Dairy-Free Girl Scout Cookies: The 2023 Selection …

Updated for 2023! Some of you may try to argue me (read on for the reasons why), but yes, by ingredients there are dairy-free Girl Scout cookies. In fact, these gems are labeled as egg-free and vegan, too. I know what you are thinking, “Sure, they have one measly tasteless wafer cookie, right?” Au contraire. This infamous cookie collection now has six cookie varieties that are made without milk or egg ingredients. And that includes a gluten-free one, too!

My curiosity was initially piqued when I received an email from my sister soliciting buyers for her oldest daughter’s girl scout troupe. I had assumed that all Girl Scout Cookies were off limits, but decided to do some research. I posted my initial findings, which were positively surprising. Now that niece is in her twenties, and the dairy-free Girl Scout Cookie options are still going strong.

Each year I update with the latest flavors, ingredients, and information. You can jump ahead to the different sections in this post with these links:

• The Dairy-Free Girl Scout Cookies Line-Up
• Two Very Different Cookie Manufacturers
• Ingredients & Allergen Labeling for Each Cookie
• Notes on Cross-Contamination Potential
• Dairy-Free Girl Scout Cookie Recipes

The Dairy-Free Girl Scout Cookies Line-Up

At last check, the following Girl Scout cookie varieties were made without milk and egg ingredients, and were also vegan by ingredients. Please see the next section for full ingredient lists, allergen notes, and more.

• Caramel Chocolate Chip (starting in 2023) – “Chewy gluten-free cookies with rich caramel, semisweet chocolate chips, and a hint of sea salt”
• Lemonades – “Savory slices of shortbread with a refreshingly tangy lemon icing”
• Peanut Butter Patties – “Crispy vanilla cookies layered with real peanut butter and blanketed with a chocolaty coating”
• Raspberry Rally – “Thin, crispy cookies infused with raspberry flavor, dipped in chocolaty coating”
• Thin Mints – “The Girl Scout Cookie Sale’s number one seller”
• Toast-Yay! – “French toast–inspired cookie dipped in delicious icing and full of flavor in every bite.”

Notes from our Dairy-Free Girl Scout Cookies Annual Updates

• 2023 – Time to rejoice! The dairy-free cookies from last year are returning, and this year, the vegan-friendly Raspberry Rally is joining the mix. It’s the Girl Scout’s first foray into an online only cookie. And as of this year, all cookies will be available for nationwide shipping. But wait, there’s more. Their Caramel Chocolate Chip gluten-free cookie has also gone dairy-free, egg-free, and vegan!
• 2022 – This is a somber year for fans of dairy-free Girl Scout cookies. ABC Bakers discontinued their S’mores cookies (the version from Little Brownie Bakers has always contained dairy), and they finished the phase out of their Thanks-a-Lot cookies. This year’s new cookie, Adventurefuls, is also dairy-ful.
• 2021 – This year we have all of last year’s cookies, plus they added dairy-free Toast-Yays!
• 2020 – Same cookies. The new Lemon-Ups are not dairy-free. But, ABC Bakers has made their milk allergen warning more clear. See the notes below. Rumor has it that the Thanks-a-Lot are retiring after this year, so stock up if they’re your favorite!
• 2019 – Same cookies, no major updates. ABC Bakers added a gluten-free Caramel Chocolate Chip cookie, but it isn’t dairy-free.
• 2018 – Same cookies, but we added ingredients and allergen notes here and the ABC corporate name and website changed.
• 2017 – The Cranberry Citrus Crisps were discontinued, but vegan Girl Scout S’mores were introduced by ABC Bakers.
• 2016 – All of the dairy-free Girl Scout Cookie options remained unchanged.
• 2015 – The Little Brownie Bakers manufacturer changed their Thin Mint formula to be kosher pareve. This makes Thin Mints the first nationwide dairy-free Girl Scout Cookie offering. The Girl Scouts added a new gluten-free cookie too, but alas, it isn’t dairy-free.
• 2014 – To make room for new Cranberry Citrus Crisps in the dairy-free Girl Scout cookies 2014 line-up, the Mango Crèmes were discontinued.
• 2013 – The Mango Crèmes replaced the short-lived Belgian-style Shout Outs!

