cookies

7 Reasons You Should Always Buy Girl Scout Cookies

Andrea Cannon — Thu, 16 Feb 2017 10:00:11 +0000

Yes, you're going to buy those Girl Scout cookies. No, you don't need to feel guilty about it. In fact, depending on how you look at it, they can actually be a really smart buy. Here are various reasons why you really should buy those cookies… right now.

1. You're Helping to Fund Tomorrow's Leaders

The best reason to justify buying cookies is that you're helping little girls reach their dreams. Girl Scouts take a lot from the cookie-selling experience. They learn about sales, marketing, teamwork, branding, and responsibility. They also utilize five key skills that can help them later in life, including "goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics." Most importantly, they will learn self-confidence and pride in a job well done.

Girl Scouts are also shown to have a higher success rate in life. In fact, 80% of today's female business owners were Girl Scouts. Studies have shown that even facing failure can lead to a positive learning experience with Girl Scouts. Just think, your humble little box of cookies is doing all that… go ahead, pat yourself on the back while you enjoy your favorite cookie.

2. The Net Revenue Benefits Your Local Community

Did you know that 100% of the net revenue from cookies sales stays with the local council and troops? The money earned goes toward things like helping fund troop activities and outreach projects.

3. You Won't Get Much for the Same Price

One box of Girl Scout cookies will cost between $4-$6. They were originally $4, but have recently experienced a price increase to $5 per box. While not all states have implemented the price increase yet, it's just a matter of time until all boxes are $5. Some specialty cookies are even $6 a box now. The good news is that there shouldn't be another price increase anytime soon. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this price increase of 25% is also lower than the 32% overall cookie inflation rate throughout the country.

While the prices of your favorite Girl Scout cookies may be higher, you have to ask yourself if you get the same level of enjoyment from other sweet treats in the same price range. For instance, do you eat an Oreo and feel the same level of enjoyment and excitement as you would from a Thin Mint?

4. They Can Last a Long Time

Girl Scout cookies freeze exceptionally well, and some varieties (like Thin Mints) taste even better when stored in the freezer. Each box of cookies has a "Use or Freeze Before" date on the package. This means you won't have to worry about any of the cookies ever going to waste (if that was ever really a concern). If you have some cookies leftover after a few months, you can even use them in unique new recipes.

5. They Are a Special Purchase

Girl Scout cookies are only available for a limited time, during the cookie-selling season. If you limit yourself to only eating these types of cookies during this particular time of year, you'll spend way less. Instead of buying cookies from the store each week, buying Girl Scout cookies only when they're available will save you money in the long run. Besides, having this special cookie season to look forward to will curb that cookie guilt if you only indulge for this occasion.

6. They Make Affordable Gluten-Free and Vegan Cookies

Let's be honest, gluten-free and vegan cookies typically don't taste great. Fortunately, Girl Scouts now make gluten-free and vegan varieties that taste just as good as the traditional versions. This means you can stop throwing away cookies that just taste like cardboard. Best of all, these varieties typically don't cost any more than the traditional cookies.

7. You Can Use Them as Currency in Your Household

Once your cookie stash starts dwindling, everyone in your household is going to be clamoring for those last few pieces of gold (the cookies, that is). If you have been savoring your cookies and have some to spare, you can use them as a sort of currency around your home.

Editor's Note: Carrie Kirby, one of our Senior Writers, has a daughter selling girl scout cookies! Order and get it shipped anywhere in the country! Click here to buy now and support the Girl Scouts!

This article is from Andrea Cannon of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

10 Homemade Baking Mixes That Save Money and Time

Ashley Marcin — Wed, 28 Jan 2015 16:00:10 +0000

I used to bake from scratch quite frequently. You really can't beat a batch of homemade brownies or a loaf of crusty bread, am I right? However, as my life has morphed and changed, my time in the kitchen has dwindled. I eventually found myself relying more heavily on boxed mixes to get by. After a while, I decided to start making my own to save money and banish the questionable ingredients.

Here are some mixes I've made for my kitchen that you should consider stocking in yours.

1. All Purpose Mix

My mom always had a box of Bisquick on hand for making biscuits, waffles, and all sorts of baked goods. Try this all purpose baking mix to fill that gap the homemade way. The magic is in the shortening, which you'll pulse into the flour and other ingredients until the mix resembles fine crumbs.

