Preheat the Oven

Set your oven to 350°F. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper (trust me, this makes cleanup a breeze).

Mix the Dry Ingredients

Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon into a mixing bowl and keep aside.

Cream the Butter and Sugars

Into a substantial bowl, cream together the dark brown sugar and the granulated sugar with the butter until the mixture is fluffy. This is the essential step for the chewy texture!

Add the Eggs and Vanilla

Crack in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Be careful not to overmix—nobody wants tough cookies!

Fold in the Chocolate Chips (and Walnuts)

If you are using them, mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts. I mean, for real, the nuts really stack on top of each other in great crunch, but don’t worry if they aren’t your thing.

Scoop and Bake

Drop the dough portions onto your prepared baking sheets using a cookie scoop (or you can eyeball the cookie size). The spaces between the dough can be about 2 inches wide. Bake them at 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.

Cool and Enjoy

Let the cookies cool on the pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Then, grab a few (one or three) and dig in.