5 Genius Ways To Use That Box Of Girl Scout Cookies

It's been more than 100 years since Girl Scouts started selling their now-famous cookies way back in 1917; the process has evolved a bit since Girl Scout moms were doing the baking. Girl Scout cookie season comes around at the top of every year, and people scramble to find their closest neighborhood salesperson so they can load up on a few boxes of these sweet treats. Sure, you can pull out a whole sleeve and chow down on the cookies as they come, but there are actually many creative ways to use one of America's favorite snacks.

Whether you're adding them to ice cream or making homemade cookie butter, Girl Scout cookies are perfect for building flavor in ways you didn't expect. Chowhound loves Caramel DeLites, but with 11 different cookie types ranging from lemon-flavored shortbread to peanut butter to the classic mint, there's no shortage of variety. Crush them into your favorite milkshake or crumble them into a homemade pie crust to bring added flavor to so many sweet treats.

A classic milkshake takes nothing more than ice cream and a little milk, but there are plenty of ways to take it up a notch. If you're craving a hint of peanut butter, grab some Peanut Butter Patties, and grind them in a food processor. From there, add the crumbs to the blender along with your favorite ice cream and a splash of milk, then blend it up for the perfect milkshake that's not overpowered by peanut butter flavor.

It works best to finely grind the cookies into crumbs first because they'll integrate better in the blender (as someone who has made many cookie milkshakes, this is an important step). While this will generally work with any Girl Scout cookies, it might be best to avoid the caramel ones, such as Caramel DeLites and Adventurefuls, because the caramel can stick to the blades and won't grind as finely. However, if you do want to incorporate these cookies types into your dessert, finely chop them and fold them into ice cream for the same idea with a little more texture.

A homemade graham cracker crust will take any pie from good to great, but you can use a similar method with something other than graham crackers: Girl Scout cookies. For a classic crust, stick with Trefoils, which are a basic shortbread cookie that will pair with most pie fillings. If you have a more specific pie filling that warrants a different-flavored crust, you can experiment with a few others.

For a lemon-flavored pie, go all in by blending Lemon-Ups into fine crumbs, then using them in the crust. For a surprising flavor twist in your chocolate pie, crush up some Thin Mints to create a cool, refreshing base. It's best to stick with cookies that have a similar texture to graham crackers if you plan to follow a graham cracker crust recipe, which usually means combining the crushed cookies with melted butter and sugars. For that reason, avoid any of the sandwich cookies with creamy filling here, such as the Exploremores, Lemonades, and Do-si-dos. It's also a good idea to pre-bake your crust, which helps the ingredients bind and the flavors connect even more.

Overnight oats are a popular breakfast treat because they often blend nutrients with a hint of sweetness. They're made by combining oats with milk, then letting the mixture sit overnight to soften the oats into an easy breakfast dish. But there are plenty of variations to this morning snack, including using Greek yogurt for a protein boost, adding chia seeds for nutrients, and finishing with a honey drizzle for sweetness. But don't sleep on the addition of Girl Scout cookies.

Next time you're craving peanut butter overnight oats, crush up a Peanut Butter Patty. Add half of the crumbles into the overnight oats mixture, then use the other half as a topping, so you get a little extra peanut butter in every bite. Using one cookie keeps this breakfast well-balanced but makes it a little more fun. Ultimately, the type of cookie you use depends on the other flavors in your overnight oats, but the caramel cookies would work well here, too. If you're using Greek yogurt in the oats, it might be best to avoid the lemon-flavored cookies because there's already some tang in that yogurt.

Cake pops are a fun sweet treat because you can decorate the exterior any way you want: sprinkles, chocolate chips, or dyed white chocolate to make them an exciting color. And in the center, fill them with a doughy blend that includes your favorite Girl Scout cookies. A basic no-bake cake pop recipe includes cake mix and cream cheese whipped together, but adding crushed Girl Scout cookies brings more flavor into the mix.

Grab a rolling pin and crush your favorite cookies, such as the Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies, Thin Mints, or the gluten-free Toffee-tastic cookies, then fold them into your cake pop batter. You can roll the batter in your hands to smooth it out, ensuring the crumbled cookies blend in and don't create an abstract shape when you coat the pops. Adding in the cookie crumbs builds a little bit of texture in this classic dessert while still keeping it simple with few extra steps or ingredients.

Traditional cookie butter is made with Belgian speculoos spice cookies, which are finely ground to give this creamy spread a slightly spicy flavor. While you won't find any spice cookies in the Girl Scout lineup, you can follow the same typical cookie butter recipe to create your own homemade cookie butter using your favorite Girl Scout variety.

For a mild sweetness, use shortbread cookies. For a minty kick, go with Thin Mints, and for a more traditional cookie flavor, choose the Caramel Chocolate Chip cookies. Grind up whichever cookies you prefer until they're fine crumbs, then pulse them with cold water, sugar, and vanilla extract. You'll need to slowly add some fat, such as coconut milk, which will help the cookie butter form its creamy consistency, and watch this sweet combination turn into the ultimate spread. Think of cookie butter as a way to replace hazelnut spread or your favorite nut butter. You can spread it over a piece of toast, or even sandwich it between two of your favorite Girl Scout cookies.