Why should my Girl Scout/troop participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program?
Selling cookies teaches goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics—aspects essential to leadership, to success, and to life. Plus, it provides a dynamic way for Girl Scouts and their troop to raise funds for the exciting programs, projects, and trips that they dream up!
What is the deadline to sign up to sell cookies for 2026 and how can my Girl Scout or troop get started with the cookie program?
Girl Scouts should reach out to their troop leader, and the troop leader should reach out to their service unit to find out how to get started participating in the cookie program. The cookie program begins in January and runs through March each year. The earlier you start, the better! Troops need time to be trained in order to handle the policies and procedures of the cookie program. Here's how to begin participating:
- Make sure you are a registered Girl Scout for the 2025-2026 membership year (log into myGS to check your status).
- Families: tell your troop leader or service unit manager that your Girl Scout(s) want(s) to sell cookies; Troop leaders: tell your service unit (SU) cookie program chair or SU manager your troop wants to participate.
- If you are a late starter, we can help get you up to speed. Reach out to your local service unit cookie program chair or call 213-213-0123 (GSGLA’s Customer Care line).
Where do I send people who are looking for cookies?
The public can go to www.girlscoutsla.org/cookies and use the Cookie Finder to find the closest Girl Scout Cookie booth. GSGLA also has a Google “pin-map” that troops can opt-in to and a customer can find a virtual booth (the troop’s Troop Link) to order cookies to be direct shipped or delivered directly by a Girl Scout. Or a customer can call 213-213-0123—every receptionist is equipped to help people locate their nearest cookie booth.
How soon can I start telling my family and friends about Girl Scout Cookie Season?
You are welcome and encouraged to remind people about the Girl Scout Cookie season as soon as you are ready—you do not have to wait until February 1 to promote cookies! This includes sending emails or posting social media messages reminding people that cookie season is coming or letting people know how they can connect with your Girl Scout to place an order once the season starts. By policy, the only activity that MUST HAPPEN WITHIN our council’s program dates (Jan 6 – Mar 8) is the actual selling of cookies, which includes boothing and direct sales. Otherwise, you can publicly talk about cookies throughout the year!
Why are some of our cookies different from those sold at other councils OR why don't we have a certain cookie in our line-up?
There are two bakeries that make Girl Scout Cookies in the country. If a customer asks for a cookie that is not in our lineup, it is likely that the bakery connected with GSGLA does not make that particular cookie. GSGLA sells the "Super Six" top customer favorite cookies: Thin Mints, Samoas, Trefoils, Tagalongs, Do-si-dos, and Lemon-Ups, while also offering the gluten-free Toffee-Tastic and, new for 2026, the Exploremores. (The S’mores were retired from the line up after the 2025 cookie program.)
Is there a gluten-free Girl Scout Cookie?
Yes. The gluten-free Toffee-tastic is available on a limited basis, only while inventory lasts! Learn more about it here.
The retail price of the gluten-free Toffee-tastic cookie is $7; this is $1 more than all the other cookies we offer. Because of the cost associated with producing gluten-free products, most gluten-free products are more expensive than regular products. Customers seeking a gluten-free alternative know and expect to pay more for a gluten-free item. The cost of the gluten-free cookie from the baker is more than double the cost of all the other Little Brownie Bakers (LBB) varieties. This is because of the expensive nature of the ingredients, the separate baking process, and the additional distribution costs.
What are the rules with councils selling cookies outside of their geographic territory?
Girls who have a DIRECT, tangible customer in another council’s region may still contact them and sell cookies to them. For example, if the Girl Scout lives in Chino Hills (GSGLA) but her grandmother lives in Corona (Girl Scouts of Orange County Council), the Girl Scout is allowed to sell to her grandmother and the grandmother’s immediate friends. However, the Girl Scout cannot set up a booth, go door-to-door, or market her sale publicly in another council’s territory. Boothing in a differing council’s geographic region of any format is strictly prohibited, from simple “cookie stands” on private property, to setting up at a grocery store, to loading a cargo van and driving to a market parking lot. None of this is permitted. If you come across a troop boothing in a region that is not their own, do not become confrontational. Instead, discreetly take down the following information and report them immediately to your troop or service unit cookie chair.
- Date, time, and location
- Region the troop/Girl Scout is from
- Troop Number
- Number of girls
- Names of adults
How does the cookie program support Girl Scouts?
