Mom’s Yum Yum Cookies

These Yum Yum Cookies are loaded with goodies! A light and airy cookie, filled with coconut, chocolate chips, oatmeal, and Rice Krispies. This cookie is quite famous in one family and I am honored to share Mom’s recipe, along with the story of them with you. 

This recipe is very near and dear to many people’s hearts. It comes from my friend Rhonda’s Mother. I guess you would say that she was famous for these cookies, and I promise you after you take one bite, you will understand why. 

My friend, Rhonda, one of eleven children, lost her mother a year ago, and a few months later lost her father, too. It was an emotional time for their family, as you can well imagine. At their memorial service, they handed out this cookie recipe as well as this fun little mathematical “trick” that her dad always carried on his business card in his wallet. A trick where he could always correctly guess your age. 

Mom’s Yum Yum Cookies

When I asked Rhonda to tell me how these cookies came about, she wrote this for me:

“When I was in high school at my friend Susie’s house, she had baked some cookies that were so good. I got the recipe from her and shared it with my Mom. That recipe was such a hit with our family that Mom made those cookies for over 35 years. She kept a cookie bucket in the freezer which the kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids knew would always be filled with her special cookies for them to enjoy. When Mom passed away last year, we shared that recipe with everyone at her funeral so her memory and that recipe would carry on.”

Yum Yum Cookies

These Yum Yum Cookies are the perfect combination of oats, shredded coconut, Rice Krispies, and chocolate chips. They have to be hands down one of my favorite cookies. Not just because they taste great, which they do, but because they hold a special place in so many peoples’ hearts.  I get teary-eyed every time I pull out the recipe. 

This recipe makes about 5 dozen cookies so you’ll have enough to feed a crowd. Perfect for big family gatherings, potlucks, or cookie exchanges. Or maybe just enough to eat a few today and to have a stash in the freezer for tomorrow. 

If you are looking for other cookie options you may like these recipes: Pie Crust Cookies, Orange Ginger Refrigerator Cookies, or these Cherry Wink Cookies. 

Mom’s Yum Yum Cookies

Before we get to the recipe I have to tell you a story about the photo above. I was grabbing that mug I used in some of the other photos from my buffet, and I saw the little Scrabble tiles, so I decided to use some of them with the photos.

First I took the ones with the mug that said “yum yum” and then I put the cookies into the container to show what a great gift they would make. I added the word “Mom’s” to the tiles and when I picked up my camera, a ray of sunlight came through the door, right on the word. Total goosebump moment! Alice was definitely here with me while I took the photos.

Ingredients Needed For Mom’s Yum Yum Cookies

You will find the complete measurements and instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. 

Oleo or butter – You can use softened butter or margarine for these cookies, I used butter.

Sugar – I used a combination of white and brown sugar for Alice’s cookies.

Cooking oil  I used vegetable oil but you can use any mild-flavored cooking oil.

Vanilla – I prefer baking with pure vanilla extract but imitation will also work. 

Egg – I use large white eggs when I bake but any kind of egg will work.

Flour – all-purpose flour is what I used.

Baking soda 

Cream of tartar – adding the cream of tartar makes these cookies light and airy.

Salt

Shredded coconut – use sweetened shredded coconut. 

Chocolate chips – I used semi-sweet chocolate chips. 

Oatmeal – I used old-fashioned rolled oats, don’t use instant or steel-cut oats. 

Rice Krispies – You can use Rice Krispies or store brand, either will work. 

How to make Alice’s Yum Yum Cookies

Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Next, In your mixer bowl cream together butter and sugars. Add in oil, vanilla, and egg and mix well. 

Sift together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt and gradually mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture until incorporated. 

Then, Fold in the Rice Krispies, coconut, oatmeal, and chocolate chips by hand. 

(resist eating the cookie dough as is before you bake the cookies)

Then, Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto the baking sheet.

Finally, Bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Makes 5 dozen cookies. 

Love it? Pin it!

If you love this recipe for Alice’s Yum Yum cookies make sure that you don’t lose it! Pin it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board before you go!

FAQs

What is oleo? Oleo is another word for margarine. If you use margarine it doesn’t need to be taken out of the fridge to soften like butter. 

