CAMP COOKIES!!!
By Montana Grant

Posted: December 26, 2020

Nothing makes campers happier than fresh, warm cookies. Back in my Scoutmaster Days, I would reward good campers and Scouts with this special Oatmeal Cookie recipe.

Too often Oatmeal cookies are too crumby, and fragile, too thin, or too thick and dry. Like Red Riding Hood said, they need to be “Just Right”. I have baked these cookies on a wood stove, in a wood stove, in a Dutch oven on a wood stove, in a Dutch Oven on coals from the fire, in a foil reflector oven, in a foil tent over the woodstove/ baking tray/ foil, and at home. Just for fun, I also baked these cookies on a hot flat rock, laid on the fire’s coals, covered with other rocks that formed a cave like oven. You can pretty much make these cookies anywhere and anyway. The key is that you need a constant 350-degree temperature for about 15 minutes.

Some cooks add raisins, dried fruit, coconut, chocolate chips, nuts, or other ingredients.  Usually, I use what is available in the Chuck Box but prefer a simple, but perfect Old-Fashioned cookie. You can make up the cookie mix ahead of time and pull it out when needed.

MONTANA CAMP OATMEAL COOKIES

¾ cup of soft shortening

1 cup of Brown Sugar

½ cup of white sugar

1 egg

¼ cup of water

1 tsp of vanilla

1 cup of flour

1 tsp of salt

½ tsp. of Baking Soda

3 cups of uncooked oats.

Mix the shortening, sugars, egg, salt, water, and vanilla together until creamy. Stir in the flour, and Baking Soda and blend well. Now stir in the Oats. The mix will become pliable and can be rolled into balls. I usually make the cookies the size of a Ping Pong ball.

(You can also lay the cookie mix out as a sheet, about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. You can cut this up later or break it into a crumble.)

Spread the balls out so that they have room to melt and form a perfectly round cookie. Each ball will triple in diameter. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Do not burn them. Its hard to control a wood stove or fire, so pay attention to the temperature. Once the cookies are ready, lay them on a towel/paper towels to cool.

These Montana Cookies make a great Christmas gift. Include the recipe in with a sack, or tin, of homemade treats. A plate of homemade cookies and milk are also perfect for Santa to nibble on Christmas Eve.

The cook is allowed a couple warm cookies to taste for quality control. That is just how the cookie crumbles!

Montana Grant

For more Montana Grant, find him baking at www.montanagrantfishing.com.

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