BIG CHEWY OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened but still firm
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups raisins (optional)

Adjust oven racks to low and middle positions. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat butter until creamy. Add sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time.

Mix flour, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg together. Stir flour mixture into butter-sugar mixture. Stir in oats and optional raisins. Form dough into 16 (2-inch) balls, placing each onto one of two parchment paper-covered, large cookie sheets.*

Bake until cookie edges turn golden brown, 22 to 25 minutes. Slide cookies on parchment onto cooling rack. Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving.

VARIATIONS:

DATE OATMEAL COOKIES:
Substitute 1 1/2 cups chopped dates for the raisins.

GINGER OATMEAL COOKIES:
Omit raisins and add 3/4 tsp ground ginger.

CHOCOLATE CHIP OATMEAL COOKIES:
Substitute 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips for the raisins.

NUT OATMEAL COOKIES:
Omit raisins, decrease flour to 1 1/3 cups, and add 1/4 cup ground almonds and 1 cup walnut pieces along with oats. Almonds can be ground in food processor or blender.

ORANGE AND ALMOND OATMEAL COOKIES:
Omit raisins and add 2 tbsp minced orange zest and 1 cup toasted chopped almonds (toast almonds in 350-degree oven for 5 minutes) along with oats.

*Parchment makes for easy cookie removal and cleanup, but it's not a necessity. If you don't use parchment, let the cookies cool directly on the baking sheet for two minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

NOTES:
Do not overbake. The edges should be brown but the rest of the cookie should still be very light in color.

Makes 16
Source: Cooks Illustrated, February 1997