With the rise in food allergies and dietary restrictions like gluten intolerance, many Girl Scout cookie lovers want to know which cookies they can enjoy safely. The good news is that there are several delicious gluten-free Girl Scout cookie options to choose from.
The Most Popular Gluten-Free Girl Scout Cookies
Here are the most popular gluten-free Girl Scout cookie varieties:
- Lemon-Ups – A lemon flavored shortbread cookie dipped in a lemon glaze.
- Do-si-dos/Peanut Butter Sandwich – Crunchy oatmeal cookies with peanut butter filling.
- Toffee-tastic – Gluten-free butter cookies with toffee bits.
- S’mores – Graham flavored cookies with chocolate and marshmallow filling.
These delicious cookies are gluten-free, so you can enjoy them without worry. They are made without wheat, barley, rye, and derivatives, meeting the FDA requirements for gluten-free labeling. Let’s take a more in-depth look at each of these tasty Girl Scout cookie options.
Lemon-Ups
Lemon-Ups are a refreshing gluten-free cookie choice. They feature a tangy lemon shortbread cookie base dipped in a lemon icing. The bright, citrusy flavor makes these golden yellow cookies hard to resist.
Lemon-Ups are made without gluten ingredients like wheat, rye, and barley. The main ingredients include sugar, palm oil, rice flour, butter, lemon juice concentrate, and natural lemon flavor. They have a pleasant crunch from the shortbread texture.
If you love the zippy taste of lemon, Lemon-Ups are sure to satisfy. They offer the indulgence of a cookie with a sweet glaze without gluten concerns. Just one bite and you’ll fall in love!
Do-si-dos/Peanut Butter Sandwich
Do-si-dos, also known as Peanut Butter Sandwich cookies, are a gluten-free butter cookie classic. They feature two oatmeal peanut butter cookies joined together with a creamy peanut butter filling. It’s a winning combination of crunchy, chewy, and smooth textures with a nutty, sweet flavor.
Do-si-dos contain no wheat, barley, rye or their derivatives. They are made with a simple ingredient list: gluten-free oats, sugar, palm oil, peanut butter, salt, and baking soda. The peanut butter filling is also gluten-free, using ingredients like peanut butter, sugar, palm oil, and salt.
Craving an old fashioned peanut butter sandwich cookie? Do-si-dos are the gluten-free Girl Scout Cookie that perfectly captures that nostalgic flavor. They make it easy to indulge your peanut butter cravings without gluten worries.
Toffee-Tastic
Gluten-free Toffee-tastic cookies offer buttery indulgence with chunks of toffee pieces mixed in. These round, chewy cookies have a golden color and visible sugary toffee bits throughout. Every bite delivers a sweet toffee crunch.
Toffee-tastic cookies do not contain any gluten sources like wheat. Instead, they are made with gluten-free flour, sugar, butter, palm oil, brown rice flour, salt, and natural flavor. The signature toffee bits provide irresistible texture and flavor in every bite of these gluten-free treats.
For Girl Scout cookie lovers who enjoy rich, candy-inspired flavors, Toffee-tastic is a gluten-free delight. They offer a sweet toffee fix with the fun crunch of toffee pieces in every cookie.
S’mores
What could be better than a gooey s’more by the campfire? Enjoying a gluten-free S’mores Girl Scout Cookie anytime you want! These cookies recreate the classic campfire treat with graham flavored cookies sandwiching chocolate and marshmallow filling.
The graham cookies are gluten-free, made without wheat, barley or rye. Ingredients include sugar, palm oil, brown rice flour, graham flour, butter, cocoa, salt, and natural flavors. The marshmallow and chocolate fillings are gluten-free as well. So you can enjoy every element of a s’more in convenient cookie form.
Take yourself back to campfire fun with the rich chocolate, marshmallowy sweetness, and graham flavor of S’mores cookies. They capture that nostalgia in a gluten-free treat.
