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Do you know about the infamous "$250 cookie recipe"? I recently came across an old copy of this recipe in my mom's recipe box. Along with the ingredients and procedure, it basically says "Mrs. Fields Cookies...$250.00 recipe - give to everyone".
Even though I had never seen this recipe before, I was pretty confident that I had NOT hit the "Motherload" for Mrs. Fields' secret recipe. Since this was my first encounter with the recipe, I did a quick internet search and found that this is a very popular recipe hoax, an urban legend that has been around for a very long time.
The Story Behind the Mrs. Fields Neiman Marcus $250 Urban Legend
Maybe you know of the $250 cookie recipe already, but just in case you live in a cookie jar like me, here's the scoop...
Based on some research, it seems there are several versions of this urban legend.
The original version seems to have evolved from a secret chocolate cake recipe about 50 years ago. Each version over the years has similar undertones.
Most of the tales involve a corporate conglomerate ripping off or duping some innocent patron whose only request was asking for a recipe. In all accounts, the requests were granted but not without asking for an unreasonable amount of money in exchange.
Feeling scathed in one way or another, the innocent patron gets revenge by recanting their tale of whoa, sharing the recipe, and then asking others to do the same.
The most current and probably, the most known version of this story is the Neiman Marcus, $ 250 cookie recipe.
In this version, a woman and her daughter were having lunch at Neiman Marcus and ordered a chocolate chip cookie for dessert.
The story goes that they loved the cookie so much, that the woman asked the waitress for the recipe. The waitress agreed and said it would cost "two fifty". Thinking the cost was $2.50, the woman requested to have the recipe put on her Neiman Marcus account.
Upon receipt of her monthly bill, the woman was surprised to see she had actually been charged $250.00 for the chocolate chip cookie recipe. She requested a refund but was told there was nothing she could do. She had to pay the outrageous bill.
In turn, to spite the department store, the woman shared the chocolate chip recipe in a chain letter. In the letter she shared her experience and urged anyone who received the letter, to pass it on.
URBAN LEGEND COOKIE TIPS AND TRICKS
- You can half this recipe and it will still make plenty
- Grind all the oatmeal into fine powder
- Optional: instead of grating, chop the chocolate bar in the mini processor until finely flaked
- Bake cookies on the middle rack
- Refrigerate the dough for about 30-40 minutes before baking
Whatever the story and whatever the version, I personally made these chocolate chip cookies and can say they were delicious! I do urge you to pass on this recipe but ONLY because I think it makes for one good cookie!
If you like baking you might also like these recipes:
Mrs. Fields Cookies - $250.00 Neiman Marcus Cookie
Ingredients
- 2 cups butter
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla
- 4 cups flour
- 5 cups oatmeal
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon bakng powder
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 24 oz chocolate chips
- 8 oz Hershey Chocolate Bar (grated)
- 3 cups chopped walnuts optional
Instructions
- Cream together the butter and both sugars. Then add the eggs and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, mix together flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, baking soda. Mix together all ingredients. Then add the chocolate chips, walnuts and grated chocolate bar. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until fully incorporated. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet. Make even golf size cookies and space them 2" apart. Put them into a 375 degree F preheated oven and bake for 6 minutes. This recipe should yield 112 cookies.
Notes
Mrs Fields Cookies - $250.00 Neiman Marcus Cookie
REFERENCES:
*Content in this recipe was updated from original post of August 24, 2013*
Kellie Rodgers says
So happy to find this recipe!!!! My late Gramma used to make these for us and they were the best chocolate chip cookies ever. I was sad when she passed and she didn’t have a chance to share it with me. Now I can make them and It’s just like she’s baking with me.
Tina DiLeo says
AWW! This is the most heart warming comment I've ever gotten. I'm so glad this recipe helps connect you with your Grandmother.Thank you for sharing this with me. Happy baking!
