Cookie Central
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The Cookie Program knowledge base for Girl Scouts, families, and cookie volunteers.
From guides and downloads to links that direct you quickly to your resources, Cookie Central is your one-stop hub for the most up to date cookie information.
Cookie News 
2026 News
- Cookie Sale: Runs from February 21—April 12
- 2026 Cookie Prices: $6 per cookie package
FAQs
Cookie Season Frequently Asked Questions
What's New in 2026?
New cookie:
- Exploremores a rocky road ice cream-inspired sandwich cookie.
Council will no longer cover NSF checks:
- With so many easy payment options available, council will no longer cover NSF checks. Troops may still accept checks, but please note you take on the risk. We encourage using other payment methods when possible.
Cash payments:
- Cash sales can now be recorded in Digital Cookie
Damaged Cookie Credits
Q: How do I report damaged cookies and request a credit?
A: Fill out the Damaged Cookie Form here.
Digital Cookie Registration Issues
Q: What should I do if I didn’t receive the Digital Cookie registration email?
A: Refer to the Tip Sheet: Volunteer Registration - No Email.
Top Cookie Seller Celebrations
Q: How can I register for Top Cookie Sellerbration?
A: Girl Scouts selling 600+ boxes of cookies will receive an invitation to the Top Cookie Sellerbration at Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison. Registration will be through the Adventure Point Survey sent on April 22.
ACH Pull Date Information
Q: When will ACH withdrawals occur?
A:
March 18: 40% Withdrawal
- The debit from your troop account will reflect 40% of what is owed according to reports on Smart Cookies as of March 11. Payment is recorded in the Finances section of Smart Cookies by March 26.
April 23: Balance Due as of April 21
- The debit will withdraw the final balance.
- Any Delinquent Parent Forms received by council will be entered into Smart Cookies prior to this date, as your troop is no longer responsible for the payment of these cookies or the collection of the funds from the parent. Council will retain the troop profits on any delinquent parent cookies until the balance is paid in full.
Corporate Cookie Connection
Q: What is the Corporate Cookie Connection, and how do I participate?
A: Corporate Cookie Connection is a program where Girl Scouts develop sales skills by selling 4+ cases (48+ boxes) of cookies to organizations or companies. Participants earn a patch, and the business receives sweet supporter benefits! All submissions must be made through by April 12.
Cookie Donations
Q: How do I handle donations or answer questions about them?
A: Customers can support Girl Scouts without buying cookies by purchasing Cookie Share. Before the sale, troops select a donation recipient. As customers purchase Cookie Share, those cookies are set aside and donated after the sale.
Kalahari Troop Reward
Q: Can my troop split between two dates?
A: Yes. Troops may attend on June 7 and/or June 14. If a troop splits between the two dates, Council will provide free adults to meet the required safety ratio for one date. The troop must provide background-checked adults at their own cost for the second date. Additional tickets cost $60 per person.
Adventure Points and Travel Credits
Q: Can Girl Scouts who sell at least 38 Adventure Points choose two 19-Point Adventure trips?
A: Yes, Girl Scouts can select more than one 19-Point Adventure trip.
Multiple Trips/Guardian Trips:
Girl Scouts that select London can earn Travel Credits to help pay for their adult to come along as well if they’d like.
Girl Scouts that earn 38 points may select multiple 19 AP options. For example, they could select two London trips and 1 would be for the Girl Scout and the other would be for their adult.
Troops Using Venmo or PayPal for Cookie Payments
- Accounts must be linked to the Council’s Federal Tax ID and the troop’s bank account.
- Accounts cannot be linked to a volunteer's or parent's Social Security number.
- Payments accepted via Venmo or PayPal (excluding Digital Cookie transactions) must be marked as "Friends and Family."
- If $5,000+ is collected in a personal Venmo or PayPal account, it could result in tax implications for the account owner.
Girl Rewards Opt-Out
Q: If my troop is multi-level, can we opt out of Girl Rewards for only Juniors through Ambassadors?