2. Gluten-Free Mix

If you're sensitive to gluten, try this gluten-free flour mix that works for breads, muffins, cookies, etc. Comparable store bought mixes are around $8 per four cups. This one costs just $12 for a whopping 18 cups of flour. Now that's some major savings!

3. Pancake Mix

I keep a container of DIY pancake mix on hand for busy weekends when I want something substantial to put on the table at breakfast. And creating it couldn't be easier! Tip: I like using wheat pastry flour to make my pancakes fluffy and light.

4. Brownie Mix

Here's homemade brownie mix without all the extra ingredients. Sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and even mini chocolate chips. When you're ready to bake, you'll add ½ cup hot water, ⅓ cup oil, two eggs, and two teaspoons vanilla extract.

5. Cake Mix

This basic yellow cake mix would work wonderfully for birthday cakes or weekday cupcakes. They key ingredient is nonfat dry milk, which gives the whole cake a fuller flavor. Add in the oil, eggs, and vanilla extract when you need a treat on the hurry.

6. Bread Maker Mix

As if baking loaves inside a machine couldn't be easier, now you can make your own bread mix. Be sure to use bread flour because it contains more gluten, giving the final result the right texture you're after.

7. Cornbread Mix

For quick quick cornbread, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and mix well. When it's time to bake, add butter, egg, milk, and honey and maple syrup for a touch of sweetness.

8. Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix

Skip those store-bought tubes of dough and whip up your own chocolate chip cookie mix from scratch. I make cookies all the time, so I can see this one being a huge time-saver for me. The cookie recipe says to use four cups of mix, but I'd split the recipe in half for a smaller batch.

9. Muffin Mix

You can take this muffin mix to the sweet or savory, depending on your needs. What's inside is just flour, sugar, shortening, baking powder, and salt. This recipe will get you a heaping four batches, and I can't wait to try the cheesy cheddar variation.

10. Tortilla Mix

My husband and I eat more tortillas than I'm comfortable sharing. So, we decided this year that we'd like to make our own. This DIY tortilla mix produces delicious wraps at a fraction of the price you'd pay for them at the store. Just combine mix with warm water and knead before cooking atop your stove.

Baking Mix Tips

Store all baking mixes in airtight containers. Gallon zip bags work well and allow you to write contents directly on whatever you're storing (use permanent markers so nothing wipes off). Otherwise use clean plastic or glass containers.
Always label whatever mix you've made along with any notes on quantity, allergy information, and — of course — the date. If you aren't using zip bags, write this info on an index card and staple or tape to your mix if you need more space.
Furthermore, include clear notes for whatever wet ingredients you must add to the mix to make the finished product. Write out specific bake times and any other special instructions (especially if a mix works for several purposes) whenever necessary.

Do you use pre-mixed homemade baking mixes?

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This article is from Ashley Marcin of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Tasty, Healthy Breakfast Cookies With Chocolate-Covered Espresso Beans

Meg Favreau — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 18:41:15 +0000

I love breakfast. I’m one of those people who goes to bed at night thinking about what she’s going to eat the next morning. So, on days when I don’t have time to make a good breakfast, I like to have something on hand that’s nutritious, filling, and tasty. What’s the point of a breakfast if it’s not tasty? (See also: 9 Freezable Hot Breakfast Recipes)

That’s why I came up with these breakfast cookies — they have all the sort of good-for-you stuff you’d expect from a breakfast cookie, like fruit, oats, and almond butter. But, for a bit of indulgence and a caffeine jolt, they also have chocolate-covered espresso beans.

The recipe is very adaptable — feel free to add other nuts in addition to the almond butter, change the dried fruit, or flavor these with spices like cinnamon and ginger. You can also add more honey if you prefer a sweeter cookie. (See also: 20 Recipe Substitutions)

Ingredients

⅓ cup almond butter
1 ripe banana, mashed
1 T canola oil
2 T honey
1 t vanilla
⅓ cup milk or almond milk
1 cup white whole wheat flour
½ t baking soda
½ t salt
1 cup rolled oats
½ cup raisins (optional)
½ cup chocolate-covered espresso beans (optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Beat together the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients (except for the raisins and espresso beans). Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and beat until incorporated. Fold in the raisins and espresso beans.

Use a 1/4 cup measure to scoop the dough onto a baking sheet that’s been greased or lined with parchment or a silicone mat. Bake approximately 8 minutes, or until tops start to brown. Cool on a wire rack.

