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For Cookie Volunteers

Key Dates

January

  • January 9 - Volunteer access to eBudde and Digital Cookie begins (must complete training by January 8 to gain access)
  • January 13 - Troop Training must be completed by two volunteers per troop by this date to place an initial order
  • January 16 - Product Permission Forms due in order to get 1st day DOC access
  • January 18 - troop initial cookie orders are due
  • January 20 – families gain access to Digital Cookie to set up the website
  • January 25 – first booth selection round begins at 8 pm
  • January 27 – Digital Cookie site opens for girls to take orders
  • January 27 - second booth selection round begins at 8 pm
  • January 30 - third booth selection round  begins at 8 pm
  • January 31 - cookie reward experience dates to be released

February

  • February 1 – fourth booth selection round begins at 8 pm
  • week of February 6 – initial delivery week
  • February 15 – regional cookie cupboards open
  • February 16 - Albuquerque cookie cupboard opens
  • February 17 – booth sales begin
  • February 24 – First ACH
  • February 27 - Direct Shipping opens on Digital Cookie.  Raspberry Rallies are available for purchase on direct ship orders.

March

  • March 10 – Second ACH
  • March 19 – cookie program & booth sales ends
  • March 26 – troop rewards & Outstanding Balance Report Forms are due
  • March 29 – SU rewards are due
  • March 31 – Final ACH

May

  • Estimated reward delivery in early May
How to Participate

Get ready for your Girl Scout(s) to make (cookie) boss moves this year! No matter how Girl Scouts take part in the Girl Scout Cookie Program, they’ll grow people skills, learn to set goals, make smart decisions, and so much more. Talk about which options to explore this year!

Girls must complete a  2022-2023 Product Program Permission Form in order to participate.

Not a Girl Scout? Join today!

Phone or Text Friends & Family

Is this their first time running a cookie business? Texting or phoning friends and family is a great way to connect with cookie customers. For seasoned cookie bosses with limited free time—hello, school, sports, and extracurriculars!—this option has maximum flexibility.

Digital Cookie

Are they ready to take their digital marketing skills to the next level? With the Digital Cookie® platform, Girl Scouts can ship cookies straight to customers, accept orders for cookie donations, or have local customers schedule an in-person delivery. They will reach their sales goals no matter how busy their schedule is. 

Check out the Four Easy Steps to Get Started with Digital Cookie guide.

Door-to-door

Hone in a Girl Scout sales pitch! With door-to-door sales, Girl Scouts can stay local and sell in their neighborhoods—and use door hangers and business cards for customers who aren’t home. Grow people skills by meeting new neighbors (with the necessary adult supervision, of course)!

Cookie Stands

Would they feel more comfortable on their own turf? Cookie stands, similar to lemonade stands, are set up in front of a residence on private property, where Girl Scouts can market cookies to customers in their neighborhood. It's a great way to ease into connecting with other community members. This can be fun for the whole family!

Guidelines
  • Family/Household Unit – minimum one adult/caregiver and maximum two girls from the same household – these will work similar to a Cookie Booth, but with rules to allow for one adult and one Girl Scout from the same household to manage the cookie sales at a location known as a Cookie Stand. 
  • Troop-secured locations only.
  • Caregivers must seek approval from the Troop Cookie Chair (TCC); TCC then will submit Cookie Stand on behalf of troop in eBudde for council approval (same instructions as setting up a troop-secured booth) – once approved, the location, date, and time will link to Cookie Finder. If on private home property, the stand does not need to be submitted for approval. 
  • Caregiver must connect with TCC to obtain cookie inventory (and sign receipts) for Cookie Stand. As with any time cookies are signed out by a caregiver, the cookies and funds for those cookies are the responsibility of the caregiver signing for them. 
  • Households with girls from more than one troop must work with each troop’s cookie manager for inventory calculations and funds due if girls are working Cookie Stand together. 
  • All general Cookie Booth guidelines pertaining to etiquette, setup, teardown, and COVID restriction policies must be followed at Cookie Stands. 
Cookie Booths

Troops or groups of Girl Scouts work together to market cookies outside a preapproved location (like a grocery store, bank, mall, or even a drive-through booth in a parking lot) where Girl Scouts can practice business skills with new customers.

