Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies
The Legendary $250 Cookie Story
If you grew up in the '80s or '90s, chances are you've heard about the $250 chocolate chip cookie recipe. According to the legend, a woman stopped for lunch at a Neiman Marcus café and ordered a chocolate chip cookie for dessert.
She loved it so much that she asked if she could buy the recipe.
The server replied, "Sure, it's two-fifty."
Thinking they meant $2.50, she happily agreed.
Weeks later, her credit card statement arrived with a charge of $250.
After unsuccessfully trying to get a refund, she supposedly decided to get even by sharing the recipe with everyone she knew. The recipe spread through photocopies, fax machines, email chain letters, and eventually the internet, becoming one of the first truly viral recipes.
Neiman Marcus has always denied the story, saying it never charged anyone $250 for a cookie recipe. In fact, the retailer eventually published its own official chocolate chip cookie recipe—which is different from the legendary version below.
But by then, the "Neiman Marcus Cookie" had already become an American baking icon.
Whether the story is fact or fiction (spoiler: it's fiction), one thing is true—the cookies are absolutely delicious.
Loaded with chocolate chips, finely ground oats, and grated milk chocolate, these cookies bake up soft in the center with crisp, buttery edges. They're thick, chewy, and everything you want from a homemade chocolate chip cookie.
What you'll need: Yields 8-9 dozen
2 cups unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups packed brown sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
5 cups old-fashioned oats, blended into a fine flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
24 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
8 ounces Hershey's milk chocolate, grated
3 cups chopped walnuts (optional)
How to make it:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. (Legendary recipe calls for 375°F, but I never bake cookies over 350.)
Place the oats into a blender or food processor and pulse just a few times, until they resemble coarse flour.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, oat flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
Fold in the grated milk chocolate, chocolate chips, and walnuts, if using.
Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between cookies.
Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden but the centers still look slightly underdone.
Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Tips for the Best Cookies:
Don't overblend the oats—you want a flour-like texture, not oat butter.
Grating the Hershey's bar is worth the extra minute. It melts into the dough and creates a richer chocolate flavor.
Chill the dough for 30 minutes if you prefer thicker cookies.
Sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top just after baking for a bakery-style finish.
Storage:
Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
The dough also freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Scoop into balls before freezing so you can bake just a few whenever the craving hits.
