A holiday cookie exchange is the ideal way at the holidays to reconnect with friends while stocking up on your own buffet of cookies! While I’ve hosted many exchanges, large and small, over the years, I think there are only a few guidelines to hosting the best cookie exchange. However, if you want the real lowdown on how to hand to do it by the book I suggest you the official website for cookie exchanges.
Unfortunately, as busy as many of my friends are, we decided to host an online cookie exchange featuring the tastiest recipes from some of the best bloggers in Dallas.
Since I am talking Dallas, you have to include the infamous Neiman Marcus cookie. If you’ve ever heard the myth, there was a woman who ate lunch at one of Dallas’ legendary luxury retailer. She enjoyed eating the cookie so much, she asked for the recipe. However, when she finally got her credit card bill that month she saw she had been charged $250 for the recipe. So out of revenge, she shared the recipe with everyone.
Neiman Marcus says it didn’t happen, however, the folklore is so popular, even they have put the story on their website. Funny enough I’ve actually come across multiple recipes for “the official” NM cookie recipe. However, I’ve tracked down the real one recipe – at least the one that NM claims to be the original. While basically a chocolate chip cookie recipe, it’s the special espresso powder that really give it the special something that makes you understand why you’d also pay $250 for a recipe…
Neiman Marcus Cookies {Real Recipe}
- Yield: 2 dozen cookies 1x
Description
Whether or not the story of this recipe is true or not, the recipe is the real deal. While you can make modifications, start with this recipe for the best cookies. Ever. At least worth $250. (Thanks to the Neiman Marcus for the recipe! http://www.neimanmarcuscareers.com/index.shtml)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter (one stick), softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 egg, large
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 3/4 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, semi-sweet or darker
- 1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cream the butter with the sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy (approximately 30 seconds). Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract for another 30 seconds.
- In a mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients and beat into the butter mixture at low speed for about 15 seconds. Stir in the espresso coffee powder and chocolate chips. Using a 1-ounce scoop or 2-tablespoon measure, drop cookie dough onto a greased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart.
- Gently press down on the dough with the back of a spoon to spread out into a 2-inch circle. Bake for about 20 minutes or until nicely browned around the edges. Bake a little longer for a crispier cookie. – See more at: http://goodtaste.tv/recipes/showrecipe/display/neimans-authentic-chocolate-chip-cookie#sthash.I0XA6sMC.dpuf
Dallas Blogger Cookie Exchange Recipes
Julie Grimmett | Julie is Coco and Cocoa
Valerie Preston | Family eGuide
Shannon Schmid | Milk and Cuddles
Becky Moseley | Tales of Beauty for Ashes
Teia Collier | TeiaCollier.com
Betsy Segars | Lipstick & Highheels
Tammy Litke | Three Different Directions
What’s your favorite holiday cookie?
Thank you again Autumn for doing this awesome virtual cookie exchange. I sure hope GMT enjoyed them. It was nice to see them all on TV this morning. Well done girl!!! Enjoy!
I adore cookies — thank you for hosting!
Normally I really like peanut butter cookies, but the snowball cookies look yummy too!! I like things that aren’t too overly sweet.