A Girl Scout Dropout Reviews Walmart’s Imitation Girl Scout Cookies

I have always supported the Girl Scouts of America’s cookie endeavors, but those iconic sweets are only available seasonally — from January to April in most areas — so it’s rare that I have a box on hand when the craving strikes. When I found out Walmart sells its own Great Value version for about $2 to $3 per box, the low cost and immediate availability were too tempting to resist.

As a Girl Scout dropout myself (I made it to mere Daisy status in the first grade), I suspected these dupes would have just enough stolen valor for my taste. Here’s how they compare to the real deal.

Great Value Fudge Mint vs. Thin Mints

I was most excited to eat a Thin Mint copycat, but my heightened expectations led to a bit of letdown because the artificial mint taste overpowered the chocolate. Likewise, the cookie crunch of a traditional Thin Mint is fresher and crisper. They’re a decent snack for $2.26 but not “mint" to be compared to the originals. For extra crunch, put these knockoffs in the freezer first.

Great Value Caramel Coconut and Fudge vs. Samoas

These Samoa (a.k.a. Caramel deLites) dupes were more coconut-heavy than the Girl Scouts’ recipe, which I actually appreciated — I would totally buy them if I were craving a generic chocolate coconut cookie — but they were, once again, not as crispy as the classic version despite a similar shape. In terms of overall milk dunkability, this flavor is the number-one choice here.

Great Value Fudge Covered Peanut Butter vs. Tagalongs

While not an exact analogue of Tagalongs, Walmart’s Fudge Covered Peanut Butter Filled Cookies are — arguably — a better version of the real thing. That’s because they swapped out the vanilla cookie for a chocolate one. You cannot go wrong with double-chocolate and peanut butter. Honestly, the Girl Scouts should consider copying this copycat. Maybe the only badge I ever needed after all was a discounted cookie?