Savannah Smiles Taste Test: How Does The New Girl Scout Cookie Stack Up?

After hearing about the newest Girl Scout Cookie, Savannah Smiles, we were giddy to try the treat. The tasters all agreed -- these nibbles are fine, but they are no Samoas (or Tagalongs for that matter).

Size: The cookies may attempt at a "smile" shape, but in reality they look like bizarre bloated half-moons. They just wouldn't look that good on a plate.

Texture: This is a hard cookie, one that could go well with tea, one taster observed. There's a lot of powdered sugar on the cookie, which gets all over the place once you take a bite. Don't wear black while eating this cookie.

Taste: This cookie is perfectly fine, but not a game changer. The lemon is immediately evident and tastes a little fake. What this cookie suffers from is its lack of uniqueness. Many of the Girl Scout cookies have been copied by other companies, but the Girl Scouts version always edges out the competition. With Savannah Smiles, there are many more lemon cookie alternatives, and this one doesn't really bring anything new to the table.

Although this cookie is technically new, it tastes suspiciously similar to Lemon Coolers, another powdered sugar-lemon cookie that the Girl Scouts sold a few years ago. Lemon Coolers have been strongly missed by some. HuffPost Food called Girls Scouts HQ to ask about the issue and got the following statement:

Our bakers update the ingredients to all of their varieties frequently, so the Lemon Cooler and Savannah Smile are based on the same concept cookie and essentially taste the same, but one will have slightly different ingredients from the other, with the Savannah Smile being more in line with the modern ingredients used.

We're not quite sure what these modern ingredients are, but we did notice the inclusion of palm oil, an ingredient the Girl Scouts have received serious flack about. As reported by The Huffington Post, the Girl Scouts pledge to use the GreenPalm logo, with money going toward sustainable palm oil producers, starting in 2012. The boxes we received had no logo (though, admittedly, 2012 has just started).

See the two images below.

Lemon Coolers:

Savannah Smiles:

Quick Poll

Are you excited about Savannah Smiles?

Bring on the lemon!

I'll stick to the classics.

I don't like Girl Scout Cookies.

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Comments

[Bethanie Johnson]

08:08 AM on 02/23/2012

Ok...I got some of these at the urging of my daughter and discovered that like a biscotti, they are wonderful in coffee. Not awesome on their own, though good. But combined with coffee dipping...perfect.

[TruthTellingGirl]

02:13 PM on 02/22/2012

The really great GS lemon cookies were Lemonades, but they don't sell them in the Northeast where I am, for some reason. They sold them up here a few years ago, just for a year. It's ridiculous! Bring back the lemonades!

[Rosemary Mascarelli]

08:28 AM on 02/10/2012

bring back the lemon chalet cremes. Consensus in my office, Savannah Smiles are not a winner.

[Wesley Burkholder]

08:50 PM on 01/21/2012

Last time I paid $5 for Savannah Smiles I got a lap dance.

[Genjigem Blade]

11:17 AM on 01/11/2012

i can see jesus in the savana smiles cookie!

[xcasnox92]

12:47 AM on 01/11/2012

This is my daughters "First" year as a girl scout. I was so excited when I saw the Savannah Smiles cookie. I am buying 10 boxes just because she was named after the movie "Savannah Smiles!" and its her first year.....lol. I have to have my cousin in Oklahoma send them to me since our baker ABC doesn't offer that cookie (I think they should)

[belldn3]

05:04 PM on 01/10/2012

Do they taste like cookies? That would be nice if they did.

[jm26dream]

05:00 PM on 01/10/2012

Does it taste like girl scouts?

[Dede Eagleburger]

04:16 PM on 01/12/2012

LOL!!! I just became #176, your micro bio is totally right...!

[anilimili]

04:22 PM on 01/10/2012

I don't care for the cookies either way--they are not high on the healthy treat list, anyway, and none of them are really that yummy. That they go to a good cause is their merit, and I hope that people look at them this way. The taste is reallty secondary. At least that's my view.

[lamont stone]

01:40 PM on 01/10/2012

what matters most is the good that cookies do to promote the girl scouts. seeing the girls outside the supermarkets selling cookies is good PR. the fact they put effort in fund raising for a great cause helps to develop good citizenship. i dont give a wit how the cookies taste its the idea of them that counts. hope thenew savanah smiles work out. keep going girls.

[glalli2]

12:17 PM on 01/10/2012

if the girl scouts sold the cookies at the stores they would be the largest cookie maker in the nation by far. they could double the price and i would still buy they.

[natal plum]

10:45 AM on 01/10/2012

Taste the same as they did when this article was first run last week I suspect.

[Dede Eagleburger]

10:24 AM on 01/10/2012

I have them, let me know and I'll hook you up...!!!

[rp2par]

01:16 PM on 01/10/2012

Gd and I will be selling the cookies outside local stores (approval and permission from stores and girl scout council) instead of going door-to-door. Houses in our neighborhood are far apart and no sidewalks.

Selling cookies is not on gd's favorites list but she enjoys being a girl scout and learns something new at every meeting and field trip.

It's funny, but some folks who pass by our cookie booths do not want cookies but like girl scouts so they often just give a cash donation (all of which goes to the troop). It is really appreciated.

This spring our leader (a wonderful woman) is going to take the older members of the troop to half a dozen colleges within a 50 mile radius so the girls can see the campuses and tour them. Now, I ask you, isn't that a great opportunity for the girls. That is where cash donations come in handy for gas and food for these trips.

[Dede Eagleburger]

02:26 PM on 01/10/2012

we live in an awesome neighborhood now, my daughter and I are loving going door to door...
that IS a great opportunity!! I am so happy for her!

[CunningStunts]

11:13 AM on 01/12/2012

How cute. You're still selling them. Do you still wear your cute little uniform when you go door-to-door? ;-)

[Dede Eagleburger]

12:24 PM on 01/12/2012

umm, no, it doesn't quite fit me like it used to...

[supra21]

10:10 AM on 01/10/2012

This video is appalling. Reminds me of an Amway rally.

[lauraly20017]

09:52 AM on 01/10/2012

I can't believe that the Girl Scouts endorsed this video. The language being used...F**n this and F**n that...calling their cookies crap...and their customers "Pot Heads"...I was horrified!

[Jacob Dodd]

01:48 PM on 01/11/2012

I agree. I'm one of the so-called "potheads" and even I was shocked by the language used in this video. Really Girls Scouts of America? I don't know whether to laugh or cringe.