Cookie experts, aka members of The Daily Campus, weigh in about arguably the best time of the year: Girl Scout Cookie season. Will they crumble arguing for their favorite cookie?
Olivia Hickey, Campus Correspondent
Samoas. They’re delicious. When I was little I would say Tagalongs, but there’s something about the coconut and caramel. The fact that it’s also an option for coffee now makes it easier to enjoy the flavor when my box is empty which is nice and convenient. Tagalongs, specifically frozen Tagalongs, are a close second and still hold a special place in my stomach. My favorite part about the cookies, however, is supporting the Girl Scouts. As a former Scout I learned goal-setting, money management and public speaking skills. So next time you’re at the store and you see scouts selling cookies outside, consider buying a box (or a case) and supporting your local Girl Scouts.
Daniel Cohn, Associate Managing Editor
Thin mints pictured above. Associate Managing Editor Daniel Cohn believes these cookies are perfectly balanced. Image courtesy of girlscouts.org
As our world becomes more and more complicated and distraught, I’ve grown to love simple pleasures. The smell of fresh-washed sheets. Watching videos of lambs taking their first steps. The union of chocolate and mint. Everyone else above and below me is either naive or lying: There is no better Girl Scout Cookie than the famed Thin Mint.
The Thin Mint works on a wire act: Perfectly balanced. Modern culinary engineering ensures that every bite produces the same perfect, uniform crunch every time. The subtle smack of the chocolate on the inside dances with the punch of mint, the latter of which gives its name to the finished product. Completing the trifecta, the barely-there layer of melted chocolate on the outside wraps it all up, lingering on the tongue after you’ve finished your flavor journey. No other cookie in the Girl Scout catalogue comes close to the satisfaction created by their superior.
To compare Thin Mints to the rest of the Girl Scout Cookies is disrespectful to the art of baking. Have some self-respect and pick the green box.
Lesly Nerette, Campus Correspondent
Do you ever just come home from a long day of excruciating work, longing for something overbearingly, diabetically sweet? Well, you can look for your pleasures within a Samoa. Best believe I will break the bank every year in March for a box. The shortbread ring is complemented by a layer of caramel, followed by shaved coconut. If you didn’t think that was enough, they top it all off with a chocolate drizzle! Now I don’t know who was going at it in the kitchen, but just know that I love you. No other Girl Scout cookie can compare to the royalty that is the Samoa cookie. Especially not the Thin Mint cookie, which is literally toothpaste coated in chocolate. If you love yourself, don’t even go for the green box, sorry Daniel!
Now, if Samoa wants to be generous and share a sliver of the pedestal, I’d say Girl Scout S’mores are second in line. There are two variations to the cookie, but my favorite is the cookie coated in chocolate, with the interior consisting of marshmallow and shortbread.
Hollianne Lao, Staff Writer
I’ve been eating Samoas since before I even knew what they were. If you had told me coconut, chocolate and caramel could taste so good together, I probably wouldn’t have believed you, but I’m glad that young Hollie had such an indulgent palette. I’m glad that many people in this roundtable have equally top-tier preferences. I’m pretty sure it was the only kind of Girl Scout cookies we used to have in my household, but even after I’ve branched out to try the other kinds, Samoas still reign supreme (although Thin Mints and Tagalongs sometimes end up in my order if I have money to spare). The different textures of coconut flakes, creamy caramel and rich chocolate are perfectly sweet but also balanced. My roommate is currently my Girl Scout cookies plug because her sister is a Girl Scout, and in New Jersey, they’re called Caramel Delites. Well, whatever they are, they’re darn delicious.
Ian Ward, Campus Correspondent
Samoa cookies pictured above. Campus correspondent Ian Ward believes that Thin Mints lack the flavor the Samoas pack. Image courtesy of girlscouts.org
When it comes to my favorite Girl Scout Cookie, I would probably go with Samoas. The mixture of coconut and chocolate on a circular just taste’s the best compared to the other cookies. It also has caramel in it that works well with the texture of the cookie. There’s also an ice cream version of the cookie that made me fall in love with Samoas even more. Thin Mints aren’t bad, they just lack the flavor that Samoas pack. Tagalongs are my second variety of Girl Scout cookies. The peanut butter and chocolate combination is great if Samoas are not available. What makes Samoas stand out, however, is how crunchy and chewy they are. Very few cookies can claim to be a mixture of two textures, but somehow Samoas can pull this off. Normally, $5 a box for cookies is outrageous, but exceptions can be made, especially for Samoas. Somehow, the Girls Scouts of America can make buying a box of cookies seems worthwhile and exciting. The only gripe I have with Girl Scout cookies would be that they should be sold year round instead of being available only one time of year. If you are looking for a top tier cookie, you can’t go wrong with Samoas.
Trefoil cookies pictured above. Campus correspondent Lyric McVoy believes this cookie is best dunked in coffee. Image courtesy of girlscouts.org
Lyric McVoy, Campus Correspondent
I know this is a hot take (as my food opinions often are), but Trefoils are the best kind of Girl Scout cookie. This may seem like an odd choice among the Samoas and Thin Mints of the world, but hear me out. Trefoils are your classic shortbread cookie; sweet, lightly-flavored and they melt in your mouth. The biggest draw for me is that you can eat them with anything. Thin Mints? You have that powerful mint flavor contaminating the other elements of the food or drink you might have with your cookies. And Samoas, well, there are so few in each box that it becomes costly if you’re stocking up. The beauty of Trefoils is that there are a bunch in the box and that they pair well with basically anything. Personally, I take mine with a hot coffee: Dunk the cookie in the coffee, trust me, it’s delicious.
Thumbnail image courtesy of Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash
