BLACK CAT BAKERY

As human beings, we constantly find ourselves searching for the next best thing. What is going to be that one thing that will give us a leg up against the competition? A new high-tech cell phone? The newest, most fashionable clothes? The latest software and design programs? For bakers, we are constantly on the look-out for the ultimate recipe; the ultimate cinnamon roll recipe, the ultimate puff pastry recipe and, of course, the ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Chocolate chip cookies have been around for decades, since 1930 actually. Cocoa powder, macadamia nuts, peanut butter chips, pistachios, white chocolate chips, dried fruits and various spices, have all at one point been added to this simple drop cookie. There has to be about a million different variations of just this one recipe. So, who has the best recipe? Neiman Marcus.

About 16 years ago, several friends of my grandmother were at Neiman Marcus in Chicago for lunch (Neiman Marcus is a luxury retail department store). The ladies were completely enamored with the restaurant's simple but elegant chocolate chip cookies. They were determined to get the recipe. They pleaded with the Chef but he refused to part with the recipe unless they paid for it; nothing short of an arm or a leg. So, they pulled what money they had together and, at the end of the day, managed to walk away with the recipe they so desperately needed. In time, they made copies and gave it to their friends, who then made more copies and gave it to their friends. Eventually, my mother received a copy from my grandmother.

Today, for my Mother's birthday, I baked her the Neiman Marcus Cookies- the best chocolate chip cookie recipe in the world. What else could a mother ask for, really?

Neiman Marcus Cookies
(Courtesy of Neiman Marcus)

1 cup softened Butter
1 cup Sugar
1 cup packed Brown Sugar
2 room-temperature Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
2 cups Flour
2 1/2 cups ground Oatmeal (see note)
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
12 oz. Chocolate Chips
4 oz. shredded Hershey Bar
1 1/2 cups chopped Pecans

Cream the butter and both sugars together. Add in the eggs and vanilla. Mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Mix well. (Note- measure 2 1/2 cups of the oatmeal and then grind it in a blender or food processor until it becomes a fine powder.)

Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips, shredded chocolate bits and chopped pecans.

Roll the dough into balls about the size of a walnut and place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for 9-12 minutes. Makes 100 cookies.

Let the cookies sit 2-3 minutes, after taking them out of the oven, before transferring them to a wire rack.