Note: cookie booths must be coordinated by troop cookie managers; may only happen at council-approved locations; and must be legally open to, accessible, and safe for all girls and potential customers.

The Cookie Booth phase of the 2023 Cookie Program for our council officially begins on February 17, 2023.

Connecting with Your Community

The possibilities are endless! Girl Scouts team up with their parents/caregivers to sell cookies to their employees and coworkers, at places of worship, and at community groups. Prepare a corporate pitch to sell cookies in bulk to car dealerships, real estate agents, or financial institutions. When these budding entrepreneurs secure a large sale, they get a taste of sweet success!

Cookie Volunteer Trainings
Troop Cookie Chairs

Troop Cookie Chairs are required to complete the 2023 Troop Cookie Chair training on gsLearn. 

Once you complete training and you have questions. you can attend a virtual Troop Cookie Q&A Session with the GSNMT Product Program Manager on Zoom. Feel free to join in at any time, no need to attend the whole session. The Product Program Manager will be online during the whole session.

https://zoom.us/j/96993676111
Meeting ID: 969 9367 6111
Passcode: Training23

January 5
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

January 7
1:00 pm to 2:30 pm

January 8
1 pm to 3:00 pm

January 9
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

January 11
11:30 am to 1:00 pm

January 12
6 pm to8:00 pm

January 14
2:30 pm to 4:00 pm

January 15
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

January 16
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

January 18
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

January 21
2:30 pm to 4:00 pm

 

New Volunteers & New Cookie Volunteers

If you are a new volunteer or a new cookie volunteer, join us for our NEW Cookie Rookie Training Sessions. These sessions will be an in-depth conversation with tips, tricks, and best practices for new volunteers. This is a great time to ask the questions you have for our Product Program Manager.  We're here to help!

  • January 21: Digital Cookie - 10 am
  • January 24: Cookie Booths - 6:30 pm
  • January 28: Cookie Booths - 10 am
  • January 31: eBudde - 6:30 pm
  • February 4: eBudde - 10 am
  • February 28: Program Close Out - 6:30 pm
  • March 4: Program Close Out - 10 am

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/92634765321
Meeting ID: 926 3476 5321
Passcode: Rookie23

Cookie Bites
Cookie Program Virtual Office Hours

Pop in on Zoom for our virtual office hours to ask those burning questions. Virtual office hours are Monday evenings from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm and Wednesdays from 11:30 am to 1 pm starting Monday, January 23.

If you need assistance, before those dates, check out the Troop Q&A Sessions in the Cookie Volunteer Trainings section of this webpage.  

https://zoom.us/j/99536699436
Meeting ID: 995 3669 9436
Passcode: Cookies23

Digital Cookie How-to Videos
Rewards

We've got an awesome lineup of rewards and experiences that girls can earn in this year's cookie program! (And don't forget that rewards are cumulative!)

Download the 2023 Cookie Rewards Card [PDF]

Starting at 245+ packages sold level, girls can opt for Program Credits instead of a traditional reward. Girls can use Program Credits towards registration fees for council camp sessions, programs, and training. Program Credits cannot be used for the purchase of cookies or paying cookie debt.

For details on how cookie rewards work, details on rewards, and opt-out options, take a look at our  2023 Girl Scout Cookie Rewards Guide.

Hometown Heroes

With Hometown Heroes, girls can learn the importance of giving back to their community and—in some small way—thank hometown heroes, give back to their communities, and support local food pantries. 

FAQs

Find quick answers to your questions about Girl Scout Cookies. More answers can be found on Girl Scouts USA FAQ page.

Palm Oil
Talking With Your Girls about Palm Oil
 
Product FAQ:

Q: Why does Girl Scouts use palm oil in their cookies?

Palm oil is an ingredient found in the majority of baked snacks sold in the United States. Per GSUSA's licensed bakers, it continues to be necessary to use palm oil in our cookies to ensure their shelf life, to bring you the highest quality products, and to serve as an alternative to trans fats. While we continue to explore other alternatives, at this time, there are no viable or readily available alternatives on the market.

Q: Why can't you replace palm oil?

The world’s food supply is intricately tied to the use of palm oil, so we believe promoting proper manufacturing principles is the most responsible approach to how Girl Scouts and Girl Scout Cookie development is advanced. While we continue to explore other alternatives, at this time, there are no viable or readily available alternatives on the market that would enable us to simply swap the palm oil for an alternative oil.

