Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

The oatmeal cookie is one of my favorite fall treats. The spiciness whispers autumn. In this particular version, cinnamon has been replaced with nutmeg for a nice subtle flavor. This recipe comes from the  Baking Illustrated Cookbook.

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
16 tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups raisins, optional

Preheat the oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt together in a small bowl.
Either by hand or with an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy. Add the sugars; beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time.
Stir dry ingredients into the sugar mixture. Add the oats and raisins.
Roll two tablespoons of dough into a ball and place on prepared baking sheets at least two inches apart.
Bake until the cookie edges turn golden brown, 22-25 minutes, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking time. Cool on baking sheets 2 minutes. Transfer to wire rack. Do not over bake. The edges should be brown but the rest of the cookie should be light in color.

Variations:
Substitute 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg for the grated if in a pinch.
A less sweet option: reduce sugar by 1/4 cup.
Date Oatmeal Cookies: Substitute 1 1/2 cups chopped dates for the raisins.
Ginger Oatmeal Cookies: Add 3/4 tsp ground ginger to the flour and omit raisins.
Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies: Omit the nutmeg. Substitute 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips for the raisins.
Nut Oatmeal Cookies: decrease flour to 1 1/2 cups and add 3/4 cup ground almonds. Add 1 cup chopped walnuts with the oatmeal.
Orange and Almond Oatmeal Cookies: Omit the raisins. Add 2 tbsp minced orange zest and 1 cup toasted chopped almonds (toast nuts in 350-degree oven for 5 minutes) along with oats.