Girl Scout Cookies

They're back—Girl Scout cookies, that is. It's that time of year when the Girl Scouts you know will be selling Girl Scout cookies, an American tradition for nearly 100 years. Official Girl Scout cookie sales start on January 20th in most places across the country.

I know that when I was a Girl Scout leader many years ago, friends and family were always asking, "When do Girl Scout cookie sales start?" At the same time my Brownies couldn't wait to sell Girl Scout cookies and make money for our troop so we could do something fun together as a reward for hard work. (Our end-of-the-year trip to Sesame Place one year took the cake, or the cookie, as the case may be!)

What's interesting about Girl Scout cookies is that, depending on where you live in the country, you may know your favorite Girl Scout cookies by a certain name whereas those living elsewhere might know those same Girl Scout cookies by a different name. For example, where I live in Pennsylvania a certain caramel-coconut confection Girl Scout cookie is called Caramel deLites whereas just across the Delaware River in New Jersey those same caramel-coconut cookies are called Samoas. This is all because the Girl Scouts of America licenses two bakeries to make these exclusive Girl Scout cookies. Those bakers are ABC Bakers and Little Brownie Bakers, which each offer recipes you can make using Girl Scout cookies, in case you're interested. Depending on which bakery your local Girl Scout council works with will determine which name your Girl Scout cookies will have. Well, that's true with the following cookies:

• Samoas also known as Caramel deLites (though I want to spell that "delights" because they are delightful)
• Tagalongs also known as Peanut Butter Patties
• Do-Si-Dos also known as Peanut Butter Sandwiches
• Trefoils also known as Shortbreads

The only Girl Scout cookie that is known by the same name in all 50 states is Thin Mints.

Speaking of Thin Mints, they are by far the most popular Girl Scout cookie. In fact, as far as top-selling and most favorite Girl Scout cookies, according to the Girl Scouts, here is the top 5:

1. Thin Mints
2. Samoas/Caramel deLites
3. Tagalongs/Peanut Butter Patties
4. Do-Si-Dos/Peanut Butter Sandwich
5. Trefoils/Shortbread

There used to be a lemon cream Girl Scout cookie—a lemon-y version of an Oreo-like sandwich cook, but that's not on the Girl Scout cookie menu anymore. That makes me sad as it was my personal favorite Girl Scout cookie. However, I read that in honor of the Girl Scouts 100th birthday, there is a new Girl Scout cookie for 2012 called a Savannah Smile. It's is a lemon-y cookie that might just satisfy my taste buds. They are called Savannah Smiles after Savannah, Georgia, the hometown of Juliet Gordon Low, the founder of Girl Scouts.

Now you know which Girl Scout cookie is my favorite—and which most of America loves—what is your favorite Girl Scout cookie?