General Mills to make Girl Scout cookie cereals in 2017

General Mills plus Girl Scouts equals Thin Mints cereal.

The Golden Valley-based food giant, whose best-known cereal is Cheerios, is teaming up with the national nonprofit organization, whose annual cookie sale is anticipated by millions each winter, to make Girl Scout cookie-flavored cereals.

Shoppers will be able to buy the dessert-for-breakfast boxes in January, just in time to ruin New Year's weight-loss goals, General Mills confirmed Monday.

The news was leaked early, so the company is not providing many details. The two flavors — Thin Mints and Caramel Crunch — will be available for a limited time only.

According to the Girl Scouts website, Thin Mints is the organization's top-selling cookie, followed by Caramel deLites, also known as Samoas, which the Caramel Crunch cereal appears to emulate.

General Mills will release more information closer to launch.

The company has products in a variety of food categories, from yogurt to taco shells to soup, but it's best known for being a major cereal manufacturer. General Mills occasionally releases new, limited-edition cereals to harness excitement surrounding a pop culture event.

Last January, for instance, the company produced Batman and Superman cereals to coincide with the theater debut of the "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" movie. This fall, General Mills caused an outpouring of enthusiasm among a specific fan group when it released Pumpkin Spice Cheerios.

Girl Scout cookie season often creates its own cultural ruckus as fans flock to their favorite varieties. General Mills is likely hoping to latch onto that fervor and gain a bump in buyers. Cereal sales have stalled — or, for some companies, slid downward — in recent years as consumers opt for grab-and-go breakfast items or more traditional hot breakfasts, like bacon and eggs.

Kristen Leigh Painter • 612-673-4767