When I ran a home daycare, I used to make these often.  Filling, tasty, plus I could send them in my kids’ lunches to school since they were nut-free.  I usually put raisins in them, but today I found out at the last second that a child who shall remain nameless went and ate all my raisins and left the empty bag in the baking cupboard.  Grrr.  So today I made these with cranberries.  Also good with chocolate chips.

1. 1.In a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream 1-1/2 cups of butter.  Add 2 cups of brown sugar and 1 cup of granulated or raw sugar.  Beat until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
   

2. 2.Mix in 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp of cinnamon and 1/2 tsp ground cloves.  I just love cloves, I find they make food so addictive.  Beat in 4 eggs and 2 tsp vanilla. 
   

3. 3.Then mix in 3-1/2 cups of unbleached flour.
   

4. 4. Stir in 4 cups of rolled oats and 2 cups of raisins or other dried fruits, nuts, or chocolate chips.  Use those arm muscles!!
   

5. 5.Preheat oven to 375’F.  line a light covered pan with damp parchment paper, no greasing necessary.
   

6. 6.Drop dough by rounded tablespoon onto baking sheets, 2 inches apart.  I usually have several sheets on the go, so I can pop one in the oven while I prepare the next one.  Bake in the centre of the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are golden.
   

7. 7. Allow to cool in the pan about 2 minutes before sliding parchment paper with cookies over to a cooling rack.
   

8. 8.This recipe makes like 130 cookies, so feel free to halve it.  However, these cookies freeze really well.  They are great for bake sales, care packages, and delightful with a hot cup of tea.  So I suggest making the whole batch at once.
   

OATMEAL COOKIES

Prep: 20 minutes

Bake: 8-10 minutes per batch

Oven: 375’F

Yield: about 10 dozen

1-1/2 cups of butter

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup of granulated or raw sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp of cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

3-1/2 cups unbleached flour

4 cups of rolled oats

2 cups of raisins or other dried fruits, nuts, or chocolate chips

1. 1.In a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream butter.  Add brown sugar and granulated sugar.  Beat until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
   

2. 2.Mix in baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves. 
   

3. 3.Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Then mix in flour.
   

4. 4.Stir in oats and raisins.
   

5. 5.Preheat oven to 375’F.  Line a light covered pan with damp parchment paper, no greasing necessary.
   

6. 6.Drop dough by rounded tablespoon onto baking sheets, 2 inches apart.   Bake in the centre of the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are golden.
   

7. 7. Allow to cool in the pan about 2 minutes before sliding parchment paper with cookies over to a cooling rack.
   

Makes about 130 cookies.