Soft and Spicy Oatmeal Cookies

These oatmeal raisin cookies are soft and chewy with a nice warm flavor from the cinnamon and spices. They're the best oatmeal cookies I've tried! This recipe is a keeper.

I add freshly grated nutmeg and ground ginger to mine. I also soaked my raisins in vanilla before I started preparing the ingredients, so they were slightly moist and plump (rum works well too).


Soft and Spicy Oatmeal Cookies
Courtesy: Quaker Oatmeal

2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup raisins (opt. soak in vanilla or rum)
Opt.
I add fresh nutmeg-about 1/4 tsp
1/2 tsp ground ginger
pinch of ground cloves.


DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Stir in the oats and raisins. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes until light and golden. Do not overbake. Let them cool for 2 minutes before removing from cookie sheets to cool completely. Store in airtight container.