First things first: preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). A preheated oven ensures that your cookies bake evenly and get that perfect golden-brown color on the edges.

In a large mixing bowl, add your softened butter and granulated sugar. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat them together until light, fluffy, and smooth. This step is crucial because it helps to incorporate air into the dough, giving your cookies that light and airy texture.

Next, add your eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Then, pour in the vanilla extract. Keep mixing until everything is well combined. This creates the perfect base for your dough.

In a separate bowl, whisk together your flour and baking soda. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed to prevent flour from flying everywhere. Continue until all the flour is incorporated, and you have a thick, slightly sticky dough.

Now, the fun part—add in your chocolate chips! Fold them into the dough with a spatula or spoon. This ensures the chips are evenly distributed without overmixing the dough, which could make your cookies tough.

Use a cookie scoop or a tablespoon to scoop out the dough. Roll each scoop into a ball and place it on a lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Don’t worry if they look a bit large—that’s part of the Crumbl cookie charm!

Pop the cookies into your preheated oven and bake for 10–12 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the edges are golden and the centers look slightly soft. Don’t overbake them—soft centers are what make these cookies so irresistible!

Once they’re out of the oven, let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. This helps them firm up a bit. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely (or, if you’re like me, eat them right away while they’re still warm!).