Neiman Marcus $250 Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Stand mixer with paddle attachment
• •Blender or food processor
• •Cookie scoop (1 1/2 tablespoon size)
• •Rimmed baking sheets
• •Wire cooling racks

Instructions

1. 1

   Blend the oats

   Place the rolled oats in a blender or food processor and pulse until they become a fine powder, about 30 seconds. You're not making flour here. You want a sandy texture with no visible flakes remaining. This is what gives these cookies their distinctive tender crumb.

   Old-fashioned oats work better than quick oats. The larger flakes blend more evenly and contribute more flavor.
2. 2

   Combine dry ingredients

   In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, blended oat powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until thoroughly combined. No streaks, no lumps. Set aside.

3. 3

   Cream butter and sugars

   In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter with both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl halfway through. The mixture should look pale and hold soft peaks when you lift the paddle. This aeration is essential for the cookie's texture.

   Butter should be 65-68°F. Too soft and it won't cream properly. Too cold and you'll struggle to incorporate air.
4. 4

   Add eggs and vanilla

   Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and mix until combined. The batter may look slightly curdled at this point. That's fine. It will come together.

5. 5

   Incorporate dry ingredients

   Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing just until the flour disappears. Stop the moment you no longer see streaks. Overmixing develops gluten and creates tough cookies. The dough will be thick and somewhat sandy feeling from the oat powder.

6. 6

   Fold in chocolate and nuts

   Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using a sturdy wooden spoon or spatula, fold in the chocolate chips, grated chocolate bar, and walnuts by hand. Distribute them evenly throughout the dough. The grated chocolate will seem to disappear into the dough. That's exactly right. It will melt during baking to create chocolate flavor throughout, while the chips remain as distinct pockets.

7. 7

   Chill the dough

   Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 72 hours. Cold dough spreads less, bakes more evenly, and develops deeper flavor as the oats hydrate. Don't skip this step.

   For the best flavor, let the dough rest 24-48 hours. The sugars dissolve, the oats fully hydrate, and the cookies develop a more complex, almost toffee-like taste.
8. 8

   Preheat and prepare

   Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven and preheat to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Let the dough sit at room temperature for 10 minutes if very firm from refrigeration.

9. 9

   Portion the dough

   Roll dough into balls slightly smaller than golf balls, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. A cookie scoop makes this faster and ensures even sizing. Place them 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. These cookies spread, so don't crowd them.

10. 10

    Bake until golden

    Bake for 9-11 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back at the halfway point. The cookies are done when the edges are golden brown but the centers still look slightly underdone and puffy. They'll continue cooking on the hot pan. Pull them at 9 minutes for soft and chewy, 11 minutes for crisp edges with tender centers.

    If baking one sheet at a time, use the center rack and reduce time by about a minute.
11. 11

    Cool properly

    Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. They're fragile when hot. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The texture transforms as they cool: from soft and almost underbaked-feeling to perfectly chewy with a slight snap at the edge. Don't taste them until they've rested at least 10 minutes or you'll misjudge them.

Chef Tips

• •The grated chocolate is not negotiable. It creates a chocolate presence that permeates the entire cookie, distinct from the pockets of chips. Use whatever milk chocolate bar you enjoy eating out of hand.
• •Toast the walnuts in a 350°F oven for 8-10 minutes before adding them to the dough. The flavor improvement is substantial. Let them cool completely before folding in.
• •For bakery-style presentation, press a few extra chocolate chips onto the tops of the dough balls before baking. They'll crack beautifully as the cookies spread.
• •If you object to walnuts, pecans are a worthy substitute. Leave nuts out entirely if you must, but know you're losing a textural element that makes these cookies memorable.
• •Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The oat powder keeps them moist longer than standard chocolate chip cookies.

Advance Preparation

• •Dough can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours before baking. Flavor actually improves with time.
• •Portioned dough balls freeze beautifully. Arrange on a sheet pan, freeze solid, then transfer to freezer bags. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the bake time.
• •Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in a 300°F oven to refresh.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 cookie (about 35g)