GSGLA cookie proceeds—100%!—go to supporting Girl Scouting in the greater Los Angeles area. Cookie proceeds support troops and help provide high-quality, low-cost, and safe experiences for more than 30,000 girls and more than 15,000 adults, including programs and activities, training, materials, services, resources, communications, collateral, and facilities. GSGLA spends approximately $365 per Girl Scout. Funding to support Girl Scouting in greater Los Angeles is through a combination of product sales (cookie program and fall product program), program and camp fees, retail sales, and fundraising. GSGLA receives none of the annual GSUSA membership fee.
What is the price of Girl Scout Cookies this year; is it different than last year?
Girl Scout Cookies are $6 package in Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles, except for the gluten-free Toffee-tastic, which is $7. The prices have not changed.
Where does the $6 (or $7) a package go?
100% of all the proceeds from Girl Scout Cookie sales stay local to support Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles. The proceeds from cookies support:
- Troop activities, travel, camp, and community service.
- Over 250 programs in leadership, outdoors, STEAM, and life skills.
- Financial assistance for 8,200+ Girl Scouts, including memberships and camperships.
What are some good ways to market cookies?
Girl Scout Cookies are a tasty treat, and the public knows this is their primary opportunity to support girls and Girl Scouts.
- Share the goodwill of Girl Scouting. Troops are encouraged to be prepared to tell their story. It's a great way to draw-in customers.
- Speak to customers about how buying cookies helps Girl Scouts locally in their community.
- Inform customers about how the cookie program helps Girl Scouts build their confidence and learn skills that will serve them throughout their lives.
- Talk about the 5 Skills! The cookie program is the largest financial literacy program in the world. The five skills Girl Scouts learn are goal setting, decision-making, money management, people skills, and business ethics. They are the bedrock of the cookie program, and they can convey a moving story when girls give good examples about how they've used these skills in Girl Scouts.
- Customers are not just buying a package of cookies, they are also supporting programs that build Girl Scouts of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.
Can people donate money instead of buying cookies?
Absolutely! Customers can donate money in any amount to go towards the Cookies for the Community (C4C) program. This program sends cookies to those in need by donating to local organizations that support military members, first responders, food banks, and other nonprofits. Troops still get credit for the "virtual sale”, and the public can support Girl Scouts, even if they don't want cookies. Donations collected during the cookie program must be contributed toward the C4C program. Troops cannot solicit/accept donations from the public specifically for the troop during cookie season.
Who can I contact if I need help or have questions during the cookie program?
If you are unable to find the information you need on the GSGLA website, the best person to go to for assistance is your troop cookie chair or service unit cookie program chair. You can also ask questions and get answers on GSGLA's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/GSGLA.
Why don't Girl Scouts sell cookies all-year long?
The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the premier entrepreneurship opportunity for girls, but it is just one part of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. Girl Scouts participate in many activities throughout the year and work on many projects. The cookie program is just one of those activities. Also, because only girls may sell Girl Scout Cookies, their market availability is limited to the eight-week period when they are engaged in the program in their local council.
Cookie season dates vary per council.
How do Girl Scouts sell cookies?
While the troop leader will get more details when they attend their service unit’s cookie training, information they will share with the parent/caregivers of the Girl Scouts in their troop, here is a very high-level overview of the phases of the cookie program.
- The troop will have a goal-planning meeting with their troop at the beginning of the Girl Scout year (or after their troop forms, if later than that). Here the Girl Scouts in the troop will decide what they want to do as a troop, and what financial needs they will have to meet that goal. Girl Scouts should also set individual goals.
- Based on their goals, the troop will decide how many packages of cookies to order to start the sale—this is called the Starting Inventory Order (SIO). This order is typically due in January—the timeline in the Troop Cookie Chair Guide for specifics. GSGLA provides an SIO Worksheet to assist the troop in determining the right number and the right variety mix to include in their order.
- The product ordered in the SIO is received by the troop from their service unit later in January. Then, starting on “Go Day!” (February 1), troops can begin selling with cookies in hand.
- Girl Scouts in the troop will use Digital Cookie—GSGLA’s online sales platform— to ask friends and family via email, text or through social media to purchase Girl Scout Cookies. The customer can order online and request their order be shipped to them directly (shipped by GSUSA) or that they be delivered by the Girl Scout from whom they ordered.
- Troops can also—starting in February—conduct public sales – or booth sales, as they are called – are when 2-4 Girl Scouts and 2 adults stand outside an approved business location (bank or market, for example) and sell cookies to those patronizing the business.