A: No. A multi-level troop can opt out of Girl Rewards, but this applies to all Girl Scouts in the troop. If opted out, all members will receive only patches instead of the lower-level rewards.
ABC Troop Information
Q: When reviewing my troop information in ABC, who should I contact if the Primary and Alternate contacts are incorrect?
A: Contact Customer Care at info@gsbadgerland.org to update troop contacts.
Q: Who will receive emails from ABC?
A: Only the Primary Contact will receive emails from ABC.
Cookie Booth Information
Q: Does a troop get three First-Come-First-Serve booth slots per user in their ABC account or per troop?
A: Booth slots are assigned per troop. Each troop receives three First-Come-First-Serve booth slots per session. Troops with 16+ Girl Scouts may request three additional slots per session by contacting Customer Care.
Q: How do I know where to set up or what to bring for a Council Secured booth location?
A: Refer to the Booth Details in ABC or the Council Secured listing on Cookie Central.
Q: Can we set up a booth in a neighboring community?
A: Yes, as long as the community is within Badgerland Council’s jurisdiction.
Q: Can we set up a booth outside a business in downtown Madison?
A: No. You may drum up business, but all sales transactions must occur inside the business. See Booth Host Guidelines – Downtown Madison for more info.
Q: Can we take credit cards through Digital Cookie for in-person or booth sales?
A: Yes! Additionally, this year you can also accept Venmo and PayPal payments.
Booth Staffing Requirements
Q: Do we need two background-checked and registered members at each booth sale?
A: It depends. You must meet the required safety ratio. If a booth is staffed by a Girl Scout and their guardian, the guardian can count as the adult present as long as they are not restricted from handling funds.
How are Juliette Cookie Sale proceeds calculated, and why are they different from troop proceeds?
Juliettes, Girl Scouts who participate independently rather than in a troop, earn cookie sale proceeds at a different rate than Girl Scouts in troops. Here’s why:
- Juliettes keep their proceeds for themselves.
Juliettes are a “troop of one,” meaning all proceeds they earn are theirs to use for individual Girl Scout experiences, such as camp, travel, or membership renewals. - Troop proceeds are shared equally.
In a troop, all proceeds from the cookie sale are divided equally among the members, regardless of how much each Girl Scout sells. This ensures fairness and supports the collaborative spirit of Girl Scouting. - Individual rewards are earned the same way.
All Girl Scouts, whether in a troop or a Juliette, earn rewards (like patches and prizes) based on their individual sales, ensuring everyone is recognized equally for their efforts.
The difference in how proceeds are calculated reflects the distinction between independent participation and the shared experience of being part of a troop.
Cookie Safety Talking Points
Q: Are Girl Scout Cookies safe to eat?
A: Yes. Girl Scout Cookies are made with high-quality ingredients and in full compliance with federal and state food safety regulations. They are safe to eat.
Q: I read that Girl Scout Cookies contain harmful heavy metals—how could they be safe?
A: Environmental contaminants—which can include heavy metals— can occur naturally in soil. This means that nearly all foods using plant-based ingredients, including organic foods, may contain trace amounts. This does not mean these foods are harmful to consume.
Q: But aren’t the levels above what the EPA recommends?
A: No. The levels reported in recent coverage do not pose a safety concern. The standards used in this study are what the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) uses for water and should not be considered as a reference for testing food products. You would need to consume an enormous amount of Girl Scout Cookies to exceed the tolerance levels set by regulatory authorities.
Q: Why is there glyphosate in Girl Scout Cookies?
A: Glyphosate is widely used in agriculture in accordance with established EPA standards and is found nearly everywhere in the food chain. Trace amounts of glyphosate can be found in fresh fruits, vegetables, cereals, baked goods, and other food and beverage commodities. It is never added as an ingredient to our Girl Scout Cookies.
Q: Are Girl Scout Cookies from one state different than those in another?
A: We currently use two licensed bakers for our Girl Scout Cookies. Depending which baker councils use, the recipes and names may be different. For instance, Samoas® may be called Caramel DeLites® in another state. Regardless of where you purchase your cookies, both our bakers adhere to the FDA and EPA standards and regulations.
