A Fresh Addition: Exploremores for 2026
Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) confirmed that Exploremores™, a rocky road ice cream–inspired sandwich cookie, will officially debut in the 2026 cookie season. The cookie combines chocolate wafers with a toasted-almond crème infused with marshmallow, designed to capture the nostalgia of rocky road in a handheld treat.
What’s Leaving and Returning
To make space for Exploremores, GSUSA will retire two flavors after the 2025 season: Girl Scout S’mores®, introduced in 2017, and Toast-Yay!®, launched in 2021. Meanwhile, fan favorites including Thin Mints®, Samoas®/Caramel deLites®, Tagalongs®, Lemon-Ups®, Trefoils®, Toffee-tastic®, Adventurefuls®, Peanut Butter Sandwich/Do-si-dos®, Caramel Chocolate Chip, Lemonades®, and the gluten-free options will remain.
Why It Matters: Entrepreneurship Meets Flavor
The Girl Scout Cookie Program isn’t just about treats—it’s a major driver of leadership and financial education. Scouts earn badges like My First Cookie Business and My Cookie Team, which teach skills in goal-setting, money management, customer engagement, and ethics. Importantly, proceeds from sales stay local, funding troop activities, community projects, and STEM opportunities.
Release Details and Early Reactions
Exploremores will be available from January through April 2026, with timing depending on local councils. Customers will be able to purchase them both online and at traditional cookie booths. Early reviews are already split. Allrecipes noted that the almond flavor shines, but the marshmallow can be overshadowed by chocolate, and the texture is softer than classics like Thin Mints. In contrast, Good Housekeeping praised the cookie as a “chocoholic cult fave,” pointing to its crunchy wafers, creamy filling, and freezer-friendly appeal for creative dessert mashups.
The Bottom Line
With Exploremores, the Girl Scouts are balancing nostalgia and innovation while doubling down on their core mission of entrepreneurship and leadership training. As one South Florida Girl Scout said at the reveal, “I think the new cookie will fit in perfectly with the lineup of other cookies.”
