National Girl Scouts Day: America’s favorite cookies — and the workouts they’re daring you to do
Mar 12, 2026, 7:45 AM | Updated: 10:17 am
National Girl Scouts Day is here, which means it’s time to celebrate the organization’s legacy, leadership and let’s be real the cookie empire that shows up every year like clockwork and destroys everyone’s willpower.
If you’ve ever said, “I’ll just have a couple,” and then looked down to find an empty sleeve staring back at you, you’re not alone. Here’s what people say they love most, plus what it could take to burn off some of those favorites.
The most popular Girl Scout cookies (a.k.a. the usual suspects)
Based on favorite-cookie picks, these are the heavy hitters:
- Thin Mints: 24%
- Samoas: 16%
- Tagalongs (Peanut Butter Patties): 10%
- Shortbread (Trefoils): 7%
- Caramel Chocolate Chip: 6%
- Peanut Butter Sandwich (Do-si-dos): 5%
- S’mores: 3%
- Lemon-Ups: 3%
- Toffee-tastic: 1%
Thin Mints are the clear No. 1, which tracks, because the only thing stronger than a Thin Mint craving is a Thin Mint that came straight from the freezer.
What it takes to burn off Girl Scout cookies
If you want to “work it off” — or just enjoy some context with your snack, here’s the exercise time tied to common cookie portions.
- 5 Savannah Smiles (28 calories per cookie): 31 minutes of brisk walking
- 4 Shortbread cookies (30 calories per cookie): 27 minutes of brisk walking
- 4 Thin Mints (40 calories per cookie): 29 minutes on an elliptical
- 3 Do-si-dos (53 calories per cookie): 24 minutes of aerobics
- 3 Peanut Butter Sandwich cookies (57 calories per cookie): 25 minutes of aerobics
- 3 Trios (57 calories per cookie): 30 minutes of cycling
- 2 Tagalongs (70 calories per cookie): 18 minutes of jogging
- 2 Samoas (70 calories per cookie): 16 minutes of calisthenics
- 2 S’mores (90 calories per cookie): 20 minutes of jumping rope
So, what’s the move?
You can celebrate National Girl Scouts Day by supporting local troops, stocking up on your favorites and pretending you’re “definitely going to start jogging.” Or you can just eat the cookies and call it morale-building.
Either way, Thin Mints are winning — and your elliptical is nervously watching from across the room.
