Sharing Cookies, Building Confidence: Girl Scouts Launch 2026 Season
This year’s newcomer, Exploremores™, celebrates curiosity, courage, and community.
January 09, 2026
Columbus, OH — On Jan. 15, Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland (GSOH) will launch the 2026 Girl Scout Cookie Season with the debut of a brand-new flavor—Exploremores™—joining the classic cookies Ohioans look forward to each year. As the world’s largest entrepreneurial program for girls, the Girl Scout Cookie Program equips young leaders with real-world skills while creating unforgettable experiences.
“The Cookie Program is something many of us grew up with, but its impact on today’s girls is profound,” said Tammy Wharton, President and CEO of GSOH. “Each sale helps them find their voice, build confidence, and step into their potential. Every time someone buys a box, they’re telling a girl, ‘You matter, and I believe in you.’ That kind of encouragement lasts a lifetime.”
With just 2% of philanthropic funding nationwide directed toward organizations serving girls and women, the Cookie Program plays a crucial role in leveling the playing field. All net revenue stays local, powering troop projects, outdoor adventures, community service, camps, STEM programming, and leadership opportunities across GSOH’s 30 counties.
Introducing Exploremores™: A New Flavor for 2026
Cookie lovers can continue supporting young entrepreneurs while enjoying iconic favorites such as Thin Mints®, Samoas®, Tagalongs®, Do-si-dos®, and Adventurefuls®. This year, those favorites are joined by the debut of Exploremores™.
Inspired by the beloved flavors of rocky road ice cream, Exploremores™ are chocolate sandwich cookies filled with a rich blend of marshmallow and toasted almond–flavored crème.
GSOH’s Wharton served on the national product development committee that helped bring Exploremores™ to life, ensuring this new cookie reflects the spirit of exploration at the heart of every Girl Scout.
Shaping Tomorrow’s Business Leaders
The Girl Scout Cookie Program equips girls with essential life and leadership skills from goal setting and money management to communication, ethics, and teamwork. Each sale helps girls build confidence, independence, and entrepreneurial resilience.
Each year, Ohioans rally behind these young entrepreneurs. Last season, customers across central and southern Ohio purchased 1.7 million packages of Girl Scout Cookies, with Thin Mints® once again leading as the top seller.
Support Service Members Through Operation Salute
Community members can also give back by buying cookies for Operation Salute, GSOH’s long-running service project that donates Girl Scout Cookies to active-duty military personnel and veterans.
Each donated package delivers a taste of home and a message of gratitude to those who have served or are currently serving. It’s a simple way to brighten someone’s day while supporting local Girl Scouts in their leadership journey.
How to Get Your Cookies
Girl Scout Cookies are $6 per package and can be purchased in several ways:
- Door-to-Door Sales: Watch for local Girl Scouts at your door beginning Jan. 15 and running through March 29.
- Digital Cookie ® : Already know a Girl Scout? Order through her personalized Digital Cookie link for local delivery.
- Don’t Know a Troop? Visit www.gsoh.org/findcookies to locate a nearby troop for direct shipment or to donate cookies to military members and veterans through Operation Salute.
- Cookie Booths: In-person booth sales run Feb. 13–March 29 at grocery stores, retail plazas, and partner storefronts throughout the region. Visit www.gsoh.org/findcookies to find booth locations in your area
- You can also text COOKIES to 59618 to stay informed about Girl Scout Cookie news. Learn more about the Terms and Conditions and the Privacy Policy.
Girl Scouts in grades K–12 can start their journey to fun, friendship, and new experiences by joining the world's largest entrepreneurial organization for girls at any point in the year. Girls can join, and adults can volunteer at gsoh.org/join.
2026 Girl Scout Cookie Season – FAQs
1. When does the 2026 Girl Scout Cookie Season begin in Ohio?
The 2026 season officially begins on Jan. 15, when Girl Scouts across Ohio’s Heartland start door-to-door sales and online orders through Digital Cookie®.
2. What’s new in the 2026 cookie lineup?
This year introduces Exploremores™, a chocolate sandwich cookie inspired by rocky road ice cream and filled with marshmallow and toasted almond–flavored crème. GSOH CEO Tammy Wharton served on the national development committee that helped bring this adventurous new flavor to life.
3. How does buying Girl Scout Cookies support local girls?
Every cookie purchase directly supports Girl Scouts in Ohio’s Heartland. 100% of net revenue stays local, funding troop activities, camps, STEM programs, community service projects, leadership development, and outdoor adventures across the council’s 30 counties.
4. How can I buy Girl Scout Cookies in 2026?
Customers can purchase cookies in several ways:
- Door-to-door beginning January 15
- Digital Cookie® links from a Girl Scout for online orders and local delivery
- www.gsoh.org/findcookies to find a troop to order shipped cookies, or booth locations in your area.
- Cookie Booths at local businesses from Feb. 13–March 29
5. What is Operation Salute, and how can I participate?
Operation Salute is GSOH’s long-standing program that donates Girl Scout Cookies to active-duty military members and veterans. Customers can participate by purchasing cookies specifically designated for donation through a troop, a Girl Scout, or the online cookie finder.
We're Girl Scouts of the USA
We're 2.5 million strong – more than 1.7 million girls and 750,000 adults who believe in the power of every girl to change the world. Our extraordinary journey began more than 100 years ago with Juliette Gordon “Daisy” Low. On March 12, 1912, in Savannah, Ga., she organized the very first Girl Scout troop. Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland is proud to serve our more than 14,000 members in 30 counties across central and southern Ohio by honoring her vision and legacy, building girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. We’re the preeminent leadership development organization for girls. And with programs from coast to coast and across the globe, Girl Scouts offers every girl a chance to practice a lifetime of leadership, adventure, and success. To volunteer, reconnect, donate, or join, visit www.gsoh.org.
