I found the "Action Vietnam Cookies" recipe in a book called “Food Writer’s Favorite Cookies” where it was submitted by Betty Bernard, Food Editor, Lake Charles Press. In her entry, Betty says that a fellow staff member baked these for her son who was assigned war time duty in Vietnam and that the cookies ship well, age well and taste great. I decided to give the cookies a test run and see if they were really all that.
First off, they have a lot going on -- – cinnamon, nutmeg, coconut, bananas, chocolate and uh, raisins. I must have had some traumatic past-life experience with a Raisinette, because as much as I like raisins, I don’t like them anywhere near my chocolate. So I swapped out cranberries.
The cookies are pretty good on day one. They taste like regular old banana oatmeal cookies and none of the ingredients overpower the others. I’ve packed them up tightly and plan on seeing how they keep at room temperature. Will get back to you.
Action Vietnam Cookies
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
¾ c. solid vegetable shortening (I used butter flavored)
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 c. mashed ripe bananas (2 or 3)
½ c. coarsely chopped, toasted walnuts
½ c. semi-sweet chocolate morsels
½ c. shredded coconut
½ c. dried cranberries or raisins tossed in 1 tablespoon flour
1 ¾ c. quick-cooking rolled oats, uncooked
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Mix flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg together in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, beat together shortening and brown sugar. Add egg and continue beating until ingredients are well blended. Stir in banana. Add flour mixture and stir until it is almost incorporated, then add the nuts, chocolate, coconut, dried cranberries and oats.
Drop dough from end of teaspoon onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake for 12 minutes or until done. Makes 5-6 dozen cookies.
Lori Ann Kruithof
I really love the mint,banana combo too and even moreso that combo with walnuts!!!! Yummy!!!!
Lorinda - The Rowdy Baker
My grandmother used to make these two - they were a favorite of mine. Hers had mint chocolate chips in them, which sounds a little odd but is amazing. I've tried them without the mint chips and they just aren't as tempting. When I can't find mint chips I melt regular chocolate chips, add a few drops of peppermint extract, pour it on a piece of parchment and once it's hard I chop it up. That's how much I love the mint/banana combo.
Love them for breakfast.
Lori Ann Kruithof
My grandmother made these cookies for all 3 of her Vietnam Veteren sons and for her other 2 Veteren sons. She used real butter and only Imperial dark brown sugar. Then she put them in pringles cans and froze them until shipping. She always made enough for my uncles entire squadran. They ship great and have a long shelf life. The taste is phenomenal... She of course continued making these at Christmas along with her Divinity and Sees Fudge, for all 9 of her children and grandchildren. I myself have been making these since I was a little girl along side my mother and now my daughters. I have tried different variations over the years. I have swapped cranberries for raisons, white peppermint chocolate (or Andes Mint Chocolate Chips) for milk chocolate, and walnuts for pecans. TThis is my favorite swap out but nothing compares to the original in my mind and heart. When I eat them my heart warms and I find mysel#i n the cozy kitchens of my grandmothe and mother as a little girl. They taste like beloved family and Christmas to me.
Le Anne
These are THE best cookies. We've made them for years. My mother found the recipe in the newspaper at Christmas time and made them and sent to the troops. They are delicious and they keep and ship REALLY well. I can't speak highly enough of these cookies...and soooo yummy!!!
Erin Mylroie
The name alons is enticing enough to give them a try.
Katrina
It looks like the Pillsbury Bake Off will be on Food Network tonight. FYI
Janet
I was wondering if your Oatmeal Gingersnap cookies would be a good candidate too? I was planning on making those for the care package.
Clumbsy Cookie
I hope all goes well with your friend. I'm allways looking for nice cookies that travel weel, because bouth my 2 sisters live far (Brazil and Italy) and I like to send them homemade cookies.
Chris C-L
My grandma used to bake these to send to my cousin when he was in the Army. She used to pack them in empty, well cleaned, Pringles cans then put them in a box to ship. That meant the rest of us grandkids ate a lot of Pringles.
HeartofGlass
Most importantly of all, good luck and godspeed to your friend, Anna.
You may have seen this before, but there is a list of cookies well-suited for shipping--some of which you've made (and perfected) before.
http://www.bakingdelights.com/2007/11/13/christmas-countdownthe-40-best-cookie-recipes-for-shipping/
Katrina
I made a banana oatmeal cookie a few weeks ago and these seemed to hold up the best just being in an airtight container on the counter for the longest amount of time. (It was when I'd made four different oatmeal cookies in one day.)
http://kevnkoi.blogspot.com/2008/06/okay-so-i-am-baking-fool.html
The recipe was from Baking Bites. Here:
http://bakingbites.com/2006/05/banana-oatmeal-cookies/
I'm not saying they would package and ship well, but interesting that they were good the longest. Shortening may be better than butter though, huh.
I love a "kitchen sink" cookie, as these almost seem. (I wouldn't put chocolate with raisins in the same cookie either.)
These look good.
Joanna
I'm gonna have to try these because I'm an Angel Baker for the U.S. military and I'm always looking for baked goods that ship well. I sent your Levain Copy Cat Cookies in July and the Macadamia Butterscotch Blondies in June. Hopefully, these arrived in Iraq in good condition because they tasted AMAZING! I'm not sure if freezing the baked goods would help before sending them out(I just thought of it).