Restaurants in Jefferson City create desserts using Girl Scout Cookies

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The excitement begins to build each year when Girl Scouts begin knocking on doors across the area selling the annual favorites, Girl Scout Cookies.

Through most of March several Jefferson City restaurants are adding various dessert treats to their menus, all featuring Girl Scout Cookies. Leisa and Steve Burkemper, owners of Old Brick House Deli, are new this year to the Cookie Creations promotion.

"I love to create things and the customers really love the items too," Leisa said. "My nieces are in the Girl Scouts and this is a great way to be able to help all Girl Scouts out with their cookie sales."

The Old Brick House Deli will be offering several different desserts this month. Customers will get to try the desserts on a first-come, first-served basis, Leisa said. Copies of the recipes will be available.

They are offering desserts, including Thanks A Lot Ice Cream Pie, Ooey Gooey Brownie Patties and Penny Mint Cookie Key Lime Pie. She said the pie was named, in part, for Penny Brooks, vice president and marketing director for area Girls Scouts Heart of America. The deli will offer a total of five different desserts.

Brooks said this is the third year for the area promotion, and each year area restaurants get more excited. "The chefs really love doing this," Brooks said. "Some of them will contact me to let me know they want to participate before I have even contacted them."

"We never really thought of using cookies [when creating new desserts] until this idea was brought to us and now that we think of it cookies are the perfect thing to incorporate into almost any dessert," Steve Burkemper said.

Angelina's Cafe is also a first-year participant. "I enjoy baking and Thin Mints are my favorite cookie," said Angela Christian, owner of Angelina's Cafe.

Christian said she adapted recipes by taking out one ingredient and adding the cookies in its place. "I didn't realize it would be this hard to come up with recipes," Christian said.

The recipes Christian did come up with can be used with various cookies. Texas Brownies with Peanut Butter Patties, is one example. "The brownies would be great with Thin Mints or any of the other cookies too," Christian said.

Brooks has been helping with the event since it began and said she is always surprised by what the restaurants come up with.

"I have never tried anything I have not liked, there are so many things to do with the cookies and this just shows what all can be done. The possibilities are endless," Brooks said.