It’s a cheerful kind of challenge when you compare cookies to cookies. If you’ve ever found yourself doing that once a year, it somehow nudges the whole calendar toward a sweeter average. So I’ll approach this comparison with the seriousness it deserves. Benton’s is Aldi’s in-house cookie line, and historically they’ve done a solid job producing wallet-friendly stand-ins for well-known brand varieties. Today, we’re putting Benton’s Caramel Coconut Fudge Cookies head-to-head with the fudgy, coconut-laden Samoas from Girl Scouts of America.
Yes, we’re weighing the nostalgic charm of the Girl Scouts’ glow against the straightforward thrift of Benton’s. And there are real savings at stake: Benton’s Caramel Coconut Fudge Cookies run about $2.75 per box, while Samoas sit at $6–7. And since it’s 2026—aka Expensive O’Clock—we want to know if Benton’s can deliver a match, or perhaps a superior copy. Let’s dive in.
Aldi ― Benton’s Caramel Coconut Fudge Cookies
Pros: A lot of people find Samoas cloyingly sweet, and I’m in that camp too. Benton’s does better on that front. They’re still intensely sweet—after all, you’ve got layers of coconut, caramel, and fudgy topping—but the cookie itself is a touch thicker in the middle. That extra heft creates a welcome shortbread-like interlude before you dive back into the chewy, sugary layers.
That marginally thicker cookie base is, in my view, the key distinction between the two: it provides a stronger texture contrast against the chewy caramel, coconut, and fudge, drawing you back for another bite (and perhaps another after that). In short, this cookie is a faithful, slightly improved imitation of the original.
Cons: The flavor profile, though bold, ends up feeling a little two-dimensional given how many pronounced top notes are present. It’s mainly sweetness layered with chew from the caramel and coconut, plus a faint cocoa hint from the fudge that’s barely there, and the overall flavor doesn’t branch out much beyond that.
This variant earns a slightly higher mark than its OG inspiration, largely thanks to that chunkier cookie core—and the price. It’s a cookie that, while slightly two-dimensional in flavor, still delivers a solid bite for the money, taste, and texture. Benton’s comes out ahead here.
Girl Scouts Of America ― Samoas
Pros: Benton’s is such a strong copy that a lot of the strengths we noted for the Aldi version apply well to the original as well. There’s chew and a gentle coconut sweetness, complemented by a modest size difference that contributes to what we might call overall cookie-cost-efficiency. They’re a touch too cloying at times, but the cookie base remains pleasantly plain and helps provide a sturdy texture contrast.
Cons: When I examine the flavor notes for anything standout, it becomes hard to spot anything truly remarkable—almost as if the coconut, caramel, and fudge are hugging each other a bit too closely. With less of that crumbly cookie bite, eating them can feel more like popping a crunchy Milk Dud than savoring a well-structured cookie.
In a pleasant pairing, one or two of these alongside a glass of cold milk hits the spot. Yet due to the two-dimensional flavor, the overall size, and the price, there’s a fair chance I’d walk on by the Girl Scout display. (That said, I’ll happily pause for Thin Mints—they remain a steadfast favorite.)