Q: Where can I learn more about food ingredients and safety?
A: More information can be found on the FDA website at: https://www.fda.gov/food/chemical-contaminants-pesticides/environmentalcontaminants-food
If you have additional questions, please contact Customer Care at info@gsbadgerland.org or 800.237.1145.
Resources For Girl Scouts and Families
Cookie Seller Toolkit
The virtual toolkit includes sample posts, goal trackers, social media graphics, and more resources to help them shine.
DOWNLOAD
Getting Started
Running Your Sale
Rewards & Incentives
Share your story and become a Product Pro!
Do you excel in one of the 5 entrepreneurial skills related to the Girl Scout cookie program? Do you have an amazing story to share? Share your story to tell us why you would like to represent one of the 5 skills as a Product Pro! Product Pros will be champions of Product Programs and the entrepreneurial experience for the following year at events, on social media, and more!
Winners are chosen based on the impact of the story they share, not by amount of sales. One representative will be chosen for each skill: People Skills, Goal Setting, Decision Making, Money Management, and Business Ethics.
Corporate Cookie Connection
Online Shipping Promo Dates
Digital Cookie Shipping Rates
March 7 & 8 Free and Discounted Shipping
This year, your customers can save BIG by ordering on March 7 or 8! They can score FREE shipping on an order of 6–8 boxes, or a discount of $11.99 off orders of 9 boxes or more. Shipping on one case is only $2! See chart below for details. Customers must purchase a minimum of 6 boxes to received discounted shipping.
Girl Scouts that have shipped orders placed on the discount days are entered to win fun prizes! See more details about all of our Cookie Techie Weekly Challenges here.
| 2026 Digital Cookie Shipping Rates | ||
| # of Packages | Regular Shipping Fee* | March 7 & 8 Discounted Shipping* |
| 4–5 Boxes | $11.99 | $11.99 |
| 6–8 Boxes | $11.99 | FREE! |
| 9–12 Boxes | $13.99 | $2.00 |
| 13–20 Boxes | $25.98 | $13.99 |
| 21–24 Boxes | $27.98 | $15.99 |
| 25–32 Boxes | $39.97 | $27.98 |
| 33–36 Boxes | $41.97 | $29.98 |
| 37–44 Boxes | $53.96 | $41.97 |
| 45–48 Boxes | $55.96 | $43.97 |
| 49–52 Boxes | $67.95 | $55.96 |
| *There is a $5 surcharge for orders shipping to Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, APO/FPO/DPO, Guam, and US Virgin Islands. | ||
Juliette Sellers (Individually Registered Girl Scout)
Digital Cookie
Resources For Cookie Volunteers
Troop Cookie Guide
Your guide to the 2026 Cookie Season—everything Troop Leaders need to manage sales, booths, money, rewards, and marketing while helping Girl Scouts build skills and reach their goals.
DOWNLOAD
New This Year
New cookie:
- Exploremores a rocky road ice cream-inspired sandwich cookie.
Council will no longer cover NSF checks:
- With so many easy payment options available, council will no longer cover NSF checks. Troops may still accept checks, but please note you take on the risk. We encourage using other payment methods when possible.
Cash payments:
- Cash sales can now be recorded in Digital Cookie
Training & Resources
Pre-Sale Resources
Booth Resources
Specific Rules by Location
During-Sale Resources
After-Sale Resources
ABC Smart Cookies
Smart Cookies Pre-Sale
- Registration
- Tabs and Functions
- Troop Entering Bank Info
- Initial Orders
- Scheduling Booths - Troop Secured
- Scheduling Booths - First Come First Service (FCFS)
- Scheduling Booths - Lottery
Smart Cookies During Sale
- Cookie Share Flow Chart
- Virtual Cookie Share
- Financial Transactions
- Planned Orders
- Smart Booth Divider - All Booths
- Smart Booth Divider - Single Booth
- Transfers
- Troop Orders in Digital Cookie
Digital Cookie