Do I have to grease the cookie sheet before placing the cookies on it? I usually place a piece of parchment paper on my cookie sheets before I put the cookie dough on it. 

Is there a good substitute for cream of tartar? I know it seems like an obscure ingredient but it is always good to have a jar of cream of tartar on hand. It has quite a long shelf life so you don’t have to worry it will go bad. However, if you don’t have any cream of tartar you can always use 1 teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice for every ½ tsp cream of tartar.

SUBSTITUTIONS:

There are a lot of ways you can change up this recipe for Yum Yum Cookies:

• Use raisins or currants instead of chocolate chips.
• Throw in a combination of chocolate chips; milk, semi-sweet or dark. 
• Try peanut butter or butterscotch chips instead. 
• Chop up chocolate chunks instead of the chocolate chips and add to the batter.

Tips & Tricks

• If you are using butter let it come to room temperature before you start preparing the cookies. 
• Let the egg come to room temperature before you begin. 
• Store these cookies in an airtight container on the kitchen counter for up to 1 week or freeze them for 3 months. 
• This recipe makes 5 dozen cookies so you can make half and freeze half the batter to bake at a later date. 

This recipe is part of The Sweetest Season, an annual virtual cookie swap co-hosted by Erin of The Speckled Palate and Susannah of Feast + West. Every year, food bloggers get together to share new holiday cookie recipes to make and give.

This year we are raising money for Cookies 4 Kids’ Cancer, which is a recognized 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to funding research for new, innovative, and less-toxic treatments for childhood cancer.

Since 2008, Cookies for Kids’ Cancer has granted nearly $18 million to pediatric cancer research in the form of 100+ research grants to leading pediatric cancer centers across the country. From these grants have stemmed 35+ treatments available to kids battling cancer today.

Help us raise money for this important cause! Donate through our fundraising page.

Another exciting thing is that Cookies for Kids’ Cancer is in a matching window with their friends at OXO, meaning OXO will be matching every dollar raised through the end of 2022, up to $100,000. Whatever money we raise will automatically double on our fundraising page!

More Classic Cookie Recipes to Love

• Lemon Spritz Cookies (pictured above)
• Old Fashioned Iced Molasses Cookies
• Grandma Jane’s Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
• Butter Brickle Cookies
• Aunt Vern’s Sugar Cookies
• Grandma Jane’s Peanut Butter Cookies

SEE ALL OF MY COOKIE RECIPES

This recipe for Alice’s Yum Yum cookies is not only unique but delicious. The combination of textures and flavors will really amaze you. I hope your family loves them as much as mine and that the recipe gets passed down to the next generation. 

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe

Mom's Yum Yum Cookies

These Yum Yum Cookies are loaded with goodies! A light and airy cookie, filled with coconut, chocolate chips, oatmeal, and Rice Krispies. This cookie is quite famous in one family and I am honored to share Mom's recipe, along with the story of them with you. 

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time12 minutes mins

Total Time22 minutes mins

Course: Cookies

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chocolate chips, Coconut, cookies, cream of tartar, Mom's recipe, Mom's yum yum cookies, oatmeal, rice krispies, yum yum cookies

Servings: 5 dozen

Calories: 140kcal

Author: Michaela Kenkel

Equipment

• Wilton Stainless Steel Cookie Scoop
• Wilton Performance Pans Aluminum Jelly Roll and Cookie Pan, 10.5 x 15.5-Inch
• 15 x 10 x 1-Inch Cookie/Jelly Roll Pan
• Rubber Spatulas 
• OXO 3- Piece Wooden Spoon Set
• Glass Batter Bowl

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• 1 cup oleo or butter softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup cooking oil I used vegetable
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg
• 3 ½ cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup oatmeal
• 1 cup Rice Krispies

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
• In your mixer bowl cream together butter and sugars. Add in oil, vanilla and egg and mix well. 
• Sift together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt and gradually mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture until incorporated. 
• Fold in the Rice Krispies, coconut, oatmeal, and chocolate chips by hand. 
• Drop by rounded teaspoonful onto the baking sheet.
• Bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees.
• Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container. 

Notes

Recipe Credit: Alice Rupiper

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 140kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 90mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g