Soft Oatmeal Cookies

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter, softened (or Maragrine)
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups quick cooking oats
raisins or nuts (optional - 1-2 Cups)

DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium bowl, cream together white sugar, butter, and brown sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.
2. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in oats. If you are using nuts or raisins, mix into dough, combining well. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls, and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.Makes approx. 36-60 cookies, depending on how large or small you make them.

NOTES
Words of warning--Larger balls of dough result in cookies that spread LARGE amounts. They have a tendency of spreading so much that they meet each other.

Oil the baking sheet once every 4th batch, unless you have a non-stick cookie sheet (don‘t know about that). Even an air-bake cookie sheet needs that extra oil. 1/14/09--We've made these cookies once again and tried something different. We used parchment paper on the cookie sheet instead of oiling. It worked like a charm. The cookies did not stick and we did not need to oil the baking pan.