Girl Scout Cookies crumble into a variety of recipes

Girl Scout Cookies are darlings of cookie monsters of all ages.

Thin Mints is the elder of the group, as well as the bestseller, ever since Girl Scouts of The USA began selling them in 1951.

“They are chocolate, and people do like chocolate,” said Mary Erskine, marketing and communications director of Girl Scouts of Eastern South Carolina. “However, it isn’t straight-up chocolate. It has a mint kick, and it is a good-tasting cookie.”

They are among the Girl Scout Cookies that crumble in countless mouths, but they have more friends than you may know.

The cookies can be cozy with an array of recipes, savory or sweet, and give you variety perhaps unexpected.

“If you are working with a good product, half of the work is already done,” said Bradley Livingston, who owns Cravinley’s, with his wife, Begonia Izquierod. “Girl Scout Cookies are good products that are versatile with a lot of flavors.”

Home to sandwiches, salads, cupcakes and cakes, Livingston will soon be making a line of cupcakes featuring Girl Scout Cookies.

Patricia “Tricia” Greene, Cravinley’s head baker, has created two so far: Thin Mint Mountain Cupcakes and Delightful Caramel Cupcakes.

The Thin Mint variety are chocolate cupcakes iced with peppermint buttercream frosting, which Greene dips into a sheath of ganache.

Caramel deLites, also known as Samoas, are featured in the Delightful Caramel Cupcakes – chocolate cupcakes with coconut icing that are dipped in a mixture of shredded coconut and caramel sauce before being drizzled with chocolate sauce.

There are other options she and Livingston are still exploring.

“The Shortbread cookies will make a really good crust for a cheesecake,” Greene said. “All you need to do is add a little butter to the crumbs to bind it. You can even use the cookies to make something savory like a quiche.”

Her boss beat her to the punch by making what he called Savory Shortbread Quiche.

The recipe is simple and a typical quiche recipe, except the crust is Shortbread, also known as Trefoils.

“I think if you are creative you can use any Girl Scout Cookies in an array of recipes,” Erskine said.

Professional bakers agree.

“You can take Shout Outs (light, crisp Belgian-style caramelized cookies with a touch of cinnamon) crumbled them into egg wash used to make French toast, which will add flavor to a classic breakfast,” Greene said. “If you garnish the toast with Shout Outs crumbles, you get even more texture and taste.”

Instead of granola, Livingston suggests using crushed Caramel deLites in your yogurts because the vanilla cookies are adorned with caramel, toasted coconut and cocoa stripes.

“You can make a great parfait with the Caramel deLites,” he said.

Greene said the Peanut Butter Sandwich, or Do-Si-Dos, can be used as an extra ingredient in peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

“Just soften them up by popping them in the microwave for a few seconds,” Greene said.

Erskine said Girl Scout Cookie recipes are ideal for parents to make with their children.

“All the recipes are fairly simple,” Erskine said. “You don’t have to be a pastry chef.”

Yet, sometimes the cookies will crumble.

“Some recipes you try with Girl Scout Cookies will work,” Greene said. “Some will not work, but you can explore and have fun with finding out what does work.”

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