Cream the butter and sugars: Add the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar to a large bowl. Beat until the mixture is light, creamy, and smooth.
Add the eggs and vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and mix until evenly combined.
Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Combine the dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix just until the flour disappears. Avoid overmixing.
Fold in the chocolate chips: Add the semi-sweet chocolate chips and gently fold them through the dough so they are evenly distributed.
Chill if needed: If the dough feels unusually soft or sticky, chill it for 20–30 minutes before baking. This can make the dough easier to scoop and handle.
Prepare the baking sheet: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop the dough into roughly equal portions, leaving enough space between cookies for them to spread.
Bake the cookies: Bake at 350°F for 9–12 minutes, watching the edges closely. The edges should be lightly golden while the centers can still look slightly soft.
Let the cookies rest: Leave the baked cookies on the hot baking sheet for about 5 minutes. They will continue setting during this short cooling period.
Cool completely: Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and allow them to cool before serving.