Other Gluten-Free Girl Scout Cookie Options
In addition to the most popular varieties, there are a few additional Girl Scout cookies that are gluten-free certified or made without gluten ingredients:
- Caramel Chocolate Chip (gluten-free certified) – Chewy cookies with chocolate chips and caramel bits
- Chocolate Chip (made without gluten ingredients) – Classic chocolate chip cookies
- Thin Mints (made without gluten ingredients) – Crisp, chocolatey mint cookies
So if you’re looking for basic chocolate chip or iconic Thin Mints, the Girl Scouts offer gluten-free versions of these favorites too. Read labels carefully and contact your local Girl Scout council with any questions on ingredients.
Are Girl Scout S’mores Gluten-Free?
Yes, Girl Scout S’mores cookies are certified gluten-free! These cookies mimic the classic campfire treat with graham flavored cookies and chocolate and marshmallow filling. They do not contain any wheat, barley, rye or gluten derivative ingredients.
The graham cookies are made from a gluten-free recipe using ingredients like brown rice flour, sugar, butter, and graham flour. Both the chocolate and marshmallow fillings used inbetween the two cookies are gluten-free as well.
So you can enjoy the nostalgic flavor of s’mores by the campfire in a convenient gluten-free cookie. S’mores cookies are a tasty way to get your gluten-free chocolate and marshmallow fix.
What Gluten Ingredients Are Avoided in Gluten-Free Girl Scout Cookies?
Gluten-free Girl Scout cookies avoid ingredients derived from gluten-containing grains like wheat, barley, and rye. Specific ingredients avoided include:
- Wheat or wheat flour
- Barley
- Rye
- Malt extract or malt syrup derived from barley
- Oats (unless certified gluten-free)
Instead, gluten-free Girl Scout cookies are made with flours like rice flour, almond flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, and corn flour. These alternative flours allow for gluten-free cookies with great taste and texture.
Careful avoidance of gluten ingredients enables Girl Scouts to offer cookies that meet FDA standards for gluten-free labeling. This gives gluten-free eaters peace of mind in selecting and enjoying Girl Scout cookies.
Are Thin Mints Gluten-Free?
Traditional Thin Mints do contain gluten ingredients. However, many Girl Scout councils now offer gluten-free Thin Mints made without wheat, barley, rye, or gluten-based ingredients.
These gluten-free Thin Mints are made with a rice flour base instead of wheat flour. All other ingredients, like chocolate coating and mint flavoring, are gluten-free as well. So you can enjoy the crisp chocolate-minty flavor of Thin Mints without the gluten.
Be sure to check labeling with your local Girl Scout council. Not all areas may offer the gluten-free Thin Mint option yet. Contact them to find out if you can get the gluten-free Thin Mints where you live.
What About Girl Scout Cookie Classics Like Trefoils and Samoas?
Unfortunately, some Girl Scout cookie classics like Trefoils, Tagalongs, and Samoas are not gluten-free. These cookies contain gluten ingredients like wheat flour or barley malt extract.
Trefoils are shortbread cookies made with wheat flour. Tagalongs contain wheat flour and malt from barley. Samoas are made with wheat flour and barley malt extract as well.
While gluten-free versions of Thin Mints are now available from some Girl Scout councils, other classics have not yet been re formulated to be gluten-free. Those with gluten concerns will need to avoid these cookies and choose the gluten-free varieties instead.
How to Identify Gluten-Free Girl Scout Cookies
When selecting gluten-free Girl Scout cookies, be sure to look for:
- Gluten-Free Labeling – Cookies labeled “gluten-free” adhere to FDA standards of less than 20ppm of gluten.
- No Wheat, Barley, Rye – Avoid cookies listing gluten grains in ingredients.
- Alternative Gluten-Free Flours – Look for flours like rice, potato starch, tapioca.
- Contact Council – When in doubt, reach out to your local Girl Scout council for gluten information.
