If you’ve ever had a Facebook account, a Twitter account, or even just an email account, the chances are that at some point in time you have received the forward about the Neiman-Marcus $250 Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe.

It isn’t always Nieman-Marcus.  Sometimes it’s Woolworths, sometimes it’s Mrs. Fields, but the story itself remains the same:

My daughter & I had just finished a salad at Neiman-Marcus Cafe in Dallas & decided to have a small dessert. Because our family are such cookie lovers, we decided to try the “Neiman-Marcus Cookie”. It was so excellent that I asked if they would give me the recipe and they said with a small frown, “I’m afraid not.” Well, I said, would you let me buy the recipe? With a cute smile, she said, “Yes.” I asked how much, and she responded, “Two fifty.” I said with approval, just add it to my tab. 

Thirty days later, I received my VISA statement from Neiman-Marcus and it was $285.00. I looked again and I remembered I had only spent $9.95 for two salads and about $20.00 for a scarf. As I glanced at the bottom of the statement, it said, “Cookie Recipe – $250.00.” Boy, was I upset!! I called Neiman’s Accounting Dept. and told them the waitress said it was “two fifty,” and I did not realize she meant $250.00 for a cookie recipe. I asked them to take back the recipe and reduce my bill and they said they were sorry, but because all the recipes were this expensive so not just everyone could duplicate any of our bakery recipes….the bill would stand. I waited, thinking of how I could get even or even try and get any of my money back. 

I just said, “Okay, you folks got my $250.00 and now I’m going to have $250.00 worth of fun.” I told her that I was going to see to it that every cookie lover will have a $250.00 cookie recipe from Neiman-Marcus for nothing. She replied, “I wish you wouldn’t do this.” I said, “I’m sorry but this is the only way I feel I could get even,” and I will. 

So, here it is, and please pass it to someone else or run a few copies…. I paid for it; now you can have it for free.

This is followed by the recipe for the best freaking chocolate chip cookies you have ever eaten.  So, even though Snopes told me that this story was not true, I made them anyway.

I made them because they had blended oatmeal in them, which I thought was intriguing.  I made them because they have grated Cadbury chocolate bars in them. (Ummm, yum!)  I made them because they sounded delicious.

And they were.

So, I give you my blessing to keep forwarding on this recipe.  Whether people believe it or not, they will get a darn good cookie recipe out of the deal.

Also, I halved this recipe and still got 40 cookies and almost overflowed my Kitchenaid Mixer, so I would recommend doing that.  

Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 cups butter
680 g chocolate chips
4 cups flour
2 cups brown sugar
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (this is baking soda)
1 tsp salt
2 cups sugar
500g grated cadbury chocolate
5 cups oatmeal, blended
4 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups chopped walnuts

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 375°.

Measure your oatmeal first, and blend into a fine powder. I used my coffee grinder. You could also use a food processor, or even a good blender.

Cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla, mix together well.

Add the flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add chocolate chips, grated chocolate, and nuts.

Roll into balls and place two inches apart on baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes. The grated chocolate gives them a darker color than your average chocolate chip cookie, so make sure you don’t mistake that for burning and pull them out early.