The Girl Scouts are swapping out cookies again, and this time the change comes with a sweet surprise. The organization introduced Exploremores, a sandwich cookie inspired by rocky road ice cream.
The chocolate cookie is filled with marshmallow and toasted almond–flavored crème. Girl Scouts of the USA says the treat reflects “the spirit of exploration at the heart of every Girl Scout.”
Earlier this year, the group announced that Girl Scout S’mores, first sold in 2017, and Toast-Yay!, a French toast–flavored cookie added in 2021, would retire after the 2025 season.
“We routinely reevaluate our cookie lineup to make room for new innovations,” a spokesperson told NPR. “Discontinuing Toast-Yay! and Girl Scout S’mores may lead to something new and delicious.”
That “something new” is Exploremores, which will be sold both online and at local cookie booths in 2026. The typical cookie season runs from January through April. A Tuesday press release emphasized that proceeds from all cookie sales stay with local councils and troops.
Cookie lineup for 2026
The 2026 cookie season will include:
- Adventurefuls.
- Caramel Chocolate Chip.
- Caramel deLites/Samoas.
- Peanut Butter Sandwich/Do-si-dos.
- Exploremores.
- Lemonades
- Lemon-Ups.
- Peanut Butter Patties/Tagalongs.
- Thin Mints.
- Toffee-tastic.
- Trefoils.
Lawsuit controversy
The new flavor comes as the organization faces a lawsuit. This spring, New York resident Amy Mayo filed a $5 million suit against Girl Scouts of the USA, claiming the cookies contained pesticides and heavy metals.
The lawsuit cited a December report from non-profit Moms Across America, which advocates for healthier food. The group found that “one hundred percent of the cookies contained at least 4 out of 5 heavy and toxic metals, aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury.”
Peanut Butter Patties were listed as the most contaminated cookie.
Girl Scouts of the USA pushed back in February.
“Girl Scout Cookies are made with ingredients that adhere to food safety standards set by the FDA and other relevant authorities,” the organization said.
The group explained that heavy metals occur naturally in soil and can appear in many plant-based foods, including organic products. Bakers confirmed that the levels reported in the study do not pose a food safety threat.
Mayo has reportedly withdrawn her toxic cookie claims. However, the case appears to remain active under plaintiffs Danielle Barbaro and Judy Cholewa, who filed an amended complaint after Mayo dropped her claim.
The digital cookie shift
Beyond flavors, Girl Scout cookie sales have also transformed in recent years. The Digital Cookie program launched in 2014, and by the following year, Scouts sold an additional 2.5 million boxes online. In all, sales total about 200 million boxes a year.
While Fortune reported overall sales declines, online orders surpassed expectations and brought in $10 million.
By 2022, the pandemic accelerated digital sales, which made up about 10% of overall cookie sales, according to KQED-FM. Suzanne Olson, director of communications and marketing for the Girl Scouts of Central California, said the digital option helped councils stay connected to customers.
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