Q: What actions is GSUSA taking to prevent child labor?

To be very clear, child labor has no place in the production of Girl Scout Cookies. If certain suppliers are not following best practices, we expect our bakers and the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), of which GSUSA is an affiliate member, to take action quickly to rectify those exceptions.

Q. Are GSUSA’s licensed bakers removing Palm Oil from Girl Scout Cookies?

We are pleased to share that Girl Scout Cookies baked by both Little Brownie Bakers and ABC Bakers use Mass Balance RSPO certified palm oil and include the RSPO Mass Balance logo on their packaging (i.e. RSPO “Mixed” certification label). Both bakers’ future goal is to achieve 100% RSPO-segregated certified palm oil products for all Girl Scout Cookies they produce. They continue to work with their suppliers to explore strategies and timelines to achieve this goal.

Q: Does GSUSA belong to the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)?

Yes, GSUSA is an affiliate member of RSPO.

Q. What does being an affiliate member of RSPO mean?

GSUSA has been a member of the RSPO for almost ten years, As an affiliate member, GSUSA supports the RSPO’s vision and efforts to promote the growth and use of sustainable palm oil products.

Q: Why should I buy Girl Scout Cookies?

When you buy Girl Scout Cookies, you support Girl Scouts and you power amazing experiences and life-changing opportunities for girls year-round—from awesome trips to community projects to outdoor adventures. Through your support, you help Girl Scouts build essential skills as they begin to think like entrepreneurs and learn to take the lead, both now and in the future. Girls gain these skills from working with others, setting goals, and connecting with customers. It's about the experience a girl has running her very own cookie business, gaining five essential skills (goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics) as she learns to think like an entrepreneur. Because proceeds from your purchase stay local, you also help create positive change in your community.

Program FAQ

Q. What is GSUSA doing about Girl Scout troops boycotting cookie sales?

Girl Scouting teaches girls to stand up for what they believe is right and just and to take a position on improving the world around them; not only for themselves but for those who can’t speak for themselves. 

We applaud girls for standing up for an issue they are passionate about. Girl Scouts of the USA and Girl Scouts GCNWI shares this passion and do not support or endorse the use of child labor. However, a very effective way to advocate for change is by belonging to organizations, such as RSPO, who advocate for and enforce these ethical standards in the parts of the world where we are not present. We hope that our commitment to doing what is right is seen by our girls as our joint commitment to improvement.  

Each year, it is up to each individual troop and girl to decide if they will participate in the cookie program – a program that helps power life-changing programs, experiences, and learning all year long. We hope that through gaining a deeper understanding of palm oil use, Girl Scouts join us to use our voices to find productive ways to take action against this global issue and continue to be Girl Scout Strong.  

Q: Are there any program materials to help Girl Scouts understand the challenges around Palm Oil?

Yes! Girl Scouts of the USA and RSPO have released a palm oil toolkit to help interested Girl Scouts dive deeper into the topic of palm oil and fully understand the issue. Please contact your Girl Scout Council to learn more. 

Updated Allergen
Update to Girl Scout Cookie Packaging
Allergen Disclosure (2021-2022)

Q: Why was a precautionary allergen statement added to the label?
A: All packaged foods in the U.S. including Girl Scout Cookies are required to identify any of the top 8 food allergens present as ingredients either in the ingredients list or through a “Contains” statement. A precautionary allergen disclosure (“Manufactured in a shared facility with” statement) was added to our labels to declare the presence of allergens in the bakery where Girl Scout Cookies are made. This update was made to be transparent and sensitive to the needs of our customers.

Q: What is the process for sanitizing lines/preventing cross-contact in the bakeries?
A: All Girl Scout Cookies are baked in state-of-the-art facilities operating under good manufacturing practices in order to prevent allergen cross-contact. All Little Brownie products and manufacturing facilities that produce Girl Scout Cookies undergo a comprehensive assessment and qualification to ensure compliance with FDA guidelines. Girl Scout Cookies from Little Brownie Bakers are baked on a production line that is thoroughly cleaned between production runs and tested to make sure the line is free of allergens.

Q: Has the manufacturing process for Toffee-tastic® changed?
A: No. Customers will be buying the same Toffee-tastic Girl Scout Cookies they know and love—and purchase year after year—with no changes made to the manufacturing process.