What's your favorite delicious, nutritious make ahead breakfast?

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This article is from Meg Favreau of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Homemade Gluten-Free Oreo Cookies

Sonja Stewart — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 13:00:09 +0000

Oreos are as American as hot dogs at baseball games and apple pie on the Fourth of July. But if you have gluten allergies in your home, forget about it. That is, unless you have twenty minutes to whip up a recipe that will win over your gluten intolerant kids in no time. Trust me, this recipe is so fantastic, even my gluten-eating friends couldn't tell the difference.

That being said, this recipe is in no way healthy. It is just a great treat for those who can't have wheat. I adapted a recipe from Cupcake Project to make it suitable for my gluten-free dietary needs. This recipe yields 3 dozen cookies.

The Cookie Part

1 1/4 cup gluten-free All-Purpose Flour (3 parts corn starch, 3 parts white rice flour, 2 parts soy flour, 1 part masa flour)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 large egg

1. In a medium-sized bowl, mix the flour, cocoa, xanthan gum, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar.

2. Beat in the butter and the egg. Continue mixing until dough comes together in a mass.

3. Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately 2 inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. You could use cookie cutters to make perfect “O's,” but the rough edges were yummy, too. Pick your battles.

4. Bake for 9 minutes at 375 F. Set on a rack to cool.

The Filling Part

1/4 cup room-temperature butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted powdered sugar (Trust me, sift the sugar if you want the filling to be smooth...I learned the hard way.)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla.

2. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2-3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.

3. To make a cookie, pipe teaspoon-sized blobs of cream into the center of a cookie using a pastry bag, or a plastic bag with the corner cut off.

4. Place another cookie, approximately equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Repeat until all the cookies have been creamed.

5. Side note: Make sure to make an even number of wafers. May sound like common sense to you, but I lack that most days and almost ended up with an extra cookie. It wouldn't have been a tragedy, as I'm sure I would have found use for it in the bottom of my milk jug, but still, just keep an eye on those cookies.

These were such a success, I don't think I can tell you. They taste like the real thing, only better. The filling was sinfully fantastic. There is nothing, absolutely nothing in this world, better than a freshly baked Oreo...unless it also happens to be gluten-free.

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This article is from Sonja Stewart of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Dump Cake and Other Sweet, Easy Treats

Linsey Knerl — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 21:42:32 +0000

Yellow cake mix goes on sale all the time where I live. For under $10, you can usually score 15 or more boxes! This is great if you’re making cakes, but what if you just don’t have an occasion for frosting a celebration dessert?

Growing up we ate “dump cake” quite often. Ignoring the name for a moment, dump cake is delicious. The best part is that it takes no baking skill or more than 7 minutes to make. And most people have everything they need to make one hiding in their pantry. The main ingredient: Yellow cake mix. Here’s a classic recipe that will aim to please:

INGREDIENTS

1 (29 ounce) can sliced peaches, drained, juice reserved
1 (6 ounce) package peach flavored gelatin mix
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup water

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Place peaches in bottom of 9x13 cake pan. Sprinkle dry peach gelatin over peaches. Sprinkle dry cake mix over gelatin. Cut up butter and distribute over cake mix. Pour 1 cup of reserved peach juice and 1/2 cup of water over the top.
Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until the top is browned.

Can’t get much more basic than that, can it? For some variety, try a different canned fruit and pudding combo (apples, pears, mandarin orange, cherries or even pumpkin!) You can top it off with whipped topping or ice cream. No one will ever know you didn’t even have to mix it!

There are also some very delicious and easy cookie recipes that use yellow cake mix as the main ingredient. Because you don’t have to mess with sifting flour or melting butter, this is totally the way to go. Check out my favorite cookies made from yellow cake mix:

INGREDIENTS

½ cup sugar
2 cups quick-cooking oats (or instant oatmeal, same thing)
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup yummy stir-ins of your choice (pecans, walnuts, chocolate chips, raisins, etc.)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Stir together all ingredients. Spoon 1 teaspoon drops of dough onto baking sheet (ungreased).
Bake in the preheated oven for 13 minutes, or until golden brown and not gooey in the middles.

Bake a friend some cookies. Take some to your grandma (after all, how many cookies has she made for YOU in your lifetime.) Eat a few yourself. Share the cheap cookie love!

This article is from Linsey Knerl of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: