Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup chocolate chips or chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until creamy and well combined.
  3. Mix in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add this mixture to the wet ingredients while mixing on low speed until just combined.
  5. If using chocolate chips or nuts, fold them into the dough gently using a spatula.
  6. Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop rounded balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
  7. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to12 minutes or until edges are lightly golden but centers are still soft—this ensures that they will remain chewy after cooling.
  8. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheets for about5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.