Neiman Marcus Cookies aka Urban Legend Cookies with Oat Flour

These famous Neiman Marcus Cookies, also called the $250 cookie recipe, have been popular for decades, along with one of the most persistent food urban legends of all time. Whether or not the story is true (it's not), the urban legend chocolate chip cookies are worth making. This version stays true to the original -- chocolate chip cookies made with ground oats and milk chocolate. I've added my own upgrades and lessons learned in the blog post.

$250 Cookie Recipe Urban Legend

Before we dive into the cookie recipes, here's the urban legend: A woman (Donna) enjoys a chocolate chip cookie at a department store café (usually said to be Neiman Marcus) and asks for the recipe. She's told it will cost "two fifty," and assumes that means $2.50. Later, her credit card statement arrives with a charge for $250. The store refuses to refund, so she decides to get even by sharing the recipe with everyone she knows. The cookie recipe spreads far and wide, becoming one of the earliest viral food stories long before the internet.

The truth? The story has been debunked, and Neiman Marcus eventually released an official (and very different) cookie recipe. But by then, this version had already taken on a life of its own, with Neiman Marcus being switched to Mrs. Fields.

What Makes Neiman Marcus Cookies Different?

What sets these cookies apart from classic chocolate chip cookies is the texture and flavor from two unique additions. The recipe calls for both finely ground oats (or oat flour) and grated milk chocolate, traditionally something like Hershey's.

• The ground oats give the cookies slightly heartier texture bakery-style chocolate chip cookie. High powered mixers and commercial oat flour have made it possible to grind the flour finer, but you have to be careful not to overdo it.
• The grated chocolate slightly melts into the dough, adding sweetness. It's very important that it is grated, not just chopped. A mistake I made early on was thinking I didn't need to use the grated chocolate or that I could use milk chocolate chips instead.

Ground Oats vs. Oat Flour (Easier Method)

Back when this recipe first started circulating, "ground oats" meant pulling out the food processor and grinding rolled oats into a coarse flour. Now that oat flour is easy to find, it's tempting to skip that step entirely. You can, but the texture will be different. I recommend sticking with home-ground oats. If you do use commercial oat flour, you'll most likely need less because it is so finely ground.

My Take on the Classic Recipe

Over the years, I've tested more than a few variations on this cookie, including swapping out the grated chocolate for things like butterscotch chips (which is actually really good). For this version, I focus on keeping the signature oat texture and sweet milk chocolate to stay true to the recipe.

Urban Legend Cookie Upgrades

But there are upgrades! Of course there are.

• Toast the oats before grinding for richer flavor. This is optional, but easy to do. Spread oats on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until fragrant. 350F for 6 to 8 minutes should get the job done.
• Use good quality salted butter like Land o' Lakes or Plugra. If you use unsalted butter, be sure to double the salt in the recipe.
• Try vanilla paste in place of vanilla extract for more flavor.
• The early versions call for a grated Hershey bar, meaning a giant one -- 8 oz. You can use Hershey's or try something like Tony's. Grating it is kind of a pain, so you may want to use the shredder/grater attachment of a food processor.
• For cookies that bend a little, use a parchment lined baking sheet and set it on a rimmed baking sheet or 9x13 inch pan so that there's a layer of air under it. After pulling the cookies from the oven, slide or remove parchment and let the cookies cool on the counter. That is, don't let them sit on the pan too long.

Giant and Mini Urban Legend Cookies

The regular urban legend or Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies weigh around 1.4 oz each, but you can double up the dough balls and make giant ones or divide each dough ball into 3 dough balls for mini cookies. For giant cookies, bake at 375F for 12 to 14 minutes. For mini cookies, bake at 300F for about 15 to 18 minutes. The lower temp helps them bake evenly, but you can play with the temperatures and bake hotter and faster if you like.

• Neiman Marcus Mocha Cookies
• Neiman Marcus Oatmeal Cookies
• Mini Urban Legend Cookies
• Easy Millionaire Pie Minis
• Neiman Marcus Bars aka Gooey Butter Bars

Recipe

(Not The) Neiman Marcus Cookies aka Urban Legend Cookies

Anna

This is the famous urban legend cookie attributed to Neiman Marcus. The key ingredients are ground oats and finely grated milk chocolate. Don't leave out the grated chocolate because it melts into the dough to add richness and sweetness.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 32 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 95 cookies

Ingredients

 

• 2 cups salted butter (456 grams)
• 2 cups granulated sugar (400 grams)
• 2 cups light brown sugar, packed (420 grams)
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 cups all-purpose flour (500 to 520 grams)
• 5 cups oats, ground to make 4 to 4 ½ cups oat flour (400 grams)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 24 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 8 ounces milk chocolate grated (such as Hershey's)
• 3 cups chopped nuts

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 375F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and creamy.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, ground oats (or oat flour), baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing just until combined.
• Stir in the chocolate chips, grated milk chocolate, and nuts (if using).
• Scoop dough into balls (medium size cookie scoop) and place on prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are golden and centers are just set. Do not overbake.
• Let cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Keyword $250 Cookies Recipe, Ground Oats Chocolate Chip Cookies, Neiman Marcus Cookies, Urban Legend Cookies

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