2023 Vegan Girl Scout Cookies Guide + Recipes
What are Girl Scout Cookies?
Girl Scout Cookies are popular cookies sold by Girl Scout troops as a way to raise money for the Girl Scouts and teach young girls business skills and entrepreneurship. The program was started over 100 years ago in 1917 with new cookies introduced (and discontinued) every few years.
Girl Scouts of the USA is a 501(c)(3) organization that has chapters in all 50 states. Local Girl Scout groups or “troops” are open to girls of all backgrounds, from kindergarten to 12th grade and offer empowerment, friendship, life skills, community, and of course, the coveted Girl Scout Cookie program!
Vegan Girl Scout Cookies
Who bakes Girl Scout Cookies?
Girl Scout Cookies are baked by either ABC Bakers or Little Brownie Bakers based on location. The recipes and names for each cookie vary slightly depending on the bakery, which also affects which cookies are vegan.
Use this map to see which bakery is used in your region, but always double check with your local troop as procedures and availability change from time to time. If you live in a state served by ABC Bakers, consider yourself lucky because they have many more vegan options.
1. Raspberry Rally™ (ABC Bakers/Little Brownie Bakers)
The Raspberry Rally™ cookie is a new addition to the Girl Scout Cookie lineup in 2023. Inspired by a classic cookie, this tangy and delicious cookie is a fruity twist on Thin Mints®. The Raspberry Rally™ is made with a raspberry shortbread cookie coated in a thin layer of chocolate with a blush pink color to match.
The catch is that this cookie is only available for purchase online, so you can’t place an order with your local Girl Scout troop. With all the hype surrounding this cookie and the out-of-character ordering options, this meant some people have bought up the stock to resell on eBay for exorbitant prices. Maybe Girl Scouts will reconsider next year so everyone can try this cookie!
2. Caramel Chocolate Chip
Another new cookie in 2023 that was a little overshadowed by the Raspberry Rally™ hype, the Caramel Chocolate Chip cookie is a gluten free and vegan option made with oat flour. This cookie bears a resemblance to a typical chocolate chip cookie, but it’s infused with caramel flavor and studded with yummy dairy-free chocolate chips.
Only one of the bakeries, ABC Bakers, offers this cookie. Be sure not to confuse it with another gluten free Girl Scout Cookie offered by Little Brownie Bakers called Toffee-tastic® which is not vegan as it contains milk-derived ingredients.
- Where to find: ABC Bakers; not available from Little Brownie Bakers
- Allergy info: Contains coconut
3. Lemonades®
This unassuming shortbread cookie delivers a burst of lemony flavor with every bite in both the cookie and lemon icing. While overshadowed by the more popular cookies at times, you’d be remiss to skip this delightful cookie. The bright flavor is a sure sign that spring (and Girl Scout Cookie season) is here!
- Where to find: ABC Bakers; the Little Brownie Bakers version (Lemon-Ups®) is not vegan
- Allergy info: Contains wheat and soy
4. Peanut Butter Patties®
You won’t be able to eat just one of these Peanut Butter Patties®! Each cookie is made with a peanut butter shortbread cookie topped with peanut butter icing and dipped in a thin coating of chocolate. It’s one of the more decadent Girl Scout Cookies, and luckily, it’s vegan!
- Where to find: ABC Bakers; the Little Brownie Bakers version (Tagalongs®) is not vegan
- Allergy info: Contains soy, wheat, and peanuts
5. Thin Mints® (ABC Bakers/Little Brownie Bakers)
Thin Mints® are the most popular Girl Scout Cookies year after year. Introduced in the 1950s, this favorite cookie is made with a crisp chocolate mint shortbread coated in minty chocolate. Some people swear by storing them in the freezer so they are extra crunchy with an intensified mint flavor.
The famous cookie is available (and vegan!) from both bakeries so anyone in the US can order them. However, the recipe is slightly different between each bakery, so the look and taste differs between the two cookies. The ABC Bakers version is crunchier and mintier, whereas the Little Brownie Bakers version is richer in chocolate.
6. Toast-Yay!™
Released in 2021, Toast-Yay!™ cookies are a relatively new addition to the Girl Scout Cookie lineup and luckily, they are vegan! This crunchy french toast-inspired cookie is made with a cute little toast-shaped maple shortbread dipped in a sweet vanilla icing.
- Where to find: ABC Bakers; not available from Little Brownie Bakers
- Allergy info: Contains wheat and soy
Vegan Girl Scout Cookie Recipes
- VegVenturefuls from Gretchen’s Vegan Bakery
- Healthy Homemade Tagalong Girl Scout Cookies from KaleJunkie
- Vegan Samoa Girl Scout Cookies (a.k.a. Homemade Caramel deLites) from GoDairyFree
- Vegan Thin Mints from Chocolate Covered Katie
- Girl Scout Lemon Cookies Copycat Recipe by Sweet & Savory Meals
FAQ
What Girl Scout Cookies are vegan in 2023?
In the 2023 Girl Scout Cookie lineup, the vegan cookies are Thin Mints®, Peanut Butter Patties®, Lemonades®, Raspberry Rally™, Toast-Yay!™, and Caramel Chocolate Chip. However, not all cookies are available in every location so refer to this map to find out which bakery is used in your state, and be sure to double check with your local troop.
What vegan Girl Scout Cookies are gluten free in 2023?
The only Girl Scout Cookie that is both vegan and gluten free is the Caramel Chocolate Chip from ABC Bakers. There is another gluten-free Girl Scout Cookie, the Toffee-tastic® from Little Brownie Bakers, but it is not vegan as it contains milk.
When can you buy Girl Scout Cookies?
Girl Scout Cookies are usually available every year from January through April, but local troops may have slight variations on timing.
Where to buy vegan Girl Scout Cookies?
Traditionally, Girl Scouts sell Girl Scout Cookies door to door and in their local community via a mail order form, but the options have expanded over the years. Now you can find Girl Scouts setting up booths in your community for instant cookie gratification, or order online.
No matter where you live, you can buy vegan Thin Mints® and Raspberry Rally™ (as long as they are available) because these cookies are vegan from both bakeries. However, you must live in an area served by ABC Bakers if you’d like to try the other vegan Girl Scout Cookies like Peanut Butter Patties®, Lemonades®, Toast-Yay!™, and Caramel Chocolate Chip.
Are Tagalongs® vegan?
No, Tagalongs® from Little Brownie Bakers because they contain milk-derived ingredients. The ABC Bakers version, Peanut Butter Patties®, are vegan though!
Are Lemon-Ups® vegan?
No, Lemon-Ups® from Little Brownie Bakers are not vegan because they contain milk. A similar cookie offered by ABC Bakers, Lemonades®, is totally vegan.
Are Girl Scout S’mores® vegan?
No, Girl Scout S’mores® from Little Brownie Bakers are not vegan as they contain milk. ABC Bakers used to make a vegan-friendly version of the cookie that was coated in chocolate but unfortunately that cookie was discontinued in 2021.
Which are YOUR favorite vegan Girl Scout Cookies?
Leave a comment below!
