Neiman Marcus Cookies (Easy Recipe)

Neiman Marcus cookies are chunky, chewy, and crazy-delicious. They're also overloaded with chocolate chips, chocolate shavings, and chopped nuts!

There’s a reason why these cookies are such a hit. I mean, just look at them – what a thing of beauty, amirite?

These babies are tall and thick with wonderfully crisp edges and super chewy and buttery centers.

If you want to jazz up your chocolate chip cookie game, these Neiman Marcus cookies are a must-try!

Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

The cafe’s signature cookie has an oat-based dough flavored with grated chocolate, mixed with all kinds of chocolate chips and chopped nuts.

According to legend, one woman loved them so much, she asked her waitress for the recipe.

The waitress agreed to share it for “two-fifty.”

But to the customer’s surprise, her credit card was charged $250 for the recipe! Apparently, she was so mad, she shared the recipe with everyone she met out of spite.

Years later, Neiman Marcus debunked the myth and shared the recipe for free. 

Ingredients

Every ounce of these cookies explodes with flavor. I mean, check out this recipe list! They have everything. And I couldn’t be happier. 

• Oatmeal. Blended oatmeal, to be exact. This is the secret ingredient and why these cookies are extra chewy! You can use steel-cut, whole, or quick-cooking oats. 

• Flour. It makes up the base of the dough. Use all-purpose flour for chewy cookies with a tender crumb.

• Baking soda and baking powder. The leavening agents make the cookies nice and tall.

• Salt. A bit of saltiness to contrast the sugars and chocolate. Don’t skip this ingredient, otherwise, the cookies will be cloyingly sweet. I also recommend sprinkling some sea salt over them before baking.

• Butter. Adding butter delivers nutty, rich flavors. And it also makes them oh-so-tender and chewy. 

• White and brown sugar. This dynamic duo yields the best cookie flavor and texture. Brown sugar is sweeter and contains molasses, which gives the cookies a deep, almost caramelized flavor and a chewy texture.

• Eggs. They bind the rest of the ingredients together. Use room-temperature eggs so they incorporate easily with the rest of the ingredients. 

• Vanilla. The classic flavor enhancer. Always use good-quality vanilla for the best results – extract or paste, please!

• Chocolate chips. There’s no rule about the kind of chocolate chips that should go into these cookies. Stick to one kind or mix and match – let your taste buds decide!

• Hershey's Bar. Real candy bars give these cookies a perfectly chocolatey sweetness. And a burst of nostalgia, too. 

• Chopped nuts. Walnuts, almonds, peanuts, macadamias – take your pick. 

Tips for the Best Neiman Marcus Cookies

Ready for your cookies to be the life of the party? Make sure you check out these quick tips and tricks below. 

• Measure the flour accurately. Don’t just scoop the flour using your measuring cup and call it a day! That’ll give you more flour than you need, which will yield dense and doughy cookies. Instead, transfer the flour into the measuring cup using a spoon. 

• Test your rising agents. If they are on the brink of expiration, your cookies will fall flat. Drop a teaspoon of baking powder and baking soda in a bowl of warm water and vinegar. You’ll know they’re potent when the solutions foam up upon contact.

• Use unsalted butter. It allows you to control the amount of sodium that goes into your cookies. If all you have is salted butter, that’s okay too, but just skip the salt in the recipe.

• Cream the butter and sugar. Creaming the butter and sugars is essential as it incorporates air into the mixture. It will make the cookies super light and airy, not heavy and dense. You’ll know the mixture is ready once it turns smooth, fluffy, and lighter in color.

• Slowly add eggs. Add the eggs one at a time. If you mix them all at once, it will throw off the texture. The best way to do it is to add one at a time and beat for 10 to 15 seconds after each addition.

• Chill the dough. While it’s technically not required, I highly recommend you chill the dough before you bake it. It makes a world of difference both in flavor and texture. Give it at least 20 minutes to rest in the freezer, but better if overnight.

• Avoid overbrowning. We all know that underbaked cookies are better than overbaked! You’ll know the cookies are done once the edges have turned golden. The middle will still look a bit raw, but that’s fine as they’ll continue to cook and set as they cook.

Cookie Mix-Ins

As if these cookies aren’t loaded enough, here are even more mix-ins you can add to make them all the more scrumptious:

• Toffee bits. Perfect if you’re a lover of the sweet and salty flavor profile. Butterscotch or caramel chips work really well, too. 

• Get saucy. Drizzle the baked cookies with white chocolate or berry sauce. Besides the added flavor, it also makes the cookies even more Insta-worthy.

• More candy! Reeses Pieces or chopped peanut butter cups. Enough said.

• Chopped up Oreos. Or you know what, just place a whole Mini-Oreo right into the middle of each cookie dough. 

• Dried fruit. I like cranberries because they add a tart kick. But you can use any dried fruit you like, like blueberries or strawberries. 

How to Store Neiman Marcus Cookies

This recipe makes a HUGE batch so no matter how addictive they are, leftovers are inevitable. Here are some quick tips on what to do with all those leftover cookies. 

• To store. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container and leave them at room temperature for up to 3 days. They will keep in the fridge for up to 7 days. 

• To freeze. Place cooled cookies in a freezer-safe bag. Make sure to place parchment paper between each cookie to prevent sticking. They will stay fresh for up to three months. 

• To reheat. Warm cookies always trump cold cookies. To gently warm cookies, microwave them for 10 seconds. They’ll taste like they just came out of the oven!

How to Freeze Cookie Dough

You don’t have to bake all 96 cookies on the same day! Just store the rest of the cookie dough balls in the freezer for another day.

Here’s how you do it:

1. Prepare dough. Roll the cookie dough into balls and arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet.

2. Flash-freeze. Freeze the balls for 1-2 hours, or until frozen solid.

3. Final-freeze. Transfer them into freezer-safe bags and freeze them for up to 6 months. Be sure to squeeze out as much excess air in the bag to prevent freezer burn.

No need to defrost the balls beforehand, either! Just add 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time and you’re good.

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