1-First Step: Prep your baking tools Start by preheating your oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper so the cookies bake evenly and release easily. Gather your ingredients, measuring cups, mixing bowl, hand mixer or stand mixer, and a sturdy spatula. Since this dough moves fairly quickly, having everything ready makes the process smooth and stress-free.

2-Second Step: Cream the butter and sugars Add the 1 cup cold salted butter, cubed to a large mixing bowl with the dark brown sugar, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Mix until the butter breaks down and the mixture looks fluffy and well blended. Using cold butter creates a thicker dough and helps the cookies stay soft and chewy instead of spreading too much.

3-Third Step: Add the eggs and vanilla Mix in the 2 eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat just until everything looks smooth. At this stage, the dough should look creamy and slightly glossy. Scrape down the bowl so no butter or sugar is left stuck to the sides.

4-Fourth Step: Mix the dry ingredients In a separate bowl, whisk together the 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, and 3 cups all purpose flour. This helps distribute the leavening and salt evenly through the dough. Then add the dry mixture into the wet ingredients a little at a time, mixing on low speed just until the flour disappears. Be careful not to overmix, since that can make the cookies tough.

5-Fifth Step: Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts Use a spatula to fold in the 2 1/2 cups chocolate chips and 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts. Make sure the add-ins are spread throughout the dough so every cookie has a good mix of chocolate and nutty crunch. If you like extra chocolate, save a few chips to press on top before baking.

6-Sixth Step: Chill the dough if you have time For the best soft and chewy walnut cookies, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. Chilling helps the flour hydrate, deepens the flavor, and keeps the cookies from spreading too much. If you are in a rush, you can bake right away, but even a short chill makes a nice difference.

7-Seventh Step: Scoop and bake Scoop the dough into balls, about 2 tablespoons each, and place them on the prepared baking sheets with enough space between them. Bake at 375°F for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look slightly soft. The cookies will continue to set as they cool, so do not wait until they look fully firm in the oven.

8-Eighth Step: Cool and serve Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack. This short rest helps them finish setting without breaking apart. Serve warm for gooey chocolate pockets, or let them cool completely if you want a firmer texture. Either way, these are the kind of cookies that disappear quickly!