Crank your oven to 375°F and position the rack smack dab in the middle. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. No parchment? Foil works too, just grease it up like a slip ’n slide.

Whisk together the flour and baking soda in a medium bowl. Boom. Dry team’s ready.

Grab a skillet (10 inches, if we’re getting technical). Melt 5 ounces of butter over medium-high heat. Keep swirling like you're auditioning for a cooking show. In 1–3 minutes, you’ll smell that nutty, golden goodness. That’s your cue—pull it off the heat.

Stir in the remaining 2 ounces of butter. It’s like butter saving butter. Melt it completely. Marvel at this buttery brilliance.

Toss both sugars, the salt, and vanilla into the butter mix. Whisk like your life depends on it until fully blended. Add the egg and its favorite sibling, the yolk, and keep whisking until smooth and sugar-lump-free (about 30 seconds).

Let this mixture chill for 3 minutes. Whisk again for 30 seconds. Do this nap-and-whisk routine two more times. By the end, it should be thick, smooth, and shiny—like cookie dough royalty.

Stir in the dry team (the flour mix) just until combined. No over-mixing! We’re making cookies, not pancakes.

Gently fold in the chocolate chips (or chunks if you’re feeling fancy). Stir until there’s no lurking pockets of flour. We want inclusivity here.

Use a #24 cookie scoop (or a tablespoon if you’re freestyling) to create 16 even portions. Arrange them 2 inches apart on the baking sheets—8 per sheet. These cookies need their personal space.

Bake one sheet at a time for about 9 minutes. The edges should just start to brown, and cracks will form on top. The centers should look soft, not set—it’s cookie magic, trust me.

Transfer the tray to a wire rack and let the cookies cool completely. Yes, I know they smell amazing. No, you shouldn’t eat them hot unless you like molten chocolate face burns.