Whether you lust after Caramel deLites (or Samoas) or simply prefer Peanut Butter Patties (aka Tagalongs), there's no denying that Girl Scout cookie season is a wonderful time of year.
This year, there's a new treat in town that will really make fans pucker up. For the 2020 cookie season, Girl Scouts of the USA is launching a new, lemon-flavored cookie — they're called Lemon-Ups.
Lemon-Ups are crisp, lemon-flavored biscuits, with a layer of sweet glaze on one side to balance out the tartness. Each round cookie includes an encouraging message inspired by the mission of the Girl Scouts. Some phrases include: "I'm a leader," "I am an innovator," and "I am a risk-taker."
The 3rd Hour of TODAY co-hosts and the TODAY Food team received a sample of the new cookies from the Girl Scouts and the verdict was unanimous: they're delicious! Even tasters who usually prefer chocolate said they loved the zippy lemon flavor and super crispy cookie.
Unfortunately, Lemon-Ups, which are made by Little Brownie Bakers, won't be available from every scout. Depending on where you live, however, you'll likely still be able to enjoy Lemonades (which are made by ABC Bakers), a thinner, sweet biscuit dipped in a "refreshingly tangy lemon-flavored icing." Instead of messages, each cookie is stamped to look like a slice of fresh lemon.
Each local Girl Scout council chooses which baker to use, so that's why cookies have different names (and sometimes different offerings) in some parts of the country.
So why is 2020 the year of the lemon?
"GSUSA works closely with its licensed bakers to keep our Girl Scout Cookie selection mouth-wateringly top-notch, which means bringing new cookies into the mix periodically based on sales, flavor trends, and consumer preferences," Stewart Goodbody, senior director of communications and external affairs at Girl Scouts of the USA, told TODAY via email. "We wanted to keep the same lemon flavor consumers know and love but introduce a new take on it, complete with messages inspired by Girl Scout Cookie entrepreneurs!"
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The Girl Scouts are also rolling out new cookie packaging this season. The reimagined designs now showcase how cookie sales help fund support for troops nationwide, with photos of girls participating in a range of activities — like camping and canoeing, to participating in robotics and STEM classes.
Said Goodbody, "Every purchase of Girl Scout Cookies makes experiences like these possible for girls in your local community."
Lemon-Ups come on the heels of last year's new flavor, Caramel Chocolate Chip, which was the first new cookie introduced since the release of S'mores in 2016.
Girl Scout cookie season officially starts this month and wraps in April. To find out which lemon-flavored cookie is available near you, contact your local Girl Scout council.
