Why Are Girl Scout Cookies Called Different Names? (2024)

For many cookie lovers, Girl Scout Cookie season is the best time of year. It’s totally acceptable to buy boxes of cookies by the armload (or order several boxes online). Not to mention, it’s definitely a time to indulge, whether you’re enjoying a whole sleeve of iconic Thin Mints (oops!), or eating one too many Tagalongs, aka Peanut Butter Patties. It’s hard to just stop at one!

Have you ever noticed that some Girl Scout Cookies go by different names? The variations don’t stop there, either. Some are even made with different ingredients or methods, producing slightly different flavors and looks. But why? Well, it all has to do with which bakery your box of cookies came from.

Were you looking for the perfect copycat Samoas? Girl Scout Cookie season only happens once yearly, but we found year-round dupes that stack up well against the originals.

Who Makes Girl Scout Cookies?

With how many cookies Girl Scout troops aim to sell each year, it’s not surprising that the baking has to be divvied up. There are two bakers that make Girl Scout Cookies: ABC Bakers and Little Brownie Bakers. ABC Bakers is located in Indiana, while Little Brownie Bakers is located in Kentucky. And what bakery you’ll get Girl Scout Cookies from depends on where you live.

Caramel deLites vs. Samoas

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Love the combination of coconut, caramel and chocolate? Samoas are made by Little Brownie Bakers, while ABC Bakers produces Caramel deLites. Each cookie uses similar ingredients, but measurements vary. Those slight differences result in Caramel deLites having a higher cookie to caramel ratio.

Samoas also tend to have more coconut, along with chocolate coating resembling dark chocolate, rather than the milk chocolate drizzle found on Caramel deLites.

You can make your own Caramel deLites (or Samoas) at home!

Peanut Butter Patties vs. Tagalongs

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Peanut butter lovers may already be able to tell the difference here! Peanut Butter Patties made by ABC Bakers don’t have quite as much peanut butter tucked into this favorite cookie as Tagalongs made by Little Brownie Bakers do. In fact, peanut butter is even the first ingredient listed on the Tagalongs nutrition facts, but Peanut Butter Patties list sugar first. They taste almost identical, with a crispy cookie, peanut butter center and chocolate coating, but the peanut butter flavor is definitely amplified in Tagalongs.

Want to make your own? Follow our copycat recipe for Peanut Butter Patties.

Peanut Butter Sandwich vs. Do-si-dos

Another one for the peanut butter lovers, these treats pair an oatmeal cookie with peanut butter filling for a tasty combination. Little Brownie Bakers produces Do-si-dos, featuring a buttery oatmeal cookie and a more robust peanut butter filling. Peanut Butter Sandwiches from ABC Bakers tend to be more subtle on the peanut butter flavor, with a crisper cookie.

Shortbread vs. Trefoils

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If you’re a big fan of shortbread, these may your all-time favorites. ABC Bakers makes Shortbread cookies with more vanilla flavor than its Little Brownie Bakers sibling. Trefoils include a hint of brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk and buttermilk in the ingredients list, which Shortbread do not. This creates a stronger butter flavor for Trefoils, not to mention to the difference in appearance with holes poked in the dough for best baking results.

Thin Mints vs. Thin Mints

This is the most-ordered Girl Scout Cookie—and for good reason. Thin Mints have the same recognizable name whether they’re produced by ABC Bakers or Little Brownie Bakers. Each box features crisp chocolate cookies that are enrobed in a minty chocolate coating. But Thin Mints from ABC Bakers are flatter and crunchier with a stronger mint flavor. Thin Mints from Little Brownie Bakers are smoother and not quite as crispy. They also include peppermint oil for a more distinct taste.

You won’t be able to order Le Chips or Cinna-Spins from either bakery, though. Here’s a look at the most popular discontinued Girl Scout Cookies from years past.