Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 12oz. bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, sugar, white sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Beat at medium speed until fluffy. Add the eggs, and beat until mixed.

Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, beat at low speed on your mixer until a soft dough forms. Add the chocolate chips, and the nuts, if using. Beat at low speed until the chips are distributed evenly throughout the dough.

Drop the dough by heaping teaspoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 9-11 minutes.

Transfer the cookies from the cookie sheet to a cooling rack, and allow to cool completely before storing.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

For variety, you may want to substitute peanut butter chips for the chocolate chips, or use half chocolate and half peanut butter chips. You can also add raisins, if you like.