at Delish). Their reasoning is the same as their argument against mint chip ice cream or Junior Mints: nobody wants to eat toothpaste for dessert.

Whatever you want to call these chocolate-caramel numbers, there's no denying their appeal. With layers of crunchy coconut and flaky wafer cookie, it's among the most popular cookies sold by the scouts. We've copied the flavor profile for countless desserts at Delish," Lindsay Funston, executive editor, said of her favorite cookie. "The textures are unbeatable: chewy, flaky, crispy. salty, sweet perfection."

But, just like with mint-flavored desserts, there are some coconut haters who firmly believe Samoas don't deserve the top spot. Instead they're sitting at a respectable second place.

These nutty, chocolatey cookies are just like Do-Si-Dos, but better. The creamy peanut butter filling adds the perfect softness to balance the crispy cookie in the center. Add in a blanket of rich chocolate and you've got the best Girl Scout Cookie.

Take note: Only Peanut Butter Patties, which are made by ABC Bakers, are vegan. Tagalogs, its counterpart baked by Little Brownie Bakers, are not.