Q: How is Toffee-tastic Certified Gluten-Free if it is made in a bakery with wheat?
A: All gluten-containing formulas and ingredients are segregated from Toffee-tastic using good manufacturing practices. The production line has a designated mixer for gluten-free and the dough mixing process is segregated from the other areas in the bakery when Toffee-tastic is in production. Toffee-tastic cookies baked by Little Brownie Bakers have been Certified Gluten-Free by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), a third-party organization that verifies through testing of the production line and the finished product that the cookies meet FDA guidelines for labeling them gluten-free. Toffee-tastic cookies are baked on a production line that is cleaned between production runs and tested to make sure the line is free of gluten. The NSF Gluten-FreeCertification seal appears on the side of the Toffee-tastic package. For more information, visit the NSF website.

Q: What is the process for sanitizing lines/preventing cross-contact in the bakery where Toffee-Tastic is made?
A: All gluten-containing formulas and ingredients are segregated from Toffee-tastic using good manufacturing practices. All Little Brownie products and manufacturing facilities that produce gluten-free products including Toffee-tastic Girl Scout Cookies undergo a comprehensive assessment and qualification to ensure compliance with regulations regarding gluten-free designated foods. LBB is certified annually while Toffee-tastic cookies are in production by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF). The production line is cleaned, new belts are installed, and the production line is tested by NSF to make sure it is free of gluten prior to production. All production lots of Toffee Tastic are sent off to a 3rd party lab for Gluten Free testing per NSF Gluten-Free Protocol under the certification. The NSF Gluten-Free Certification seal appears on the side of the Toffee-tastic package. For more information, visit the NSF website.

Q: What does “manufactured in a shared facility with [for example, peanuts and eggs].” mean?
A: This means that the listed allergens (e.g., peanuts, eggs) are not ingredients in the cookies, but they are ingredients in other products made in the same facility. Girl Scout Cookies are baked in facilities where food safety protocols are adhered to based on FDA guidelines to fully clean production lines and prevent cross-contact of ingredients.

Q: How are allergen ingredients and products managed in the bakery?
A: Girl Scout Cookies are baked in facilities where food safety protocols are adhered to based on FDA guidelines to prevent cross-contact with allergenic ingredients, like peanuts or tree nuts. Ingredients with allergens are clearly labeled, stored separately from other ingredients, and handled by trained professional bakers in ways that prevent cross-contact with other ingredients and products. When allergenic ingredients are used on the equipment, the equipment is thoroughly cleaned and sanitized to ensure the equipment is free of allergens before it is used to make other products.

Q: Do Girl Scout Cookies contain sesame?
A: No, Girl Scout Cookies do not contain sesame as an ingredient.

Q: Is sesame present in the bakery where Girl Scout Cookies are baked?
A: Sesame is only present as an ingredient in the bakery where Girl Scout S’mores is produced. Sesame is not present as an ingredient in the bakery where the other Girl Scout Cookie varieties are produced.

Q: How come sesame is not listed as an allergen in the precautionary allergen disclosure on the Girl Scout S’mores packaging?
A: In the Spring of 2021, The Food Allergy Safety, Treatment Education, and Research Act became law and named sesame as the 9th food listed as a major allergen. Food manufacturers have until January 1, 2023, to update packaging labels.


Cookie Volunteer Roles and Resources

Below is everything you need to get started with the 2023 Girl Scout Cookie Program.

Troop Leader Resources
Ways to Participate
Family Meeting Guides
NEW Girl Scout Entrepreneurship Badges & Pins
Service Unit Cookie Manager Resources
Program Materials
Cookie Finance

Finances will be handled through Automated Clearing House (ACH) withdrawals.  Troops should make deposits into their troop bank account and the council will withdraw the troop cookie balance. 

Troops must complete an ACH form each membership year.

eBudde

Little Brownie’s eBudde cookie system is a powerful and fun tool to help leaders manage their troop’s cookie program! eBudde is the online management tool that troops use to manage their cookie program.  Click here to get started.


eBudde Troop App

The eBudde app has everything you need to manage your troop's Cookie Program while on the go. Learn more about the eBudde App!

Click the links below to download the app. 
Apple App | Google App


Click here to access eBudde resources to help you this cookie season!