Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats to prevent sticking.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, and ½ tsp salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, and ½ cup brown sugar until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).

Add 2 large eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Stir in 2 tsp vanilla extract until fully combined.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix!

Fold in 1 ½ cups chocolate chips (or your chosen mix-ins) until evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion the dough into balls (about 2 tablespoons each).

Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie to allow for spreading.

Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden but the centers are still soft.

Pro Tip: For extra gooey cookies, slightly underbake them by removing them at the 10-minute mark.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve warm with a glass of milk or store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

If you’re not baking all the dough at once, scoop the remaining dough into balls and freeze them on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer-safe bag. You can bake them straight from the freezer—just add 1-2 extra minutes to the baking time!