What is a “starting inventory order,” and why do I need it?
The Starting Inventory Order is the initial supply of cookies a troop orders so each of their Girl Scouts will have product “in hand” to start making sales on “Go Day” (February 1). At the individual Girl Scout level, it is important to have a starting inventory of cookies to stay ahead of customers’ needs. Troops do not want to have to make frequent trips to the cupboard unnecessarily, so ordering a supply up front helps alleviate this.
How do I know how much to order for the troop’s starting inventory?
The best starting point is having a troop meeting or two where the troop discusses what their plans are for the Girl Scout year—what activities, trips, community service projects, etc. And then determining how they will be able to achieve those plans—that is, what financial resources will they need? That need becomes their sales goal for the season.
With their sales goal in hand, the troop then places as Starting Inventory Order (SIO). GSGLA has found that ordering at least 75% of their goal will provide enough cookies for the first two weeks of direct sale (door-to-door, Digital Cookie “girl-delivered”) as well as the first weekend of boothing.
Troops determine their SIO using the SIO Worksheet and then place that order into eBudde by the deadline (refer to the timeline in the Troop Cookie Chair Guide). Troops who participated in the previous season have access to a Troop Variety Mix report in the SIO Worksheet that gives them that season’s datapoints (SIO, cupboard activity, troop to troop, Digital Cookie, etc.). New troops will have some guidance as well, a New Troop Planning Worksheet that includes the average sales of a troop of the same size, from the same area and o
This is my first time participating in the cookie program. What do I order for my starting inventory?
GSGLA has available in the SIO Worksheet a report that new troops can use to get an idea of what to order. By entering their goal, their regional service area (corresponds to the GSGLA service center/community center), the anticipated number of Girl Scouts in the troop that will participate, and their Girl Scout level (Daisy, Brownie, Junior, etc.), they will get a suggested SIO. The results are based on a formula that uses Girl Scout level, geographic location, cookie flavor popularity, and per-girl average to help new troops compute a good, strong number. The last thing we want to see is a troop take on too much product when they are not experienced at how to sell it, or a troop that is too conservative and does not order enough product to fulfill their customers’ needs. Veteran troop leaders, cookie mentors, and staff are all here to help train you. You are not alone.
What are the rules with online selling or online promotion of Girl Scout Cookies?
At this time, Girl Scouts are prohibited from selling Girl Scout Cookies online, except through Digital Cookie. This means that other than through Digital Cookie, they cannot transact/exchange money online for cookies via email, website, or any other online method. However, GSGLA encourages Girl Scouts and adults to use age-appropriate online tools to help market the cookie program at any time, such as email, social media, blogs, or personal websites to tell customers when cookie season is coming, how they can find cookies, and how to connect with a troop or Girl Scout to place an order once the season starts. (NOTE: USING EBAY OR ANY OTHER MARKETPLACE WHERE PAYMENT CAN BE TRANSACTED IS NOT ALLOWED). Remember, you can ONLY TAKE orders during GSGLA’s cookie season (Jan 6 – Mar 8). Refer to pages 87-90 of the Safety Activity Checkpoints to review all online safety rules.
Can I get the Toffee-tastic (gluten-free) variety from a cookie cupboard?
The gluten-free Toffee-Tastic specialty cookie will be available in cupboards in limited quantity. Given this limited availability, troops are strongly urged to order what they predict they will sell in their Starting Inventory Order (SIO) and not count on the cupboard to have extensive supplies of this variety. (Watch eBudde for details on their changing availability.)
Is there a new cookie this year?
Yes! New for 2026 is the Exploremores, a rocky road ice cream-inspired cookie filled with flavors of chocolate, marshmallow and toasted almond crème!
This new cookie will sell at the core price of $6.00 per package, along with the rest of the core lineup: Adventurefuls, Do-si-Dos, Lemon-Ups, Samoas, Tagalongs, Thin Mints, and Trefoils.
The Toffee-tastic, our premium, gluten-free variety is $7.00 per package. The difference in cost is tied to the cost from the baker, which is more than that of other Little Brownie Bakers (LBB) varieties. This is because of the expensive nature of the ingredients, the separate baking process, and the additional distribution costs.
I might be running out of one or more varieties. What should I do?
If you are running low on inventory of any cookie variety, we recommend you first reach out to other troops in your service unit who may have additional inventory of the cookie you want/need. This is especially helpful in filling orders already taken by your Girl Scouts, either door-to-door with their order card or online via Digital Cookie. Helping a sister troop is especially helpful as the sale winds down so troops don’t end the season with excess inventory.
