Take the butter and eggs out of the fridge and bring to room temp while you're reviewing the recipe and gathering your ingredients. NOTE: I only use really good quality butter and vanilla. It makes a difference. If you use salted butter, decrease the salt to 3/4 tsp. Low quality butter has a higher water content. It will really alter the dynamics of this recipe. Use the best quality you can find. Do not melt the butter. Do not use cold butter.

Cream sugar and butter in a mixing bowl

Add eggs and vanilla and stir to combine

Mix dry ingredients in separate bowl then add a 1/2 cup at a time to the wet ingredients.

Stir until just combined - do not overmix or cookies will be too cakey.

Add chocolate chips and stir to combine

Stir in pecans if you want

Scoop with 3/4 oz dough scoop onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets. If you don't have parchment paper that's ok. Don't grease the pan. Just scrape it clean after each batch.

OPTIONAL - instead of just plopping the cookie dough, once you scoop it, roll it lightly - don't compact the dough - in sugar then place on baking sheet

Refrigerate dough scoops for 20 minutes before baking

Bake at 375° for 12-15 minutes. Ovens vary. Watch and don't let them get too brown. For a cakier cookie, lower the temp to 350. Don't over cook or they will be dried out inside. This recipe will give you a crispy outside and a chewy inside.

Weird but essential tip: When you bring the baked cookies fresh from the oven, drop the cookie sheet lightly on your countertop - from about 4" up. I did this on accident once because the hotpad had a hole in it (ouch!!), but that happy accident became great tip! What happens is that it collapses the dough quickly and keeps the center a bit more soft. So cool! Speaking of cool...

Let the cookies cool down a bit....if you can wait! LOL! enjoy!!!