Very Important Notes on the Dairy-Free Girl Scout Cookies

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 all produced by ABC Bakers. Interestingly enough, the core corporation behind ABC Bakers also runs a company called Norse Dairy Systems, but that is another story.

The other manufacturer, Little Brownie Bakers, changed the formula of their Thin Mints for 2015, so that they are now dairy-free! And the new Raspberry Rally Girl Scout Cookies are also dairy-free and vegan from both manufacturers. But do not mistake their Tagalongs and Lemon Ups, which do contain dairy, for the Peanut Butter Patties and Lemonades made by ABC Bakers.

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 dairy-free Girl Scout cookies selection. If you’re craving more than Thin Mints, check online. I did spot a few troupes selling them on Ebay (is that in the rules?). Also, I’ve heard rumor that troupes may be able to request who the cookies are ordered from.

Ingredients & Allergen Labeling

In 2020, ABC Bakers added a “may contain” statement to all of their cookies. Previously, some had a “warning” label and others didn’t. This shouldn’t be news to dairy-free consumers, since I’ve always noted here that their cookies are certified OU-D, which means shared equipment with product containing dairy.

ABC Bakers has confirmed that nothing changed in their processes – the potential cross-contamination risk is no more or no less than in years passed. But they have now opted to add a “may contain” statement for top allergens on all of their cookies. This statement is very vague. See my notes below on cross-contamination potential.

Caramel Chocolate Chip (by ABC Bakers)

Heads Up! This is a new recipe in 2023. Boxes produced in prior years do contain milk. Verify which box you are purchasing as old inventory could still be in circulation.

• Ingredients: oat flour, brown sugar, semi-sweet chocolate chips (sugar, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, sunflower lecithin, natural flavor), canola oil, water, tapioca starch, coconut oil, invert sugar, egg replacer, molasses, natural flavor, sea salt, leavening (baking soda, monocalcium phosphate), xanthan gum, cream of tartar, sunflower lecithin.
• Contains: No top allergens
• Allergen Information: From the company: “Our Gluten Free Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies are certified gluten free under Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO). While allergens are present in the overall bakery, our gluten free cookies are produced in a dedicated allergen free room. In reference to production of these delicious cookies, we have a compliant allergen management policy, which includes verified and validated allergen cleaning methods employed prior to each production run of these delicious cookies. Verification of cleaning is done by swabbing using 3M Clean Trace swabs to detect even trace amounts of any protein. The cookies are 100% free of any allergen.” However, please note the company still has a kosher OU-D certification shown online for this cookie. We are waiting to find out if this will be changed to parve, or if the kosher certifier thinks a “D” for dairy equipment is still warranted.

Raspberry Rally (by Little Brownie Bakers)

• Ingredients: enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, vitamin b1, [thiamin mononitrate], vitamin b2 [riboflavin], folic acid), sugar, vegetable oil [palm kernel, palm and soybean oil), cocoa, contains 2% or less of invert sugar, cocoa processed with alkali, conrntarch, salt, leavening (monocalcium phosphate, baking soda), soy lecithin, citric acid, natural and artificial flavors, red 40, sorbitan tristerate.
• Contains: Wheat, soy
• Allergen Information: It is “manufactured in a shared facility with peanuts, tree nuts, milk & egg.” They have both certified kosher parve and certified kosher OU-D showing online. We are waiting for confirmation on which one it is.

Raspberry Rally (by ABC Bakers)

• Ingredients: enriched wheat flour (flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), sugar, vegetable oil shortening (palm and palm kernel oil), invert sugar, cocoa (processed with alkali), salt, natural and artificial flavor, baking soda, soy lecithin, citric acid, vegetable juice (color), tartaric acid.
• Contains: Wheat, soy
• Allergen Information: As always, it is “Manufactured in a shared facility with: milk, peanuts, coconut.” We assume it will be certified kosher OU-D. That information isn’t out yet.

