Sunday Sweatness: How To Make Soft & Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

How To Make Oatmeal Cookies
Makes about 3-dozen cookies
What You Need
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups old-fashioned whole oats, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups raisins

Equipment
Large baking sheet(s)
High-speed blender or food processor (optional)
Parchment paper or Silpat
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Medium mixing bowl
Stand mixer with paddle attachment or hand mixer and large bowl
Spatula
Wire cooling rack

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Toast the oats: Spread the oats in a single layer on a large baking sheet (use two, if necessary), and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, and cool until the oats are cool enough to handle.
Process the oats: Add 1/2 cup of the toasted oats to a food processor, blender, or spice grinder, and process until the oats are finely ground.
Combine the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, whole and ground oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
Cream the butter and sugars: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add the eggs and vanilla: Mix in the eggs one at a time and beat thoroughly after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Beat in the vanilla.
Mix in the dry ingredients: With the mixer on low, or by hand, gently mix in the dry ingredients until they are just combined and all the flour has been incorporated.
Fold in the raisins: Fold the raisins into the dough so they're evenly distributed throughout.
Scoop the dough onto the baking sheet: Drop rounded, heaping tablespoon-sized mounds of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spaced about 2 inches apart.
Bake the cookies: Transfer the baking sheets to the oven. Bake 8 to 9 minutes for soft and chewy cookies, or 11 to 12 minutes for crispy cookies.
Remove from the oven and cool: Remove the baking sheets from the oven. Cool the cookies for 1 to 2 minutes on the baking sheets, and then use a spatula to transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Notes
Cookies will last for about 5 days when stored in an airtight container.
Cookie dough can be refrigerated for several days before baking, or frozen for several months.