It’s that time of year again: Girl Scout Cookie season! While cookies are by no means considered a “health” food, it’s possible to include them in an overall healthy pattern when consumed in moderation. However, it is important to never skip dessert and feed your cookie craving! 

This guest post is brought to you by dietetic intern Taylor Kollak. Show her some love in the comments section, below!

According to the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the added sugars in our diet (the ones added to our food) should be less than 10 percent of our calories per day starting at age 2. Based on a 2,000-calorie diet, this would be equal to a dessert of 200 calories per day. When choosing your favorite Girl Scout Cookie for your dessert, it would be approximately equal to one of the following:  

• 7 Savannah Smiles

• 6 Trefoils

• 4 Do-Si-Dos

• 2.5 Samoas

• 3 Tagalongs

• 5 Thin Mints

• 2.5 Girl Scout S’Mores

• 3 Toffee-Tastics

Not only can you eat these cookies on their own…. you can bake with them too! Grab a box - or two or three! - of your favorite Girl Scout Cookies and get to baking with these easy recipes courtesy of Taste of Home. These Girl Scout Cookie-inspired recipes are sure to bring a smile to your face! Check out these recipes and find more using the link below.

Recipes: 

Shortbread/Trefoils Toffee and Chocolate Bark with Toasted Almonds

Created by: Nancy Mock

This recipe was the grand prize winner and the Candies category winner of the 2016 National Girl Scout Cookie Recipe Contest Sponsored by Taste of Home!

Prep: 15 min.  Cook: 10 min. + chilling

• 1 package (9 oz.) Girl Scout Shortbread/Trefoils cookies

• ¾ cup butter

• ¾ cup packed light brown sugar

• 1 package (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips

• ½ cup sliced almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a greased 15x10-in. rimmed baking pan with parchment paper coated with cooking spray. Arrange Shortbread/Trefoils cookies in pan.

Microwave butter until melted; whisk in brown sugar. Microwave 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until mixture is a thick caramel sauce. Pour sauce over Shortbread/Trefoils cookies, covering each completely.

Bake until puffed up and bubbly, about 10 minutes (do not allow to burn). Cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over hot caramel. Let stand 5 minutes; spread chocolate over caramel. Top with almonds.

Refrigerate baking pan until chocolate and caramel have hardened, about 1 hour. Break or cut bark. Note: To toast nuts, bake in a shallow pan in a 350-degree oven for 5-10 minutes or cook in a skillet over low heat until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. 

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Peanut Butter Cream Dessert

Prep: 25 min. + chilling

• 2 ¼ cups cold milk 

• 2 packages (3.3 oz. each)

• 2 ½ cups whipped topping

• 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

• ½ cup butter, softened

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

• 1 cup chopped Do-si-dos/Peanut Butter Sandwich Girl Scout Cookies

• Whipped cream in a can and chopped peanuts, optional

In a bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes; let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Fold in whipped topping; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Fold in pudding mixture. Spoon into an ungreased 9x13-in. dish. Sprinkle with cookie crumbs. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Cut into squares. Garnish with whipped cream and chopped peanuts if desired. Yield: 12-15 servings.

Find these recipes and many more at: https://www.girlscouts.org/en/cookies/all-about-cookies/Cookie-Recipes.html

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Create moments of joy this cookie season! You are supporting a great program that helps the next generation of Girl Scout entrepreneurs build confidence and fill leadership roles. Thank you for supporting local Girl Scout Troops!