If you are unable to find what you need to fill orders from other troops, then you can place an order to a cupboard via eBudde. See the Troop Cookie Chair Guide and the eBudde Manual to learn the steps to placing a cupboard order. There are cupboards placed strategically throughout GSGLA, and at least one of them open each day of the week.
What is the ACH Debit or ACH Credit, and when is it?
ACH means Automated Clearing House and is a process that banks use to transmit funds electronically. In Girl Scout parlance, is the means by which GSGLA collects from a troop the portion of proceeds that GSGLA earned from the troop’s sales or credits to a troop any proceeds GSGLA owes the troop. A troop will only either have a debit or credit, not both.*
GSGLA will collect from troops via ACH debit on Mar 29. Troops to whom GSGLA owes proceeds will receive their credit on Mar 31.
*some troop-earned rewards (Early Bird Renewal, Troop PGA) are issued via an ACH credit process, which separate from these transactions—a troop could see a debit for GSGLA proceeds but a credit for a Troop PGA reward. These latter credits happen in April/May.
What is Digital Cookie?
Digital Cookie is the sales platform that GSGLA uses to enable Girl Scouts to take sales online from customers. Girl Scouts create their “storefront” (creating an avatar, setting a sales goal) and send emails, text messages or make social media posts from the flatform itself. A customer then responds by placing an order and selecting whether they would like GSUSA to ship it to them directly (with a shipping fee), ideal for family and friends who live out of state; or delivered by the Girl Scout from whom they ordered (no shipping fee), ideal for nearby family or neighbors. A customer can also donate cookies through GSGLA’s Cookies for the Community (C4C) program—the customer makes a donation of $6 or more, the Girl Scout and Troop get credit for the sale, and GSGLA fulfills the donation.
Orders placed through Digital Cookie are automatically transmitted to eBudde, with the caveat that orders placed for “girl-delivery” transmit only the dollars, not the items. The presumption is that the Girl Scout already has been credited with those packages—either from her starting inventory or from a subsequent pick-up from the troop. If at the time the order is placed the Girl Scout doesn’t have those packages on hand, she would contact her troop cookie chair to get those items to fulfill the order. These are listed in eBudde as DOC DLVR Mxxxxxxxx (where the xs reflect the order number).
Orders where “shipped” was the selected delivery method show in eBudde as both packages and dollars and are listed as DOC SHIP Mxxxxxxxx (where the xs reflect the digits of the order number).
Donated packages show as DOC DON Mxxxxxxxx. (Orders can be a mix of “girl-delivered” and donated, shipped and donated as well, as show as DOC SHIP+ or DOC DLVR+ and the order number.)
What is Cookies for the Community (C4C)?
Cookies for the Community is GSGLA’s council-wide service project that teaches Girl Scouts about giving back. Troops collect monetary donations from customers, and GSGLA uses those funds to buy and deliver cookies to local organizations that support military members, first responders, food banks, and other nonprofits.
What do I say if someone asks if Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles allows Girl Scouts to conduct booth sales in front of adult-oriented businesses?
Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles (GSGLA) does not allow anyone to sell cookies outside of any adult-oriented business, including but not limited to a bar, strip club, casino, liquor store, gun show, or marijuana dispensary. We recognize these are legitimate businesses but feel they are inappropriate places for Girl Scouts and the Girl Scout brand. The Girl Scout Cookie Program is a council-run business. All the money stays in local councils, and the councils make all decisions on how the business is run with Girl Scout safety a top priority. Both GSGLA and Girl Scouts of the USA offer booth safety guidelines, but we rely on troop leaders and parents to make booth sale location decisions.
Can troops booth at locations that serve alcohol?
Girl Scouts are welcome to booth at family-friendly restaurants with bars or breweries that house a kitchen. They may not booth in front of stand-alone bars or establishments that aren’t family friendly. This is primarily to ensure the Girl Scouts’ safety.
During cookie season, you will see customers talk about the fun of pairing their cookies with alcohol, so it can be a bit confusing, but Girl Scout members should never in any way promote the purchase of alcohol alongside purchasing cookies. This includes offering a cookie/beer pairing or giving a coupon that offers an alcoholic beverage with purchase of cookies. Any booths near bars must be set up away from the bar, and present adults may not consume alcohol at the booth or during their volunteer shift.
