1. Preheat the Oven

   Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease them.

2. Mix Dry Ingredients  

   In a small bowl, combine the flour and baking soda. Set aside.

3. Cream Butter and Sugars  

   In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This will take about 3 minutes with an electric mixer on medium speed.

4. Add Vanilla and Eggs  

   Beat in the vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time. Mix well until smooth and fully combined.

5. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients 

   Gradually add the dry ingredients (flour and baking soda mixture) to the wet ingredients. Mix just until combined to avoid overworking the dough.

6. Add Chocolate Chips and Nuts  

   Fold in the Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips and nuts (if using). Make sure the chips and nuts are evenly distributed throughout the dough.

7. Scoop the Dough  

   Use a tablespoon or a cookie scoop to drop rounded balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

8. Bake the Cookies

   Bake in the preheated oven for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. For softer cookies, bake closer to 9 minutes; for crispier edges, bake for the full 11 minutes.

9. Cool the Cookies

   Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

10. Serve and Enjoy! 

   Once cooled, enjoy your homemade Nestle chocolate chip cookies with a glass of milk or your favorite beverage!