1-First Step: Preparation and Mise en Place Before you touch any ingredients, prepare your workspace. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This prevents sticking and makes cleanup easy. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. This step aerates the dry ingredients and ensures the leavening is evenly distributed. Set this mixture aside. It is crucial to have your oven fully preheated before the dough goes in, so the cookies start baking immediately and set their structure.

2-Second Step: Creaming the Butter and Sugars In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together. You want to beat this mixture on medium speed for about 2 to 3 minutes until it is pale yellow and fluffy. This process incorporates air into the dough, which helps make the cookies light. If the butter is too cold, it will not cream well; if it is too hot, the cookies will spread too much. Room temperature butter is the key to success here. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to make sure everything is mixed evenly.

3-Third Step: Adding Wet Ingredients Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Beat on medium speed for another minute until the egg is fully incorporated. The mixture should look glossy and smooth. Take care not to overbeat at this stage, as too much air can cause the cookies to puff up and then collapse in the oven. Once the wet ingredients are combined, turn the mixer to low speed. Gradually add the dry flour mixture. Mix only until you no longer see streaks of white flour. Overmixing develops too much gluten, which can make your cookies tough instead of tender.

4-Fourth Step: Incorporating the Chocolate Chips Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using a sturdy spatula or wooden spoon, fold in the chocolate chips by hand. This ensures you do not break the chips or overwork the dough. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky. Now is the perfect time to choose your cookie scoops. If you like smaller, bite-sized cookies, grab the 1 tbsp cookie scoop. For a more traditional size, use the 2 tbsp cookie scoop. Both sizes will bake beautifully.

5-Fifth Step: Scooping and Shaping This is where your tools shine. Load the baking scoop by pressing it firmly into the dough. Do not be afraid to heap it slightly over the top. Scrape the excess against the side of the bowl to level it off. Hold the scoop over your prepared baking sheet and squeeze the trigger. A perfect ball of dough will drop onto the paper. Repeat this process, spacing the balls about 2 inches apart to allow room for spreading. If you are making the smaller size, you can fit more cookies on the tray.

6-Final Step: Baking and Cooling Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven. If you cannot fit both trays on one rack, bake them one at a time. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes for the smaller scoops, or 11 to 13 minutes for the larger ones. You know they are done when the edges are golden brown but the centers still look slightly soft. They will continue to cook on the hot pan. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. This step is vital for achieving a chewy texture.