Can any business use Girl Scout Cookies and cookie-inspired flavors in their products?
Lots of restaurants enjoy creating once-a-year treats with Girl Scout Cookies during our season. A restaurant or small business may use Girl Scout Cookies in its desserts, provided it buys the Girl Scout Cookies from a Girl Scout, but it cannot use the Girl Scout name or trademarks to brand and market the products.
For example, names like “Thin Mint Shake”, “Girl Scout Cupcake,” “Thin Mint Cake,” and the like are not permitted, but “Chocolate Minty Shake” or “Once-A-Year Cupcake” are OK.
Can a business have cookie pairings without permission from the council? Can they charge a ticket price for the pairing event?
We love it when Girl Scouts involve their local businesses! A business does not need council permission to host a generic cookie pairing event or an unbranded cookie pairing event. However, a business does need permission from GSUSA (or a council, if using the council’s name) to market their event with the Girl Scout brand/marks, product images or create any branding that projects an association with Girl Scouts.
Under unbranded circumstances, the local business may charge ticket prices for their event/product. Girl Scouts can attend cookie pairing events, if the location has a kitchen on site, and serves food to patrons. It is up to each location if minors are allowed to be on site.
Can a local business use cookie images, packaging images and/or logos to promote the cookie-inspired product to their customers?
No. Local businesses may not use the Girl Scout brand or cookie-related images without written permission from GSUSA. This is to protect our iconic brand. We want to help businesses promote their support of our Girl Scouts in other ways though! Here are some examples of past promotions that have worked nicely: A yogurt shop can offer crushed cookies as toppings or an ice cream shop can include cookies in a milk shake.
Are there GMOs in Girl Scout Cookies?
Yes, some do. Our bakers determine whether to use GMOs in Girl Scout Cookies based on a range of market-related factors and depending on the specific cookie recipe.
Girl Scouts listens to its customers, and we work with our trusted bakers, who are industry leaders, to develop recipes for these sweet treats using ingredients that will produce the best-tasting and highest-quality cookies while simultaneously addressing industry trends, scientific trends, and of course, consumer preference. As an organization, we continue to defer to required federal guidelines as they relate to our products.
Why is palm oil used in Girl Scout Cookies?
Palm oil is an ingredient found in the majority of baked snacks sold in the United States. GSUSA's licensed bakers tell us it continues to be necessary to use palm oil in our cookies to ensure shelf life, to offer customers the highest quality, and to serve as an alternative to trans fats. The Girl Scout Cookies baked by Little Brownie Bakers, the baker GSGLA partners with, are RSPO Certified (Mass Balance) for palm oil, ensuring that “the palm oil Little Brownie Bakers uses contributes to the production of environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable palm oil.” One of the primary goals of our Girl Scout cookie bakers is to create the best-tasting cookies possible using the healthiest ingredients available. Click here for more information.
What do I say if someone asks about a cookie boycott or Girl Scouts' position on social issues, such as Planned Parenthood or individual Girl Scout members' participation in political movements?
With the increased media focus on Girl Scouts during the cookie season, a number of groups with their own agendas see this as a chance to draw attention to their causes-at the expense of the Girl Scouts. And although rare, a few of our leaders and parents may encounter people approaching Girl Scouts/troops during the cookie sale, wanting to discuss sensitive issues. Usually, a calm request to speak with the Girl Scout adult away from the girls takes care of the matter and helps to not disrupt the girls.
Regarding false Planned Parenthood accusations:
False claims of a partnership with Planned Parenthood and accusations regarding controversial topics related to Planned Parenthood is sometimes an issue that is raised. It's been more than a decade since the rumors first surfaced. There was no partnership then and there is none now.
Here are the facts:
- Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) and GSGLA do not have a relationship with Planned Parenthood.
- Girl Scouts does not provide financial support of any kind to Planned Parenthood.
- Girl Scouts does not advocate on behalf of any cause or mission outside of the Girl Scout mission, which is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. Girl Scouts does not take a position on abortion or birth control, nor do we endorse or provide funding to organizations that advocate on behalf of these issues. We believe these are matters that are best discussed/handled within the family.
Furthermore:
- 100% of cookie proceeds go to the local council.
For answers to even more questions, visit Girl Scouts of the USA's Cookie FAQs.
If you do not feel comfortable commenting on sensitive issues, please refer the inquirer to Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles' External Relations Department at communications@girlscoutsla.org so that staff can assist.
