Neiman Marcus Cookies

There are very few cookies I have met and didn’t like.  Nuts, fruit, crunchy, chewy, I love them all.  Raisins?  Bleh.  I think this has to do with the fact that my mom always put raisins in my lunch and I never liked eating them, but if I wanted dessert later, then I had to.  Others have told me I am missing out, but I don’t think so.

These cookies don’t have raisins.  They have chocolate chips.  And nuts.  And oatmeal.  All wonderfully combined.   If you don’t like nuts (are you nuts?? okay, that terrible pun was for you hubby), you can add different flavor chips, or more of the same.

Whenever I make cookies, I make a double batch.  I freeze most of the dough and bake just a dozen.  Cookies freeze really well.  This cookie recipe makes a HUGE batch.  In fact, I pulled out my industrial-size mixer, (see post here), so it could process all the dough.  If you don’t have a mixer large enough, you can always halve the recipe.  After all, it does make 112 cookies, according to my aunt.  (Although I did not officially count my batch. I just had three freezer bags full of dough, so she’s probably right.)

The women teachers at my school all went on a retreat last weekend to the beach.  I brought these.  They.were.devoured.  Make them today and treat yourself…and your friends and family.  Enjoy! xoxo

Neiman Marcus Cookies

print recipe here

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes (plus more if you bake more than one batch)

Serves: 112 cookies

2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 c sugar

2 c packed brown sugar

4 eggs

2 t vanilla

4 c flour

5 c oatmeal

1 1/2 t kosher salt

2 t baking soda

2 t baking soda

4 c chocolate chips

3 cups pecan halves

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 7-8 minutes.  Remove and let cool.  When completely cool, place on a cutting board and roughly chop so pieces are smaller.

While the pecans toast, place the oatmeal in a food processor or blender.  Blend until the oatmeal becomes a fine powder.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter.  Add sugars and cream until mixture is light and fluffy.  Scrape down the bowl and mix a little more.  Add eggs and vanilla, mixing until eggs are fully incorporated.  In a separate, large bowl, combine the blended oatmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda using a rubber spatula.  Slowly add 1/3 of the mixture to the creamed mixture.  Using the mixer, blend until combined.  Add the next 1/3 of the mixture and mix again.  Add the last of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

Add the nuts and chocolate chips and mix by hand.  (You don’t want the mixer to chop the chocolate chips.)  Drop by the rounded spoonful onto a greased cookie sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Cool on wire rack.  Store in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.

Recipe Source: adapted slightly from my Aunt Kathy