These gluten free Neiman Marcus cookies look and taste extra special, with a unique combination of chopped nuts and grated milk chocolate, plus some oat flour in the dough.
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I love a good urban myth. But whatever the origin on this recipe, these Neiman Marcus gluten free chocolate chip cookies are pret-ty delicious.
I love the flecks of chocolate the best, since they're what makes this cookie look truly unique. There is apparently a fair amount of disagreement about whether those belong in these mythical cookies. I tried them both with, and without. With is definitely superior.
I'm not usually one for packing a gluten free chocolate chip cookie with nuts, even though I love nuts, but I have to say that I rather enjoyed the nuts here. And of course, adding oat flour along with an all purpose gluten free flour is key.
*If you want to read the legend of the “Famous” Neiman Marcus $250 Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, scroll down to just above the recipe.
FAQs
Yes! I know it seems kind of annoying to have to chill, then grate, then chill the milk chocolate all over again. If you don't, the cookies taste like an unpleasant cross between a chocolate chip cookie and a double chocolate chip cookie. If you'd rather a unique, nutty chocolate chip cookie with oat flour added that doesn't call for chilling the dough, try our gluten free monster cookies.
Maybe! Well, it's probably a myth, but I'm sure many recipe origin stories we hear are, too.
Yes! If you have old fashioned rolled oats or quick oats, measure out 120 grams of them, then grind them into a flour. If you'd like an oat substitute, you may be able to use quinoa flakes, ground into a finer powder.
You want the chocolate flecks to maintain their separation and not just melt together. Oddly, the Neiman Marcus recipe on their website doesn't mention grated milk chocolate at all. Well, I think it totally makes the cookie.
The myth of the Neiman Marcus chocolate chip cookie recipe
As the story goes, a woman and her daughter had just finished their lunch at a Neiman Marcus cafe, including a chocolate chip cookie. The woman loved the cookies so much they asked for the recipe and was told it could only be had for a fee of “two-fifty.”
The woman and child agreed, only to later find out that it was $250, not $2.50. They complained to Neiman Marcus, and was told that they wished to keep the recipe rarefied, not available to all.
To fight back against the terribly snobbish Neiman Marcus, they shared the recipe far and wide. Neiman Marcus maintains that this story is simply untrue.
“Neiman Marcus $250” Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- Stand mixer or handheld mixer
Ingredients
- 3 ounces milk chocolate chilled until mostly frozen
- 1 cup (140 g) all purpose gluten free flour please click through for appropriate blends
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
- 1 cup (120 g) gluten free oat flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 4 ounces chopped raw nuts (I used peanuts, but almonds, pecans or walnuts all work well)
- 8 tablespoons (112 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (108 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg at room temperature, beaten
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon milk any kind, at room temperature (plus more if necessary by the teaspoon)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line rimmed baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper, and set them aside.
Prepare the chocolate.
- Using a standard grater or very sharp knife, grate or finely chop the cold milk chocolate into a bowl.
- Working with the chocolate when it’s cold makes it much easier to chop or grate it into pieces that don’t melt together.
- Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator to chill until you are ready to add the chocolate to the cookie dough.
Prepare the dry ingredients.
- In a medium-size bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, oat flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda, and whisk to combine well.
- In a separate, small bowl, place the chocolate chips and chopped nuts, and toss with 1 tablespoon of the dry ingredients.
- Set both bowls aside.
Prepare the cookie dough.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl with a handheld mixer), cream the butter on medium-high speed until it is light and fluffy.
- Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar, and then the egg and vanilla and beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is smooth and light.
- Add the dry ingredients and the milk, and mix on medium speed until just combined.
- If the dough is very, very stiff, add more milk by the teaspoon until it can be stirred without too much difficulty.
- Add the chocolate chips and nuts, and mix by hand until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Remove the grated/chopped chocolate from the refrigerator, uncover it, and fold it carefully into the cookie dough, taking care not to melt it.
