Alisa Fleming ~ Updated! Another Variety ~ Amazingly, if you are speaking of the ingredients, then the answer is a resounding yes, there actually are dairy-free Girl Scout cookies.  In fact, at first glance, they appear to be egg-free and vegan too (vegans should double check on those “mysterious” ingredients such as flavors and colors). 

I know what you are thinking, “Sure, they have one measly tasteless wafer cookie, right?” Au contraire, this infamous cookie collection now has five cookie varieties that are made without milk or egg ingredients! ...

An email from my sister soliciting purchasers for my nieces’ girl scout troupe, peeked my curiosity and prompted me to do a little research (By the way, since when did Girl Scout Cookie season start as early as January?). For years I have been able to politely turn down those cute little requests to purchase cookies in front of the grocery store without a pang of guilt, but it seems my milk-free excuse has run dry …

The following Girl Scout Cookie Varieties are made without milk and egg ingredients (read on after the list for some important info though!):

• Peanut Butter Pattiesâ - “Crispy vanilla cookies layered with real peanut butter and blanketed with a chocolaty coating” (contain wheat, soy, and peanuts)
• Thanks-a-Lot™ - “Heart-warming shortbread cookies dipped in rich fudge” (contain wheat and soy)
• Lemonades™ - “Savory slices of shortbread with a refreshingly tangy lemon icing” (contain wheat and soy)
• Shout Outs!™ (New!) - “Light and crisp Belgian-style cookies” (contain wheat and soy)
• Thin Mints (Not All! See Note Below) - "The Girl Scout Cookie Sale's number one seller" (contain wheat and soy)

Very Important Notes:

Different Cookie Manufacturers!!! - There are two Girl Scout cookie manufacturers, both of which list the cookie ingredients on their websites. The above mentioned cookies are produced by ABC Smart Cookies (interestingly enough, the core corporation behind ABC Smart Cookies also runs a company called Norse Dairy Systems, frozen dairy dessert equipment and manufacturing, but that is another story).

The other manufacturer, Little Brownie Bakers, does not produce any Girl Scout cookies without milk ingredients - this includes the Thin Mints! Both companies produce Thin Mints, but only the ones manufactured by ABC Smart Cookies are made without dairy ingredients. Also, this is a new development. All Thin Mints (by both companies) used to contain whey, but "a recent change removed whey from ABC's Thin Mint cookies."

Since my sister’s list of cookies available included all of the Little Brownie Bakers selection and none from ABC, this leads me to believe that the two companies split up who they supply to either by region or troupe. Sadly, this means your local troupe may not have ABC’s non-dairy selection. If you absolutely must partake in the Girl Scout cookie frenzy, check places like Ebay - I did spot a few troupes selling them on Ebay (is that in the rules?). Also, I am not sure, but perhaps if your child is in a troupe you may be able to request who the cookies are ordered from or at least which cookies you would like them to sell; just a thought.

As another option, you can always go with homemade. My Dairy-Free Thin Mints Recipe is surprisingly easy to bake at home!

Cross-Contamination Potential - The above mentioned cookies, produced by ABC Smart Cookies, are certified kosher OU-D. They are made without milk ingredients, but the "D" typically means that they are processed on shared equipment with other milk-containing cookies (the producer notes that peanut cross-contamination is also a concern). If you are dealing with a severe milk allergy or intolerance (or if you are concerned about cross-contamination of ingredients during the manufacturing process for any reason), then you should certainly double check with the company to see if their processes are “safe” for your needs.  Milk Allergy Mom weighed in on her own experience, but every person could be different.

Dairy-Free Doesn't Necessarily Mean Healthy - Unfortunately these boxes of “American tradition” contain some not-so-traditional ingredients.  All of the varieties mentioned above contain hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, and some sort of artificial ingredient. While I hesitate to actually recommend them from a health perspective, I do recognize the importance and symbolism of Girl Scout cookies for so many!

Article, recipe, and photos by Alisa Fleming, founder of GoDairyFree.org, blogger at Alisa Cooks, and author of Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living. Alisa is also a freelance writer for several publications and recipe creator for the natural food industry, with an emphasis on special diets.