Those Infamous Peanut Butter Cookies

Many people recall that Girl Guides sold Peanut Butter Cookies at some point, but few can say when or for how long these cookies were available!

The answer? 1988 in Ontario.

Yes, that’s right. We sold Peanut Butter Cookies once, during the Spring of 1988 for $2.25 a box – and they must have been good as so many people have fond memories of those cookies!

(If you have sources showing sales in other provinces, please contact us!)

From the Ontario Newsletter (January 1988):

Introducing
The All New 1988
Girl Guide Peanut Butter Cookie

In order to increase cookie sales, a delicious new cookie will be introduced in 1988. This peanut butter sandwich type cookie will be offered in addition to our popular chocolate and vanilla cookies.

We approach the 1988 Cookie Campaign with excitement and enthusiasm, and look forward to an even  more successful year than our record 1987 cookie year.

Sales of the new cookie will help significantly in reaching our goal of a 10% increase in sales. A new box has been designed and the carrying carton will reflect the two types of cookies.

We have an unlimited supply of the regular cookie, however, production of the peanut butter cookie is limited this year. Submit your orders early as these cookies are available while supplies last.

Peanut Butter Cookies were a success!

Plan now for the 1989 Cookie Campaign. Thank you for a most successful 1988 Campaign. The peanut butter cookies were well received and will be in their own box to be easily distinguished from the regular type. (Ontario Newsletter, September 1988)

But apparently not successful enough:

For the 1989 campaign, only the regular vanilla and chocolate sandwich cookies will be available. This decision was made by the Provincial Council in September 1988 after reviewing all factors relating to the marketing of a second type of cookie. (Ontario Newsletter, January 1989)

And so ended the short, but oh so memorable, sale of Girl Guide Peanut Butter Cookies.

Advertisement

Cookies in Canada

The information contained in this post has been derived from the Cookie history found on the National and Provincial websites, Ontario Council Minutes and Hamilton/Escarpment Area Minutes. Some dates are uncertain and the facts may be different for other Provinces. As always, local results may have varied!

Ontario, 1955-1959

Girl Guide Cookies have been a Canadian Tradition since 1927, when the first cookie sales were held in Regina, Saskatchewan.

The first Cookie sales in Ontario were held in Toronto in 1929. From 1929 to 1948, Cookie sales were arranged independently by Districts and Divisions.

Beginning in 1949, contracts for Ontario’s Cookies were organized at the provincial level, although Toronto would continue to have different cookies and/or suppliers into the 1950s. Divisions and Areas remained responsible for arranging their orders directly with the supplier. Eventually, Cookies became a National program with standardized cookies, packaging and pricing across the Country. From the information I have found, this seems to date to between 1960 and 1972 – if you know the answer, please let me know!

Ontario, 1962

Toronto, 1962

Newfoundland, 1962

Cookie Timeline

• 1927 – Christina Riepsamen and the 4th Regina Guide Compa

  

  c.1965

  ny bake cookies to raise funds for camping. Cookies are sold for $0.10 per dozen.

• 1929 – Toronto Guides sell cookies to raise funds to replace the roof on the barn at Bonita Glen.
• 1930s – Cookies are made with fruits, nuts and spices. The recipe is lost when production ceases in 1941 due to the War.
• 1946 – Vanilla creme, maple cream, and shortbread

  

  1967

  cookies are offered.

• 1949 – Ontario begins province-wide sales. The cookies are made by Barker-Bredin and are a trefoil-shaped Scotch-crunch cookie.
• 1953 – Chocolate & Vanilla sandwich cookies make their first appearance.
• 1955 – Ontario signs a new contract with George Weston.

  

  1967

• 1960 – A new contract is signed with Christie Brown & Co. for a sugar-topped cookie.
• 1966 – Chocolate & Vanilla sandwich cookies return.
• 1967 – A special box is produced to celebrate Canada’s Centennial
• 1970 – A special box is produced to celebrate Guiding’s 60th Anniversary
• 1985 – A special box is produced to celebrate Guiding’s 75th Anniversary
• 1988 – Peanut Butter cookies are offered for one year only.
• 1993 – Chocolately Mint Cookies are introduced in Ontario.
• 1995 – All provinces begin selling Chocolatey Mint Cookies.
• 2000 – A special box is produced to celebrate Guiding’s 90th Anniversary
• 2003 – A new contract for all cookies is signed with Dare Foods.

Cookie Bakers

• Hamilton Division

  

  1970

  • Barker-Bredin Bakeries, 1943 to 1948
• Ontario Council
  • Barker-Bredin Bakeries, 1949 to 1954
  • George Weston, 1955 to 1959
  • Christie Brown & Co, 1960 to 1971 *This may include National contracts
• National Council
  • Christie Brown & Co, 1972 to 2002
  • Dare Foods, 2003 to present (2016)

Cookie Prices (per Box)

• Hamilton Division

  

  1973

  • 1943 through 1948 – $0.25
• Ontario Council
  • 1949 through 1956 – $0.35
  • 1957 through 1964 – $0.40
  • 1966 & 1967 – $0.45
  • 1968, 1969 & 1971 – $0.50
• National Council
  • 1972, 1973 & 1974 – $0.50
  • 1975, 1976 & 1977 – $0.75

    

    1985

  • 1978 & 1979 – $1.00
  • 1980 & 1981 – $1.25
  • 1982 & 1983 – $1.50
  • 1984 & 1985 – $1.75
  • 1986 & 1987 – $2.00
  • 1988, 1989 & 1990 – $2.25
  • 1991 through 1994 – $2.50
  • 1995 through 2001 – $3.00
  • 2002 – $3.50
  • 2003 through 2011 – $4.00
  • 2012 through 2016 – $5.00

 

1991 (v.2)

1988

1991 (v.1)

 

1992-1995 (v.1)

1992-1995 (v.2)

1996-1999