Girl Scouts Just Announced a New Vegan, Allergy-Friendly Cookie—I Was One of the First to Try It

I was a Girl Scout growing up, so Girl Scout cookie season has always felt like a little piece of childhood to me. Now, as a mom of two, a dietitian, and someone who eats gluten-free myself, I know how meaningful it can be when kids with food allergies or dietary restrictions don’t have to feel left out of traditions everyone else gets to enjoy.

So I was genuinely excited to learn about Sparkables, a new Girl Scout cookie that’s gluten-free, vegan, and free of the top nine allergens. Girl Scout cookie season runs nationally from January through April, and Sparkables will be available exclusively online for direct shipping beginning January 12, 2027, as part of the national launch of the 2027 cookie season. We tried them, and as someone who has tasted her fair share of gluten-free cookies, here’s my take.

Sparkables is the Girl Scouts’ first allergy-friendly cookie, created in partnership with Partake Foods, the allergy-friendly cookie company founded by mom Denise Woodard. It’s a crunchy oatmeal chocolate chip cookie with colorful sprinkles, and it’s made without the top nine major food allergens—peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, and sesame.

That’s a big deal for families navigating food allergies. While gluten-free Girl Scout cookie options have existed before, a cookie formulated without the top nine allergens means more kids with food allergies can take part in the cookie tradition.

There’s also something about this particular cookie that feels very Girl Scout-y to me. It’s colorful, crunchy, and fun, with chocolate chips and sprinkles mixed throughout.

I was pleasantly surprised by these, especially as someone who eats gluten-free. The first thing I noticed was that they actually taste like a flavorful oatmeal cookie. They have a nice crumb and crunch, and the chocolate chips and sprinkles add fun texture. The sprinkles also make them feel a little more special than your standard oatmeal chocolate chip cookie.

And while I think taste is the most important thing when it comes to a cookie, I also looked at them through my dietitian lens. A three-cookie serving has only 140 calories and 7 grams of added sugar (a little over 2 grams per cookie), but 2 grams of filling fiber. I appreciate even more that kids who need to avoid gluten or the top nine allergens can have a cookie that tastes like an actual treat.

The story behind this cookie is one of my favorite parts. Partake Foods was founded by Denise after her daughter, Vivi, was diagnosed with multiple food allergies as a young child. Denise quickly realized how difficult it could be to find foods that were both safe and enjoyable for her daughter. She wanted Vivi to be able to participate in things like birthday parties and playdates without always feeling like the kid who couldn’t eat what everyone else was eating.

She left her corporate career and started an allergy-friendly food company. Partake launched in 2016 to make food that people with allergies and dietary restrictions could actually enjoy. Now, a decade after Partake launched, Vivi is a Girl Scout herself, and she’ll be selling Sparkables, the very cookie her experience helped inspire. Talk about a full-circle moment.

Of course, the Girl Scout cookie program has never really been just about the cookies. I remember that as a Girl Scout, but I appreciate it differently now that I’m a mom. Selling cookies gives kids a chance to set goals, talk to customers, build communication skills, and more.

But another piece can be easy to overlook: supporting kids who are giving back to their communities. Lexie Sachs, executive director of strategy & operations at the Good Housekeeping Institute and a proud Girl Scout mom, sees that impact with her own daughters. As she put it: “Selling Girl Scout cookies has taught my daughters valuable skills and the understanding of working towards a goal. But more importantly, the funds raised help their troops give back to the community.” She adds that one year, her daughter’s troop donated to the local animal shelter, and this past year her other daughter’s troop designed and built trail signage at a local preserve.

That’s such a good reminder of why this tradition has stuck around for so long. The cookies are the fun part, but the experience is so much bigger. And now, with Sparkables, more kids can join in.