This story may well be an Urban Legend, but i'm not sure. My niece sent me this from California and perhaps some of you have received this already..?

Neiman Marcus Cookie Recipe

My daughter and I had just finished a salad at a
Neiman-Marcus Cafe in Dallas and decided to have a small dessert. Because both of us are such cookie lovers, we decided to try the "Neiman-Marcus cookie."
It was so excellent that I asked if they would give me the recipe and the waitress said with a small frown, "I'm afraid not but, you can buy the recipe."

Well, I asked how much, and she responded, "Only two fifty, it's a great deal!" I agreed with approval, just add it to my tab I told her.

Thirty days later, I received my VISA statement and it is $285.00. I looked again and I remembered I had only spent $9.95 for two salads and about $20.00 for a scarf. As I glanced at the bottom of the statement, it said, "Cookie Recipe - $250.00" That was outrageous!

I called Neiman's Accounting Dept. and told them the waitress said it was "two-fifty," which clearly does not mean "two hundred and fifty dollars" by any *POSSIBLE* interpretation of the phrase.

Neiman-Marcus refused to budge. They would not > refund my money, because according to them, "What the waitress told you is not our problem. You have already seen the recipe. We absolutely will not refund you money at this point."

I explained to her the criminal statues, which govern fraud in Texas. I threatened to refer them to the Better Business Bureau and the State Attorney General Office for engaging in fraud. I was basically told, "Do what you want, it doesn't matter, we're not refunding your money."

I waited, thinking of how I could get even, or even try and get any of my money back. I just said, "Okay, you folks got my $250, and now I'm going to have $250.00 worth of fun."

I told her that I was going to see to it that every Cookie lover in the United States with an e-mail account has a $250.00 cookie recipe from Neiman-Marcus...for free. She replied, "I wish you wouldn't do this." I said, "Well, you should have thought of that before you ripped me off," and slammed down the phone on her.

So here it is!!! Please, please, pass it on to
everyone you can possibly think of. I paid $250 for this...I don't want Neiman-Marcus to *ever* get another cent for this recipe.

NEIMAN MARCUS COOKIES
(Recipe may be halved)

2 cups butter
4 cups flour
2 tsp. soda
2 cups sugar
5 cups blended oatmeal ***
24 oz. chocolate chips
2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 8 oz. Hershey Bar (grated)
4 eggs
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups chopped nuts (your choice)

*** Measure oatmeal and blend in a blender to a fine powder.
* Cream the butter and both sugars.
* Add eggs and vanilla, mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda.
* 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.

PLEASE SEND TO EVERY PERSON YOU KNOW WHO HAS AN
E-MAIL ADDRESS. THESE COOKIES ARE TOTALLY DIVINE! ENJOY! ! !

I have no idea as to the validity of this recipe, but I got it for free, so maybe someone could try it and let me know if it works..?

Haha, i've been had !!!

This is what Snopes had to say on the subject:

quote:

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Claim: Neiman-Marcus charged a shopper $250 for its cookie recipe, not the $2.50 the woman had been expecting to pay. As revenge on the store for refusing to reverse the charge, she now provides the recipe for free and exhorts others to pass it along.
Status: False.

Origins: What we have here is a golden oldie of an urban legend, one second in tenacity only to Craig Shergold's request for business cards. It's the ultimate "strike a blow for the little guy," and in that lies its appeal. That by forwarding it on, we can be armchair heroes.

Though its present incarnation casts Neiman-Marcus as the bad guy, this legend has been around for at least 50 years, and it's been told of various companies (and various confections) during its long history.

---

Oh well. I wonder if the recipe works anyway..?

Glad you found the Snopes link - I was just about to send it to you!

I've never made the cookies, but I've heard people say they have. What I've heard is that they are mediocre at best. That you're better off going with the traditional Toll House recipe.

I should change this to my signature as I use it so often ... Don't let the facts get in the way of a good story.

I've always meant to try this recipe but I haven't thanks for telling us they aren't that great Linda, you just saved me time in the kitchen.

This one has been a hoax for years. There is a variation with a red velvet cake recipe instead of the cookie recipe. Don't try the recipe, it's so messy. Everything turns red, it's a nightmare.

OH my gosh. I make those cookies every year for Christmas for my family and friends. I personally think they are the best!

Crashy, if you make them every year and everyone loves 'em, carry on! The ingredients sound legit and in the right proportions, obviously, since you have made them and they turn out great. The only thing that looked a little odd to me was blending the oatmeal to a powder. I don't think I'd do that. I was going to try this recipe sometime over the weekend just to see how it turned out, but you've saved me the trouble. Thanks!

I apologise to all who posted here, I haven't checked to see your responses - we went away for the weekend and when I came back, I just didn't check.

Crashy, Jubjub is right, - at least we know that it works - keep making them. Linda1, Indiequeen, maybe you could make it after all ..?!!!

Copago, you are so right, why let facts get in the way of a good story - hehehe !