A Tale of Two Cookies

Happy Tuesday! Last night's dinner was meh - my fried okra was delicious (once I put out the grease fire I started), but the chicken I made was boring. They can't all be winners. At any rate, I completed another task I have been meaning to undertake last night...

KEEBLER versus GIRL SCOUT COOKIES: A Taste Test

 

FACE OFF!


If you weren't aware (I wasn't totally informed, but am now, thanks to Homegirl), Girl Scout Cookies are made by a subsidiary of Keebler. That's right, elves in a tree are making your Thin Mints. Until recently, there was some kind of agreement that Keebler would not replicate the GSC under the Keebler brand, but that junk expired, so now they are cranking out replicas like it's going out of style! They are the Grasshoppers (Thin Mints), Fudge Shoppe Peanut Butter Filled (Tag-a-longs), and the Coconut Dreams (Samoas). As the best GSC in the world is the Samoa (don't argue), I decided to do a taste test to compare the Samoa to the Keebler Coconut Dream.

Criteria One: Packaging
First things first - you get more cookies from Keebler.
Point: Keebler

 

Criteria Two: Nutrition
Y'all, I'm not saying cookies are healthy. GSC and Keebler are very close on nutrition facts. The only difference is that Keebler packs 5 FEWER calories per cookie, and since I can down ten of the things in one sitting (okay, I can eat the whole tray)...

A not-so-distant relative of mine...

 

...I have to give a slight advantage to Keebler.
Point: Keebler

Criteria Three: Appearance

KCD (left), GSCS (right)

The two cookies look almost identical, but the coconut is slightly more defined and the chocolate is darker on the GSC, giving a more inviting appearance.
Point: Girl Scouts

Criteria Four: Texture
The Keebler cookie is a little softer than the GSC, which is not necessarily bad, but it doesn't hold up as well to the gooey caramel. Also, the coconut seems less toasted, so again, not as much crunch to the overall cookie.
Point: Girl Scouts

Criteria Five: Taste

Keebler makes these with milk instead of dark chocolate, but the dark chocolate used in the GSC is sweeter than most already, so it doesn't make a noticeable taste difference. The cookie tastes the same (aside from texture), as does the caramel and the coconut.
Point: TIED

Criteria Six: Price
GSC ran me $3.50 per box. I got Keeblers at Kroger on PlusCard sale for $1.99. And again, I got more of the Keeblers per package.
Point: Keebler

Criteria Seven: Availability
Y'all, the Girl Scouts are kind of stingy with their cookies - you'd think they would want to make money year-round. Keebler sure does, as their Coconut Dreams are always on the shelf.
Point: Keebler

Final Verdict?
Keebler's got this thing - you cannot beat more cookies for less money, constant availability, and an almost identical taste. Sorry Girl Scouts - the elves kicked your booty!