The Two Bakeries: ABC Bakers vs. Little Brownie Bakers
The Girl Scouts of the USA partner with two commercial bakeries to produce their famous cookies: ABC Bakers and Little Brownie Bakers. The specific assortment of cookies available in your area is determined by which bakery your local council uses. This crucial distinction means that the vegan cookies available to you depend entirely on your location. While both offer a vegan version of the classic Thin Mints, ABC Bakers provides a much wider selection of vegan-ingredient cookies.
Vegan Options from ABC Bakers
ABC Bakers, serving roughly half of the Girl Scout troops nationwide, offers the most extensive list of vegan cookies. For the 2025 cookie season, these include a variety of popular flavors:
- Thin Mints®: A classic chocolate-mint cookie that is vegan regardless of the bakery, but is produced by ABC Bakers for their regional councils.
- Peanut Butter Patties®: A crispy vanilla cookie with a peanut butter filling, covered in a chocolatey coating. Be careful not to confuse these with Little Brownie Bakers' Tagalongs®, which contain milk ingredients.
- Lemonades®: A tangy lemon-flavored shortbread cookie with a sweet icing. These are distinct from Little Brownie Bakers' Lemon-Ups®, which are not vegan.
- Toast-Yay!®: A French toast-inspired cookie with cinnamon and a sweet glaze. This flavor was discontinued after the 2025 season, so be aware that it might not be available in future sales.
- Adventurefuls™: A brownie-inspired cookie with a caramel center and a salty finish. It is important to note that only the ABC Bakers' version is vegan; the identically named cookie from Little Brownie Bakers is not.
- Caramel Chocolate Chip: A gluten-free and vegan cookie that offers a rich, satisfying combination of caramel and chocolate.
Vegan Options from Little Brownie Bakers
Little Brownie Bakers provides a much more limited vegan selection. They are known for their popular cookie varieties like Tagalongs® and Samoas®, but most of these contain milk or egg products. As of the 2025 cookie season, their only vegan offering is:
- Thin Mints®: The same classic, beloved chocolate-mint cookie available from ABC Bakers.
How to Determine Your Local Bakery
To figure out which bakery supplies your local Girl Scout council, you can use the official Girl Scout Cookie Finder on their website. By entering your zip code, the tool will help you find local booths or a Girl Scout selling through the Digital Cookie platform. When ordering online, you can often ship cookies directly to your home, which allows you to purchase from a troop that is supplied by ABC Bakers, even if you live in a Little Brownie Bakers region.
Comparison of Vegan Cookies by Bakery
| Feature | ABC Bakers | Little Brownie Bakers |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Vegan Options | 6 (as of 2025) | 1 (as of 2025) |
| Signature Vegan Cookie | Thin Mints®, Peanut Butter Patties® | Thin Mints® |
| Other Vegan Offerings | Lemonades®, Toast-Yay!®, Adventurefuls™, Caramel Chocolate Chip (GF) | None beyond Thin Mints® |
| Non-Vegan Counterparts | Peanut Butter Patties® vs. Tagalongs®; Lemonades® vs. Lemon-Ups® | Tagalongs® (with milk); Lemon-Ups® (with milk) |
| Availability | Varies by council; can be ordered online via Digital Cookie | Varies by council; can be ordered online via Digital Cookie |
A Note on Ingredients and Sourcing
For those who prioritize specific ingredient sourcing, it's worth noting that Girl Scout cookie ingredients may vary by bakery. For instance, ABC Bakers addresses concerns about palm oil, stating they use Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Certified Mass Balance palm oil. Both bakeries also use equipment that may handle non-vegan ingredients, so those with severe allergies should always check the package labels carefully. The official Girl Scout website or a scout’s specific Digital Cookie page will provide the most up-to-date ingredient lists.
Conclusion
For vegan cookie enthusiasts, understanding the differences between the two Girl Scout bakeries is the most important step in navigating cookie season. While both ABC Bakers and Little Brownie Bakers offer the popular Thin Mints, ABC Bakers provides a significantly wider array of vegan options, including Peanut Butter Patties, Lemonades, and the unique gluten-free Caramel Chocolate Chip. By using the official Girl Scout Cookie Finder and considering online ordering, you can ensure you get the vegan varieties you crave, all while supporting young entrepreneurs across the country.
For further details on specific ingredients and nutritional information, visit the official Girl Scouts website: https://www.girlscouts.org/en/cookies/about-girl-scout-cookies/cookie-faq.html.
