The Girl Scouts Samoas Copycat You Can Find Year-Round At Aldi

Let's be honest, if there's one cookie brand that trumps them all, it's Girl Scouts of America. Per the Girl Scout's website, cookie-selling season for most Girl Scouts is January through April. During this time, it's practically a holiday season for fans, with everyone in town looking for the first pop-up green table in sight.

However, when the selling season is over, finding these cookies is nearly impossible, which is why you'll find Girl Scout cookie recipes all over the internet along with the not-so-great knock-off brands scattered throughout the grocery store. Thankfully, one cookie label is doing it right when it comes to recreating one Girl Scout cookie in particular. And the brand itself? Probably the least you would have expected in Aldi. The cookie? The famous caramel, coconut, chocolate striped cookie –- Samoas.

According to USA Today, the top three most beloved Girl Scouts cookie flavors are Tagalongs (Peanut Butter Patties), Thin Mints, and, of course, Samoas. No one can resist these chewy caramel sweets, which is why Aldi stores sell them all year. But what is it about these copycat cookies that make them so good?

Aldi is the king of all grocery stores when it comes to quality food at a reasonable price. In fact, this German-founded discount store has received over 1,200 product awards and recognitions since 2017, including in categories like innovation and outstanding value, per Aldi's website. 

This is no surprise since Aldi is among a slew of retailers offering products sold by private label manufacturers, and according to Supermarket News, roughly 90% of Aldi products are privately labeled. This includes anything from coffee, tea, ice cream, and, of course, cookies. While it can't be said for certain whether or not a big brand manufactures Aldi's cookies, there is one thing you can be sure of –- Aldi's in-house cookie brand, Benton, is selling all of your favorite Girl Scout-inspired cookie flavors for a fraction of the cost. Plus, they're available year-round.

Hip2Save states Benton sells Fudge Mint Cookies (Thin Mints) for $0.95, Peanut Butter Filled Cookies (Tagalongs) for $0.95, and Caramel Coconut Fudge Cookies (Samoas) for $1.39. This comes out to $3.29 for all three boxes compared to Girl Scout-branded cookies which sell for $5.00 a box. The value is good enough for a total savings of $11.71. So while the Caramel Coconut Fudge Cookies are the priciest of the three, you'll be able to buy almost four boxes for the price of one! Talk about a steal.

Notorious for their purple box, Samoa cookies first debuted in 1974, per Little Brownie Bakers. These wreath-like shaped cookies have a buttery shortbread base coated in toasted coconut and caramel. The bottom is dipped in chocolate and then drizzled with more chocolate on top.

Depending on where you live, Girl Scout cookies can have different names. Samoas are baked by Little Brownie Bakers, and Caramel DeLites are baked by ABC Bakers, so depending on which bakery your local Girl Scouts decides on using, you could receive one or the other. In terms of taste, Samoas and Caramel DeLites aren't all that different. Although according to a Girl Scout cookie taste test, Samoas were found to be larger than Caramel DeLites, not to mention that the coconut tasted toastier and the caramel flavor was a bit heavier.

Regarding nutrition, Little Brownie Baker states that the Samoa is 142 calories per two cookies and contains 10 grams of sugar. When compared to Aldi's Caramel Coconut Fudge Cookies, Aldi Reviewer says that Benton's cookie is 130 calories per two cookies and has 11 grams of sugar. The consensus? The two are practically the same. However, one is much cheaper and available all year at your local Aldi. The only problem is not to fill your cart to the brim.