Shape the cookie dough.
- Divide the dough into balls about 1 1/2-inches in diameter.
- With the bottom of a glass, press down the balls of dough into disks, and place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake the cookies.
- One baking sheet at a time, place in the center of the preheated oven and bake until just set (8 to 10 minutes).
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
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Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!
Melissa says
Best. Cookies. Ever!
Michelle B says
These are wonderful! When I used to make these, I just had the recipe without the grated chocolate, but it was very easy to grate the chocolate, and you are right- it makes the cookie. They are disappearing quickly around here!
Millie says
My grandmother made these when I was little and they were a family favorite. I loved watching her hand grind the oats with this old wheat grinder she had. My dad picked up the tradition (albeit using modern technology) when she died. I haven’t had one in 12 years (when I had to go GF in college). Can’t wait to make them!
Marie says
I just had to comment. Neiman Marcus, in my experience, is not a snobbish store. They are always friendly and helpful, even when they can tell I’m just window shopping. I believe it is we who are snobbish to NM, believing they think they are better than we! Anyway…Love the GF cookie recipe adaptation! And I agree! You can’t chill chocolate or unbaked chocolate chip cookies too much!
Lorna says
I’ve never been a huge fan of chocolate chip cookies….but whenever I made them I usually did the Neiman Marcus ones and just the other day I was thinking about them….you must have mental telepathy girl! You’re just always right on top of everything! Thanks a bunch….don’t know what I did without you!
Nicole Hunn says
Interesting, Lorna. I’m actually a very big ccc fan. Glad I hit your sweet spot, though! And I’m not going anywhere. :)
Carrie says
The heavens are aligned! I checked in today specifically looking for a chocolate chip cookie recipe! Can’t wait to try this one… thanks!
Nicole Hunn says
Awesome, Carrie! I have so many more gluten free chocolate chip recipes on the blog that it’s (almost) embarrassing. You might want to have a look at those too!
Gina says
Any substitute for the oats? I can’t even tolerate gf oats. :(
Nicole Hunn says
I’m afraid not that I know of, Gina. I have tons and tons more gluten free chocolate chip cookie recipes here on the site, though. Just click on the cookies category, and browse!
Katherine Chapman Colbert says
how about ground quinoa flakes?
Jennifer S. says
Yea! I’ve been waiting for these babies!! :)
Rosey says
Can’t wait to try this! It was on my cookie bucket list before I went GF. The NY Times Chocolate Chip Cookie is fabulous and yields a HUGE thick chewy cookie with a crisp edge. I would forever be in your debt if you could turn it GF.
Nicole Hunn says
You know, Rosey, that’s a great idea! On the list. :)
Bakem says
Before grinding the oats into flour, toast them in the oven at 350° for up to 15 minutes. Stir 7 minutes in and at about minute 12, watch to make sure not burn the oats. Ooh LA LA.
Nicole Hunn says
That sounds like a long time to bake oats at 350°F, Bakem!
Donia Robinson says
I’m Team Suburbs!!!
Nicole Hunn says
LOL, Donia. I hate the suburbs. My feeling is that they are built for the worship of small children, but as children age, they tend to be pretty toxic. But that’s just me. :)
Donia Robinson says
I kind of feel like America in general is like that these days. Today we are very child-centric, and 50 years ago children should be seen and not heard. I’d like to find the happy medium!
I grew up in the suburbs, though admittedly, the far suburbs. We lived on 5 acres of land, and it was by no means a farm or anything. But we had space to do whatever we wanted outdoors, and it was so much fun. I can’t imagine living packed into a city. But I’m glad we have options, since everyone is different!
Michelle B says
I also reluctantly live in a more suburban part of the city. There are a few benefits, but I miss living in our downtown area.
Jennifer S. says
I am also team suburbs – I grew up in super a rural area (lived on 200 acres and yes it was a farm). The suburbs are a good mix to me. Not too much city and not too much country.