Instructions: Adjust oven racks to low and middle positions. Heat oven to 350 degrees (175 C.).

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.

Other ideas:
Date Oatmeal Cookies: Substitute 1-1/2 cups (350 ml) chopped dates for the raisins.

Ginger Oatmeal Cookies: Omit raisins and add 3/4 tsp (4 ml) ground ginger.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies: Substitute 1-1/2 cups (350 ml) semisweet chocolate chips for the raisins.

Nut Oatmeal Cookies: Omit raisins, decrease flour to 1-1/3 cups (325 ml), and add 1/4 cup (60 ml) ground almonds and 1 cup (225 ml) 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 (30 ml) minced orange zest and 1 cup (225 ml) toasted chopped almonds (toast almonds in 350-degree oven for 5 minutes) along with oats.

Comments
Do not overbake. The edges should be brown but the rest of the cookie should still be very light in color. Parchment makes for easy cookie removal and cleanup, but its not a necessity. If you dont use parchment, let the cookies cool direectly on the baking sheet for two minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

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