Barbara Mari says
I really hope this is the real Mrs. Field's cookie recipe. I've found 15 others online that all say they are the real thing. There's just a few differences in each recipe and also cook temperature varies from 300 to 375 degrees.
Tina DiLeo says
Hi! I am so sorry for the late response but I would love to know if you tried these and how did they turnout? All the best, Tina
Lorie Ensz says
Barbera, please remember to grind the oatmeal. But not all of it, Just 1/2 of it and leave the rest whole. Also remember to drop golf ball size spaced out drops. This makes soft chewy cookies. You can also vary this recipe, white chips with macadamia nuts, half and half White chips with candy cane chips for Christmas add favorite nuts or leave them out. I've also done oatmeal raisin with nuts or without. Mint chocolate chips with or without nuts. All these are done and they're good.
Lorie Ensz says
I used this recipe when baking for my church! Got rave reviews every time. Then I began a small BGMC's group and used this for our bake sales. Wow, did they go over good! Raised lots of money for missions with this recipe.
Lorie Ensz says
Barbera, please remember to grind the oatmeal. But not all of it, Just 1/2 of it and leave the rest whole. Also remember to drop golf ball size spaced out drops. This makes soft chewy cookies. You can also vary this recipe, white chips with macadamia nuts, half and half White chips with candy cane chips for Christmas add favorite nuts or leave them out. I've also done oatmeal raisin with nuts or without. Mint chocolate chips with or without nuts. All these are done and they're good.
Christian Schlegel says
I remember my mom making this recipe in the 1970s and it was fantastic. Thank you for sharing.
Tina DiLeo says
Aw. Love to hear comments like this. Thanks so much for visiting my blog. Happy Baking!
Joan Harrison says
My aunt sent me this recipe forever ago. It was not an urban legend, sadly. The gal at the next desk bought this recipe, not from Neiman but another store.
My aunt said she was madder than a wet hen when her card was charged. So..my aunt was gifted this recipe, and then was I. I can not tell you how many batches of these I have given away, but I can tell you that everyone LOVED them! From those with new babies, new neighbors, having stressed friends, and tucking them into my son's and husband's lunches.. These bring back such sweet memories..Oh the timer is going off!! Gotta go and take out another tray of them!
Can't wait to give these to my neighbors daughter before she goes to camp. Another memory in the making.
Tina DiLeo says
Oh boy! I would've been mad too. Well at least it makes a good cookie and a story to go with it. Thanks for sharing!
Grace says
Is the oatmeal regular or quick oats? Thank you!
Tina DiLeo says
Hi! Great question... I use Quaker Old Fashioned Oats.
Libby Prince says
Neiman Marcus cookie recipe doesnt have oats in it, that is Double Tree cookies, if you go to Neiman Marcus.com they give their recipe and it has espresso in it.
Tina DiLeo says
Interesting. The recipe I was handed down is about 40+ years old so I'm wondering if any of them have been modified since then. Thanks for your comment I love learning about all these old myths and urban legends.
Natasha says
Fantastic! A friends mum made these type of cookies and they were just the best- they are my daughters favourite so we have been looking for a similar recipe for years. These ones even smell the same! I only used half the choc chips because thats what i had on hand, and didn't add the grated choc either. They still came out amazing. Its worth making the whole recipe- they wont last long if you have kids in the house!
Thank-you so much for the recipe!
Tina DiLeo says
I'm so glad it worked out! Thanks so much for sharing!!
R. Auwae says
Usually baking recipes tell you to use unsalted butter so I did. The cookies turned out lacking any salty flavor at all and very bland. So, I would use salted butter if I tried it again. Also, on the last batch to go into the oven, I added peanut butter to try to up the flavor. It made a big difference in the outcome of the cookies, taking them way up in flavor. Overall, a good recipe.
Tina DiLeo says
Definitely going to try the peanut butter next time, such a great idea! Thanks for sharing and sorry for the late response.. comments were not working until now!