It’s every snacker’s delight: the time of year that Girl Scout Cookies go on sale.
And this cookie season — which runs from Jan. 12 to March 15 for the Girl Scouts of Northern California – is delivering something new. It’s called Exploremores, which are Rocky Road ice cream-inspired sandwich cookies. They’re two chocolate wafers squishing a layer of dark filling, containing flavors of marshmallow and toasted-almond cream.
Is this new cookie a tribute to William Dreyer, who is rumored to have invented Rocky Road in Oakland back in 1929? Not exactly – but like the frozen dessert, it’s still pretty tasty.
“Each Girl Scout Cookie is the result of years of collaboration with Girl Scouts, consumers and our bakers,” Mary Jane Strom, CEO of the Girl Scouts of Northern California, said via email. “Exploremores was chosen based on strong consumer feedback, and like all our cookies, it includes clear ingredient and allergen labeling so families can make informed choices.”
Exploremores are the ninth flavor to join the Northern California cookie roster. Also on it are consumer favorites like Caramel Chocolate Chip, Trefoils and Caramel deLites (sometimes referred to as Samoas). One of the last times the organization introduced a new flavor was in 2022; it was a sister cookie to the top-selling Thin Mints, called the Raspberry Rally.
More 14,000 Girl Scouts in 19 Northern California counties — from Gilroy up to the Oregon border — are participating in the cookie season this year. The Girl Scouts call it the “largest girl-led entrepreneurial program in the world,” and the current goal is to sell more than 3 million packages of cookies.
The first part of the season is for digital-cookie sales, only, with boxes available for $7 a piece at www.ilovecookies.org. On Feb. 4, booth sales begin and is when shoppers will typically notice Girl Scouts in front of grocery stores. The planned locations of these booths are posted on the same website.
Proceeds from the sales go toward local girls’ access to affordable programming, camp and program centers, STEM, financial aid and volunteer-support services.
“And for those who choose not to purchase cookies, our Care to Share donation program offers another meaningful way to support local Girl Scouts and give back to the community,” Strom said. Visit ilovecookies.org for more information about that program.
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