Thin Mints (by Little Brownie Bakers)

• Ingredients: Enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, vitamin B1 [thiamin mononitrate], vitamin B2 [riboflavin], folic acid), sugar, vegetable oil (palm kernel, palm and soybean oil), cocoa, caramel color, contains 2% or less of cocoa processed with alkali, invert sugar, leavening (baking soda, monocalcium phosphate), cornstarch, salt, sorbitan tristearate, soy lecithin, natural and artificial flavors, oil of peppermint.
• Contains: Wheat, soy
• Allergen Information: No cross-contamination warning shown online and certified kosher parve.

Thin Mints (by ABC Bakers)

• Ingredients: Enriched wheat flour (flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), sugar, vegetable oil shortening (palm and palm kernel oils), cocoa (processed with alkali), caramel color, high fructose corn syrup, salt, baking soda, soy lecithin, natural and artificial flavor.
• Contains: Wheat, soy
• Allergen Information: As always, it is “Manufactured in a shared facility with: milk, peanuts, coconut” and certified kosher OU-D.

Toast-Yay! (by ABC Bakers)

• Ingredients: Enriched wheat flour (flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), sugar, palm oil, vegetable oil shortening (palm kernel and palm oils), cornstarch, invert sugar, cinnamon, salt, food starch-modified, leavening (baking soda, sodium acid pyrophosphate, monocalcium phosphate), soy lecithin, maple syrup, annatto extract (color), natural flavor, caramel color.
• Contains: Wheat, soy
• Allergen Information: It is “Manufactured in a shared facility with: milk, peanuts, coconut.” and certified kosher OU-D.

Lemonades (by ABC Bakers)

• Ingredients: Enriched wheat flour (flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), sugar, vegetable oil shortening (palm and palm kernel oils), cornstarch, corn syrup, leavening (sodium acid pyrophosphate, baking soda), salt, natural and artificial flavor, soy lecithin, annatto extract (color), citric acid, malic acid.
• Contains: Wheat, soy
• Allergen Information: As always, it is “Manufactured in a shared facility with: milk, peanuts, coconut” and certified kosher OU-D.

Peanut Butter Patties (by ABC Bakers)

• Ingredients: Sugar, peanut butter (peanuts, palm oil, corn syrup solids, salt), enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), vegetable oil shortening (palm and palm kernel oils), cocoa (processed with alkali), high fructose corn syrup, leavening (baking soda, monocalcium phosphate), soy lecithin, salt, natural and artificial flavor.
• Contains: Wheat, soy, peanuts
• Allergen Information: As always, it is “Manufactured in a shared facility with: milk, peanuts, coconut” and certified kosher OU-D.

Cross-Contamination Potential

The above mentioned cookies produced by ABC Bakers are all certified kosher OU-D. They are made without milk ingredients, but the “D” likely means that they are processed on shared equipment with other milk-containing cookies. 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 must double check with the company to see if their processes are “safe” for your needs. Milk Allergy Mom weighed in on her own experience several years ago, but every person could be different and processes can change.

The Thin Mints made by Little Brownie Bakers are certified kosher pareve, but that still doesn’t guarantee safety if potential cross-contamination with dairy is a concern for you. Always contact the company.

Dairy-Free Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Healthy

Remember, these boxes of “American tradition” are treats. They have improved their recipes over the years, but they are still sugary indulgences. While I hesitate to actually recommend them from a health perspective, I do recognize the importance and symbolism of Girl Scout cookies for millions of people. So please, hold off on the food policing and let the dairy-free community enjoy a classic cookie or two!

Dairy-Free Girl Scout Cookie Recipes!

As another option, you can bake your own Dairy-Free Girl Scout Cookies! Here are two delicious recipes from my kitchen.

Dairy-Free Samoa (or Caramel DeLites) Girl Scout Cookies Recipe (also vegan)

Dairy-Free Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies Recipe (optionally vegan)