Girl Guide Cookies

Original 1927 Girl Guides of Canada Cookie Recipe

Makes: a lot

1 cup (250mL) butter, room temperature
1 cup (250mL) sugar
3 eggs
2 Tbsp (30mL) cream
pinch of salt
1 tsp (5mL) baking soda

2 tsp (10mL) baking powder
1/2 tsp (2.5mL) ground cardamom
3 cups (750mL) flour

Preheat oven to 325F
Cream together butter and sugar
Beat in eggs and cream
In a separate bowl combine salt, baking soda, baking powder, cardamom and flour
Sift dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix into a dough
Roll and cut, using a cookie cutter and sprinkle with sugar
Place on prepared cookie sheet and bake 7-11 minutes

In 1927, a Girl Guide leader in Regina (Christina) baked and packaged cookies for her girls to sell as a simple way to raise money for their uniforms and camping equipment. Little did she know that she was starting one of Canada’s best-loved traditions - Girl Guide cookies!

Christina Reispman/Girl Guides of Canada

There’s a Tasty History Behind Girl Guide Cookies!

1927 - The first Girl Guide cookies are sold in Regina, Saskatchewan.

1929 – Girl Guides of Canada begins selling cookies as the official fundraising activity for the organization.

1946 - Vanilla crème, maple cream and shortbread cookies are introduced.

1953 - Classic chocolate and vanilla cookies make their first appearance.

1960 - A special box commemorates the 50th anniversary of GGC.

1966 - The classic vanilla and chocolate cookies are back!

1967 - GGC centennial cookies are sold.

1991 - During the Gulf War, every Canadian soldier is given a box of GGC cookies upon arrival in Saudi Arabia.

1992 – Former Girl Guide and Canadian astronaut Roberta Bondar juggles Girl Guide cookies in space.

1995 – Chocolatey mint cookies are sold in all provinces across Canada

2003 - All classic chocolate and vanilla and chocolatey mint cookies are produced in a nut-free and peanut-free bakery.

2009 - GGC announced and launched reduced trans fats in the chocolatey mint cookies

2009 - GGC launches first national cookie-selling rewards initiative- Cookie All Stars

2010 – A special 100th anniversary commemorative box is produced. The classic chocolate and vanilla cookies are now 0 g trans fat per serving.

2011 – Girl Guide Cookies gets its own Twitter account.

2012 – The Girl Guide cookie box gets a new look, featuring fun illustrations tracing the journey from Sparks to Rangers.

2014 – Girl Guide classic chocolate and vanilla cookies are certified as Kosher.