There’s a heated debate around which is the best, but you don’t have to pick just one with these Girl Scout cookie recipes.
Instead, you can make your favorite all year round!
You’ll almost always find Thin Mints in my freezer because I hoard them, knowing that once they’re gone, I’ll have to wait another year to stock back up.
Although, I’m also in love with the nutty flavors of Tagalongs, too.
I think we could all use some homemade Girl Scout cookies to enjoy.
1. Samoa Cookies (Copycat Recipe)
Samoa cookies combine chocolate with coconut and caramel over a buttery shortbread cookie.
There are a few steps to get this iconic cookie right, but it’s worth every minute.
You’ll start by making the shortbread, being careful not to overwork the dough too much.
I know these are traditionally round, but if you want to save time and dough, try cutting it into squares or pressing it into a baking dish to make cookie bars instead.
While the cookies bake, you’ll make the coconut layer with toasted coconut and melted caramels.
This is easier to pour over the cookie bars, but just be careful if you’re using round cookies, as it will be hot.
2. Homemade Thin Mints
Thin mints are rich and chocolatey with a subtle but super refreshing minty taste.
The cookies are wonderfully crisp, and once they’re enrobed in dark chocolate, you’ll have a hard time stopping at just one.
The coating is a blend of chocolate, oil, and peppermint extract. I like to use dark chocolate, but you can use semi-sweet or milk if you want it lighter.
You need the oil so the chocolate doesn’t set completely hard, and I recommend using peppermint oil if you can find it, as some liquid flavorings can cause chocolate to seize.
I highly recommend making a double batch of these babies, freezing half of the dough for later.
Just wrap it in a log and slice off cookies when the mood strikes.
3. Homemade Tagalongs
In case you don’t know, Tagalongs are a heavenly combination of crumbly shortbread cookies, velvety smooth peanut butter, and lashings of milk chocolate.
They’re what you’ll get if you put a Reese’s peanut butter cup on a shortbread cookie. How can you resist that?
This recipe suggests you spoon peanut butter onto a baking tray and then leave it to set in the fridge.
Then, once the cookies are out of the oven, you’ll add the peanut butter on top and spread it out with a knife.
However, I found it way easier to bake the cookies and let them cool.
Then, pipe the peanut butter as you would a macaron and chill the whole thing for about an hour before dipping it in chocolate.
4. Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies
As much as I love crisp, buttery shortbread, I can’t turn down a chewy oatmeal cookie, especially if that cookie is stuffed with peanut butter!
Also known as Do-Si-Dos, these sandwich cookies are like whoopie pies, and you’ll get double the taste with each bite.
The cookie recipe looks a lot like you’d expect, using peanut butter, butter, white and brown sugar, eggs, oats, flour, and raising agents.
The best part about making these cookies at home is that you can control precisely how chewy or crunchy they become.
Not only that, but you can also fill these with chocolate ganache if you want or dip them in melted chocolate for added flair.
I even added a dollop of jam into some for a nostalgic PB&J taste.
5. Girl Scout Cookie From 1917
This is the very first Girl Scout cookie. It’s a simple sugar cookie that was published in The American Girl magazine for Girl Scouts.
It’s light, sweet, and easy to make. You’ll need only a handful of pantry staples, and you can even throw in chocolate chips if you want.
I like to make these and add a citrus glaze, but they’re super tasty on their own.
6. Copycat Girl Scout S’mores Cookies
Girl Scout s’more cookies combine chocolate and marshmallow fillings between two graham cracker-like cookies.
Although, you may have seen them looking more like the picture above, with the cookies and fillings coated in chocolate.
I prefer this version because you’ll get more chocolate, and you’ll only need three ingredients to recreate them at home.
Instead of making special cookies, you can just use graham crackers to speed things up.
Fill them with marshmallow fluff and try not to make a mess as you dip them in chocolate.
7. Girl Scout Cookies Lemon Cookies Recipe
These cookies are full of lemon flavor but are not sour at all.
Instead, the zesty flavor is beautifully mild and pairs perfectly with the rich butter taste you’ll get from those incredible cookies.
You’ll make an enriched shortbread cookie dough (which typically only calls for flour, sugar, and butter). In this case, you’ll add eggs for maximum moisture.
Since these are so thick, you’ll need that extra boost to keep them tender.
This is another terrific recipe to double and store in the freezer for later.
Slice and bake right from frozen and enjoy lemon cookies in less than 15 minutes.
8. Shortbread Trefoils Toffee
Trefoils are simple shortbread cookies. They’re a lovely, sweet treat to have with your afternoon tea or just before bed when you’re craving something small.
This recipe, though, takes that simple little cookie and cranks up the wow factor by adding a layer of toffee and chocolate.
These are very similar to saltine crack toffee, which uses crackers as the base.
If you’re nervous about making caramel in the microwave, use the saltine recipe above and make it on the stove.
You won’t need a thermometer, and it’s very straightforward.
9. Girl Scout Cookie Brownie Cups
Just when you thought Girl Scout cookies were perfect already, someone had the genius idea to stuff them into brownies.
Yes, really!
The idea is dangerously simple, and you can use a boxed brownies mix to get these on the table faster.
The brownies need to bake in muffin tins so you can scoop out the center and make room for the fillings.
You’ll need caramel and coconut for the Samoas, smooth peanut butter and powdered sugar for the Tagalongs, and peppermint frosting for the Thin Mints.
Once the brownies are cooled and filled, top each with the corresponding cookie and watch as the plate clears in the blink of an eye.
10. Samoas Girl Scout Cookie Fudge Recipe
If you’re bored with the usual plain fudge recipes, you’ll have to give this a go.
It’s loaded with incredible flavors and textures, including real Samoas right in the middle.
Although this is full of coconut cookies and topped with that signature caramel and coconut topping, I also went ahead and used this coconut fudge recipe to really make that flavor shine.
Another great option would be to use half white and half milk chocolate for added richness.
10 Copycat Girl Scout Cookies
With these copycat Girl Scout cookie recipes, you can have your favorites all year! From samoas to thin mints to trefoils, these homemade recipes are just as good as the originals.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Select your favorite recipe.
- Organize all the required ingredients.
- Prep a Girl Scout cookie recipe in 30 minutes or less!
