Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium to a large bowl and set aside.
Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Use the whisk attachment for this step and take your time here. I usually beat the butter and sugar for about 10 minutes in my stand mixer. You want the butter and sugar to become one.
Add the eggs one at a time to the butter and sugar mixture. Beat in each egg before adding the next.
Add the vanilla extract to the egg, butter, and sugar mixture. Beat to incorporate. Switch to the paddle attachment.
Add the flour mixture, gradually stirring until it is just incorporated. Use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on a low speed.
Stir in the chocolate chips. You can still use the mixer or fold them in by hand to keep the larger chocolate chunks from getting broken into smaller pieces.
Special instructions: You can bake these right now. But for best results, refrigerate the dough overnight and then let it come to room temperature before you bake. [Nerd Alert: Doing this allows the gluten in the dough to 'relax'. This is important if you have stirred it a lot after adding the flour. It helps you to avoid a 'tough' cookie. If you have been 'kind' to your dough, this is less critical. I try to be 'kind' so that I don't have to wait!]
Bake @ 350℉ for 12-14 minutes.
***Keep in mind that ovens vary so watch the first batch. You want them to be a nice golden brown. They will be pretty soft when you take them out of the oven. As they cool they become crispy on the outside and soft/chewy on the inside.
RECIPE TIPS
Recipe VariationsHere are few varieties to try when making this chocolate chip cookie recipe.