This is an Urban Legend... It originated at the inception of the internet. I read about it in an email and then called the Neiman Marcus store where the event supposedly occurred. They have never had a secret cookie recipe and they have never even had Neiman Marcus cookies they claim as their own. It is FALSE and it never was rumored to be a Mrs. Fields Cookie.

Here is the story:

Once upon a time in the restaurant of the Downtown Dallas Neiman Marcus. A daughter and a mother, well to do , enjoyed an afternoon of shopping and stopped into the restaurant in Neiman Marcus to end their lovely afternoon. After dining and laughing and having a very refreshing and filling meal, the two decided that dessert would be too much for each of them but they would like to share one of those delicious famous Neiman Marcus' Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Upon tasting the cookie, the mother said to the waitress that she would like to have the cookie recipe. The waitress asked, "May I place it on your charge?" the mother said how much is it?" and she replied, "250". The mother said, "That would be fine!" the daughter smiled and the mother smiled and as they were engaged in conversation did not look at the bill when she signed it for their lunch.

When the woman's Neiman-Marcus charge account cycled that month the she noticed the charge for $250.00 and called to dispute it.
The store, according to legend, would not refund this money because she had already seen their secret recipe and by no means would they allow her to simply,"have it!". The woman explained that the waitress had stated that the recipe was going to be a charge of "250" and that was, by no means, Two Hundred Fifty... The man on the other end of the line was emotionless, cold and unsympathetic about "her" misunderstanding. She was almost yelling now and said "I was tricked! I did not misunderstand and I am going to take legal steps to recover my money!" Even though she was well to do she still was appalled and it was the principle of the thing that she objected to.

The man further explained that it is the responsibility of each patron to check their charge amount before they sign the bill.

She told them she would get even with them by going to the attorney general and the man stated, "That would be fine."

Steaming from the conversation and the wall she hit with Neiman's accounting department she thought about how she could get even... This is the email I received:

" Since I have so generously purchased the recipe of Chocolate Chip Cookies from the Neiman Marcus Department Store for 250, aka Two hundred fifty dollars, I want the good people of the world to have, use and enjoy the "secret" recipe of these wonderful cookies. I want each of you to pass it on and to make them for as many people as possible and give this recipe as a gift with each cookie. Please, please pass it on to everyone you know. I do not want Neiman- Marcus to ever get another cent for this recipe. Please remember this is not a joke, Pass it on and Pass it on and Pass it on to generation after generation, friend to friend, PTA to PTA and RIDE FREE CITIZENS.... I have already paid the toll! Let the SECRET be NO MORE!!!
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I don't want to be a know it all but I printed this and it came to my email in 1996. I have the original copy! The recipe makes a great and healthy cookie if you follow the instructions below. It is one of my families and friends favorites!!!!

Here are the recipe instructions:

1- Measure Oatmeal and blend in food chopper or food processor grinding to a fine powder. Set this aside. It will now measure about 6 cups, this is the right amount.

In a Kitchen Aid Mixer, or something substantial like that type mixer...
2- Cream butter and both sugars until creamy smooth. Next Add eggs and vanilla. Mix in salt, baking powder and soda. Then add Hershey bar(ground up) and nuts.

3- Add flour and oatmeal... This will make a very stiff dough for a hand mixer (Burns it up)....so instead transfer mixture to a large stainless steel or Tupperware bowl.

4- Then combine the oatmeal and flour together and add to mixture by using your hands, wooden spoon or a Cast iron spoon is the stiffest.

**Do not over mix as that flattens the cookies badly when they bake. Just mix until barely combined. Makes them so delicious, light and fluffy. Instead of hard dunkers.

5- Roll into balls and may press them down a bit with a floured glass (try a test cookie to see if needed)

6- Place rolled balls two inches apart on cookie sheets

7- Bake for 10 minutes at 375* Adjust time, these cookies have to adjust to your timing for your oven. Bake a few the first recipe and see how you like them to turn out, ooey gooey or crisp and dunkie.
Makes 112 cookies.

Enjoy~~~
... and remember, "RIDE FREE CITIZENS! I've already paid the toll!!!" (giggling)