THE GIRL SCOUT COOKIES STRAIN: A LEGENDARY CANNABIS CULTIVAR

When you talk about legendary weed strains with huge impacts, few names will ever be as big as Girl Scout Cookies (GSC). It is a world-famous hybrid that has become the backbone of the modern-day cannabis strain-making industry. You can thank GSC’s genetics for every dessert strain you’ve ever consumed.   

Girl Scout Cookies plants produce dense buds with dark green foliage, dark purple accents, and fiery orange hairs. The plants have a high trichome density, which explains GSC’s potency. You can get high yields of the plant both indoors and outdoors if grown with the proper expertise.   

If you’ve never tried it, but are contemplating buying some GSC flower or extracts, here’s what to know about the Bay Area-bred cultivar.   

A nug of cannabis flower from the Girl Scout Cookies weed strain sits against a black background.

The origins of the Girl Scout Cookies weed strain    

Girl Scout Cookies is a hybrid cross of F1 Durban Poison and OG Kush. The strain is also called GSC, or simply Cookies, as it was bred by the Cookie Family in the Bay Area. GSC is the strain that put them on the map and ultimately allowed Berner to build the world-renowned Cookies brand.      

Jai Chang, better known as Jigga, played a huge role in the creation of the strain. A Weedmaps story called, “Strains That Made Cookies”, mentions that, even though GSC already existed in the mid-2000s, it didn't blow up in the cannabis scene till around 2011-2012.   

In the Weedmaps story, Jigga goes on to discuss how GSC was born out of an ongoing search for the next best thing at a time when Purps dominated the market. When the makers saw the dense shiny nugs and took a whiff of its rich, original fragrance, they knew they’d found the legendary cannabis cultivar they were looking for. Since then, Cookies has been the source of so many breeding projects that have led to other famous strains.   

Now a staple around the world that’s used as the foundation for many contemporary hybrids you’ll commonly find on cannabis store shelves. There are several phenotypes of GSC, like Thin Mint GSC or Platinum GSC, so don’t expect each rendition of it to look, smell, taste, or feel the exact same. Embrace the variety of the strain and you’re sure to enjoy everything it can bring.    

 

Two nugs of cannabis flower from the Girl Scout Cookies strain are held between two black-gloved fingers.

How does the Girl Scout Cookies strain smell and taste?  

All of the different textures make it evident why the strain was able to blow up globally.   

Opening a jar of Cookies, your nose will be hit with sweet and earthy aromas. They only grow sweeter as you crack open the buds. The presence of citrus, pine, funk, and gas complement the flower’s dominant scents, making GSC a textbook example of what it means for a weed strain to have a complex profile of flavor and fragrance.  

GSC’s terpene profile combines caryophyllene’s spice and myrcene’s hops with pinene’s coniferous touches and limonene’s citrus flavors.      

A jar of live rosin badder extracted from cannabis flower of the Girl Scout Cookies strain sits next to its box.

What are Girl Scout Cookies' effects?    

For starters, despite all the variations out there, one thing that’s for sure is that you should expect a high-THC potency from flower of properly grown (and cured) Girl Scout Cookies.   

Girl Scout Cookies is said to provide a highly euphoric experience, backed by a full-bodied stone that will absolutely blow your mind. Its most reported effects are generally happy, relaxed, and giggly.   

The GSC high springs you into a heightened state of euphoria almost immediately after its compounds enter your body. As the high progresses, feelings of hunger and relaxation will enter your body, so make sure to have a snack or two handy. For hours on end, you’ll find yourself a bit sleepy and possibly even couch-locked due to GSC’s high potency.   

GSC is an excellent anytime strain, but it is most suited for later in the day due to its long-lasting potency that will eventually make you feel a little bit sleepy. The effects are powerful.  

A black open jar showcases live rosin badder extracted from cannabis flower of the Girl Scout Cookies strain.

And despite considerable variation in how each consumer experiences a strain, depending on their THC tolerance levels, physical builds, and especially their ECS (endocannabinoid system), you tend to hear that GSC induces a balance of both heady and physical effects.      

Initially, you will feel a heavy head rush of euphoric effects that make you feel a little bit dazed and goofy. Eventually, the stoned feelings engulf your entire body from head to toe. Hours in and you’ll find yourself looking for the next snack and couch. GSC is a perfectly-balanced smoke.   

If you’re going to buy GSC flower, dabs, or weed pens, make sure to only buy them from top-tier brands that produce premium quality products. It is the best way to ensure you get a great experience with the strain.   

Curious about more weed strains? Check out our guides on the Cherry Pie and London Purpz strains.