Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract until the wet ingredients are fully combined.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt to combine the dry ingredients evenly.
Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet butter and sugar mixture, mixing on low speed just until no streaks of flour remain, being careful not to overmix.
Use a rubber spatula to fold in the chocolate chips and chopped nuts, if using, until they are evenly distributed throughout the cookie dough.
Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers appear set. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