Carefully reading labels and contacting your Girl Scout council provides assurance the cookies you choose are gluten-free. This ensures you can enjoy your favorite cookies safely.
Are Gluten-Free Girl Scout Cookies Also Nut-Free?
Gluten-free Girl Scouts cookies are not necessarily also free from nuts or other allergens. Cookies like Do-si-dos contain peanut butter. Toffee-tastic contains tree nuts like almonds. Other varieties may contain coconut or soy.
Those avoiding specific allergens like tree nuts, peanuts, dairy, and soy will need to carefully read the allergen labeling for any Girl Scout cookie variety. Never assume that a gluten-free cookie is automatically safe for other allergy concerns.
Checking labels and contacting your local Girl Scout council with allergen questions is important for food allergy safety. While many cookies are gluten-free, additional allergens may still be present.
Are Girl Scout S’mores Vegan?
No, Girl Scout S’mores cookies are not vegan. While the graham cookies are gluten and egg-free, the marshmallow and chocolate filling contain dairy ingredients.
The marshmallow layer contains milkfat and lactose from dairy. And the chocolate filling is made with non-vegan ingredients like milkfat, whey, and milk. So vegetarians would be able to eat S’mores cookies, but they do not meet vegan dietary standards.
Those looking for vegan Girl Scout Cookies can choose varieties like Thin Mints and Peanut Butter Patties that contain no animal products. But S’mores contain milk ingredients in the filling that make them unsuitable for vegans and dairy-free diets.
Can a Celiac Safely Eat Gluten-Free Girl Scout Cookies?
Those with celiac disease or high sensitivity to gluten must be very cautious with any gluten-free labeled products, including Girl Scout cookies.
While gluten-free Girl Scout cookies do not contain wheat, barley, rye or malt ingredients, the facilities likely process other gluten-containing foods. Trace amounts of gluten could be present from shared equipment, storage, and production lines.
For highest gluten safety, look for cookies certified gluten-free to under 10 or 20 ppm. This indicates rigorous testing and facilities with very high protocols to avoid any trace gluten. Consumers with celiac should also look for added steps like cookies individually wrapped to avoid cross contact.
Talk to your Girl Scout council to understand all the allergy precautions in place. Make an informed decision on cookie choices based on your individual comfort level with potential gluten exposure. Those highly sensitive should use extreme caution.
Nutritional Profile of Gluten-Free Girl Scout Cookies
Going gluten-free often has a positive impact on nutritional intake, as heavily refined wheat products are eliminated. However, Girl Scout cookies are still considered indulgent treats, even in gluten-free form.
Most gluten-free Girl Scout cookies provide 150-180 calories per serving, along with grams of sugar. Do-si-dos contains 160 calories and 10g sugar per 3 cookie serving. Lemonades have 140 calories and 7g sugar per 2 cookies. S’mores are 160 calories and 8g of sugar per cookie.
While gluten-free, most Girl Scout cookie varieties are still higher in sugar and lower in nutrients compared to whole foods. Enjoy them in moderation as a special treat, not daily snacks. Focus your regular diet on lean proteins, fresh fruits and veggies, and whole grains.
The Takeaway on Gluten-Free Girl Scout Cookies
Reading labels carefully and contacting your local Girl Scout council is key for choosing gluten-free cookie varieties. Fortunately, delicious options like Lemon-Ups, Do-si-dos, Toffee-Tastic, and S’mores allow you to enjoy Girl Scout cookie season without gluten worries.
Be aware that production facilities, shared equipment, and allergen labeling may impact individual comfort levels, especially for those highly sensitive. Consider your individual health needs and sensitivities when selecting and consuming any gluten-free products.
Overall, Girl Scouts offer great gluten-free cookie choices for those wanting to participate in the fun and community of cookie season. Thanks to gluten-free recipes and production, more people than ever can enjoy Girl Scout cookies safely and comfortably!
