Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies with a Twist

I still don't quite understand the urban myth around Neiman Marcus chocolate chip cookies, but they sure do taste good. I probably got this recipe after college and for a while it was my favorite way to make chocolate chip cookies. But then Cooks Illustrated came out with their Perfect Chocolate Chip cookies and they were my new favorite. I also love Dorie Greenspan's World Peace cookies, a chocolate chocolate chunk cookie variant. In my version of the Neiman Marcus cookie I have done the usual meddling, changing up the flours to add more nutrient density. If you want to take it further, I recommend substituting tahini for half of the butter.

Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies with a Twist

Adapted from the Neiman Marcus Cookbook

Makes 3 dozen cookies

1 cup flour (use Cup4Cup for a gluten-free version)

1/2 cup almond flour

1/4 cup teff flour 

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup butter at room temperature (1 stick) 

1 cup packed brown sugar

3 Tblsp granulated sugar

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp instant decaf coffee or espresso powder

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet)

In a large bowl whisk together the flours, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter until creamy, about 30 seconds. Add both sugars and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and mix again. Reduce speed to low and add the flour mixture gradually. Add the coffee powder and mix until just combined.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and add the chocolate chips, stirring to distribute evenly. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes or as long as overnight. 

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 300 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat mats. Form the dough into walnut-sized balls (the size of an unshelled walnut) and space them 2" apart on the baking sheets. Extra dough balls can be frozen in a ziplock bag and baked at another time.

Bake for 15 minutes, then tamp the bottoms of the cookie sheets on a countertop to flatten the the cookies. Bake another 5 minutes or until firm on the edges. Cool on a wire rack.