$250 Cookie Recipe

“In the 1990’s an email chain letter swept the internet. Since then it has been debunked, but it is a fun story and an interesting cookie in any case.” – April Ferre

True Story – My daughter and I had finished a salad at the Neiman-Marcus Cafe in Dallas and decided to have a small desert. Because our family members are such “Cookie Monsters”, we decided to try the Neiman-Marcus Cookie. It was so good that I asked if they would give me the recipe. The waitress said with a frown, “I’m afraid not”. “Well”, I said, “Would you let me buy the recipe?” With a cute smile, she agreed. 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 statement from Neiman-Marcus and it was $285.00. I looked again and remembered I had only spent $9.95 for two salads and about $20 for a scarf. As I glanced at the bottom of the statement it said “Cookie Recipe – $250”. Boy was I upset! I called Neiman’s accounting office and told them the waitress said it was “two fifty” and did not realize she meant $250 for a cookie recipe. I asked them to take back the recipe and reduce my bill, but they said they were sorry, but all the recipes were this expensive so that not just anyone could duplicate the bakery recipes … the bill would stand.

I thought of how I could get even or try to get my money back. I just said okay, you folks got my $250 and now I’m going to have $250 worth of fun. I told her that I was going to see to it that every cookie lover would have the $250 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 can get even and I will.” So here it is, please pass it on to someone else or run a few copies … I paid for it, now you can have it for free!!!

$250 Cookie Recipe

Course: Cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 Cups Butter
  • 2 Cups Sugar
  • 2 Cups Brown Sugar
  • 4 Eggs
  • 2 Teaspoons Vanilla
  • 4 Cups Flour
  • 5 Cups Oatmeal Blended
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
  • 24 Ounces Chocolate Chips
  • 1 8-Ounce Hershey Bar Grated
  • 3 Cups Nuts Chopped

Instructions

  • Measure oatmeal and blend in a blender to a fine powder.
  • Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla.
  • Mix together flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture.
  • Add chocolate chips, Hershey bar and nuts.
  • Roll into balls and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes 112 cookies (recipe may be halved).

2001 Recipe – Susan Johnson