Cookies at Maine Camps

Happy National Cookie Day from Maine Camps! Cookies are an integral part of camp; here are four ways they’re enjoyed in our camp community. And … we’re happy to share this cookie recipe from Maine-based Stonewall Kitchen:

Great Cookie Times at Maine Camps:

- Snack Time: While food is mainly consumed at mealtimes, a snack a day helps busy campers keep the hunger away! Campers enjoy apples, popcorn, ice pops, crackers, and COOKIES. One MCE girls camp even has a longstanding tradition of Cookie Line at 11:20am daily. Campers and staff come from wherever they are on campus to gather for fresh-baked cookies under the pines with friends. It’s a fun, social and delicious snack time. - Intercamps: Campers like eating cookies at the camps they attend AND at other Maine Camps, too! One MCE boys camp is known for their cookies; kids from other Maine Camps often sign up to play intercamps against that camp so they can enjoy cookies after the game. - Cooking Classes: One reason cooking is such a popular activity across Maine Camps is getting to bake cookies! Campers enjoy many traditional and newfangled flavors. Parents may even get to sample the cookies on Visiting Day. Campers may also bring their favorite recipes home to recreate their fave camp treats during the year. - Night Bite: By the cabins or at the campfire, nothing winds down a sunny, busy, Maine Camp day like cookies and milk before bedtime!

Thumbprint Jam Cookies from Stonewall Kitchen Recipe:

https://www.stonewallkitchen.com/thumbprint-jam-cookies-R100021.html

Stonewall Kitchen is known for their Wild Maine Blueberry Jam (featured in this recipe) and other specialty/gourmet food.

Ingredients:

- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature - 1 cup sugar - 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk, room temperature - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract - 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour - 3/4 teaspoon salt - 1/2 cup walnuts, very finely chopped - 1/3 cup of one of [Stonewall Kitchen’s Specialty Jams](https://www.stonewallkitchen.com/search?q=jams), [Marmalades](https://www.stonewallkitchen.com/search?q=marmalades) or [Fruit Butters](https://www.stonewallkitchen.com/search?q=fruitbutters)

 Directions:

1. Cream butter using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment\* on medium speed. Add sugar and beat until smooth. Add the egg and egg yolk one at a time. Add vanilla and mix until  incorporated. 2. Combine flour, salt and ground walnuts in a separate bowl and whisk until uniform. Slowly add flour mixture to the butter. Mix until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. Knead a few times and chill dough 1 hour. 3. Preheat oven to 350° F, and lightly grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper. 4. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place on prepared cookie sheet 2-inches apart. 5. Make an indentation in the center of each ball with your thumb or the handle of a wooden spoon. Fill each cookie with a generous 1/4 teaspoon of jam. 6. Bake until edges are golden brown, about 14-15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow cookies to rest for a minute before transferring to a rack to cool. Top with additional jam if desired.

*Note: if you don’t have the paddle attachment for the mixer, we found it still turns out great using the whisk beaters.

Stonewall Kitchen has grown from producing a few dozen jars for the farmers’ market to about 75,000 jars daily. Headquartered in York, Maine, Stonewall Kitchen is a popular Maine tourist destination - they receive over 500,000 visitors each year. It could be a fun stop on a Visiting Day camp weekend.

Enjoy this taste of Maine as you celebrate National Cookie Day today (or any day)!

Maine Camp Experience Resources & Tools

Looking for the perfect Maine camp for your child?  Try out our helpful_ tool where you can select a camp by choosing__: type of camp (girls, boys or coed) and session length (1-8 weeks).  It helps to narrow down a few camps to a manageable list that includes rates.  Then you can research these camps in more depth.  _

Next, be sure to contact our Maine Camp Guide, Laurie to discuss these camps as well as for free, year-round advice and assistance on choosing a great Maine summer camp for your child.

You can share your own Maine camps memories & expressions of gratitude on our Memories of Camp section of our website.