Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Yes-Yes, Virginia, Those Caramel Cookies Existed

It’s supposed to be Girl Scout Cookie season, although I have yet to be ambushed by any of the pint-sized cookie entrepreneurs outside my local grocery store.
When I’m not suffering from empty-wallet syndrome, I usually buy a box of the Samoas® – those toasted coconut-covered delicacies – although sometimes they seem to be called Caramel deLites®.

Was the cookie’s renaming due to some sort of concern of disrespect towards the friendly Samoans? No, the two different names has something to do with which regional bakery produced the cookies, according to this blog.

Anyway, buying a box of these coconut-and-chocolate cookies always reminds me about a similar cookie that my mother used to buy when we were kids. The cookie was called a Yes Yes.

Unfortunately, no one I know has ever heard of them.

I would even describe the box the cookies came in (it had little palm trees on it). But still, nobody remembered them.

I eventually Googled these Yes Yes cookies, and found that there were others – on the chowhound.com website – who fondly remembered them too. Click here to read their comments.

But it wasn’t until recently when I had a free trial subscription to newspapers.com that I found a small graphic of the Yes Yes box. It was part of a grocery store ad in the Sioux Falls, South Dakota Argus Leader in January 1964.

Here’s another rendering of the box (below). This illustration ran as part of a Woolworth’s ad in the October 7, 1964 edition of the Minneapolis Star.

At last - confirmation that my memory was not playing tricks on me (at least this time). 
Anyway, there was yet another cookie out there that was similar to Yes Yes. They were called Yum Yums, and were baked by Sunshine Biscuits.
Here's that box (circa 1970s), courtesy of Pinterest. No palm trees, but the typography is kinda cool.

Neither Yes Yes nor Yum Yum cookies are around today. 
Dutch Maid seems to have gone out of business. (Lil Dutch Maid is a different cookie company.) Sunshine Biscuits was bought out by Keebler, which today is part of Kellogg’s.
But although Yum Yums are not to be found on your grocer’s shelves, Ernie the Keebler Elf must have stashed the recipe in his hollow tree. Today Keebler makes their own version of the cookie.

29 comments:

Buster said...

Yes yes, I vaguely remember the Yes Yes cookies. Mom bought them occasionally.

When I think of all the bakery and confectionery delights I ate when young, it's a wonder I wasn't a rotund little kid. Far from it!

-Alan D Hopewell said...

I fondly remember Yes-Yes cookies; I think we could get them at Lawson's. I'd love a box of them right now!

Dan Brady said...

I liked that original Yes Yes rectangular shape better than the current round versions peddled by the Girl Scouts and Keebler. When it comes to cookies, the bulkier the better.

Jay said...

Dollar General sells several of the girls count cookies under their brand that taste exactly the same. The thin mints, the cookies you mentioned above, and chocolate covered peanut butter are all available year round and for 1.50 a box.

DD said...

YES YES I had them as a kid in NYC! Brings back great memories of my mom and I.

Anonymous said...

My aunt would bring a box of Yes Yes out to the house and I remember them as being delicious. Funny thing is what I remembered mostly clearly were the palm trees on the box, lol.

Anonymous said...

Yes, Yes cookies were one of my favorites. It was our treat back in the 60's when we went camping. Today, my elderly mom remembered them as well - with a smile on her face. I had to google to make sure I remembered the name correctly - and found this page. Yes, yes, they were good!

Unknown said...

Oh yes I remember yes yes! I am a miami native , and for some reason I thought they were from the caribbean.maybe because of the palm trees on the box. Mom use to buy them at the local A&P,and then Food Fair in North Miami Beach. I remember that they were a little chewy,how delish!!

Suganne said...

Yes Yes cookies were my favorite cookies when I was a child and then they just disappeared. I've been having Yes Yes cravings lately and went searching and found your blogs. Thanks for the information.

Unknown said...

I loved these cookies and we only bought them when my dad worked overtime. 😎


Unknown said...

Since my wife and I started a box of Girl Scout Samoas two days ago, I have been trying to remember the cookie I loved in the 1960s back in New England that tasted the same...then today, as we were eating Samoas, it popped into my mind: They were called "Yes, Yes" cookies! So I did a search and landed on this article. Thank you for posting it!

Unknown said...

I remember and loved Yes Yes cookies!

Catherine J Yavorchak said...

I'm so glad that other people remember these excellent "Yes Yes" cookies!! They were my favorites.

Unknown said...

My fave as a kid as well from Lawsons. Aldi sells a cookie exactly like them.

Unknown said...

Oh. My. God. My grandma bought us these cookies and they were unforgettable.

Joe said...

I tell the YES YES Cookie story occasionally when someone tries to tell me how such and such was the best. Nothing compares, past or present.

Perel Dina said...

Yes Yes I remember those cookies well - such a treat. Funny I woke up today desiring Burry's Mr.Chips cookies, and then thought about the Yes Yes cookies. There was also a cracker box with a picture of a girl holding up an umbrella. Anyone remember that? I think it was foil wrapped box.

chocoholic said...

I loved these cookies when I was really young growing up in St. Louis in the early 60s. But when I moved to Chicago in 1964, Yes Yes cookies were not available here. I have never met anyone in my whole life who remembers these cookies. It’s nice to know I’m not the only one that love these cookies and remembers them so fondly.

Anonymous said...

Aldi's brand is delicious. Benton's Caramel Coconut Fudge Cookies. 1.39 a box.

Anonymous said...

I also had them as a child. Girl Scout copied them. But now, more companies have them year round! Thank God. Until Girl Scouts made their version, I could not find them anywhere. But, one bite of the G.S. Version, years ago, I was right back in the South End of Boston at the age of 3. Heavenly.

Denise Ames, NH said...

I’m glad I landed on this article. I loved YesYes cookies! Growing up with 7 siblings in the mid 60’s, these were a special treat our Mom would splurge on. LOVED them! The Aldi’s version is very close at $1.39, brand name Benton’s
Thank you for posting!

Anonymous said...

I remember them I loved them stamford ct

Sky V. said...

Saratoga Springs, New York, in the 1960s, where Yes Yes and Charles Chips (by delivery truck!) and I forged a bond that is everlasting.

Linda Horn said...

I loved these cookies I'm from Rhode Islsnd and growing up my mum would get them special just for me lol or so I thought back then. It's funny you can be transported back to childhood. You had to have a nice cold glass of milk.

Anonymous said...

Yes yes I remember them well. I’m 71 and live in Michigan. Born and raised here and my mother always bought these. They were my favorite cookies.

Judi C said...

I remember them too! We had them in New England!!g

Rosemary C said...

Loved Yes Yes cookies. Born in Miami in the 60's and they were a special treat. Also Wink soda. So many good things that are a memory.

Anonymous said...

We had them… Asked Mom and Dad if we can have some Yes Yes…. They said No No… lol…got them every Saturday when mom and dad went to town to buy groceries

Anonymous said...

We had them in Connecticut. They were a special treat, classified a cookie, but really a candy-