Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Use an electric mixer to cream the mixture until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until well combined. Then, incorporate the vanilla extract and mix until smooth.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.

With a spatula, gently fold in the chocolate chunks and chopped walnuts (if using) until evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Using a cookie scoop or spoon, drop tablespoon-sized mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. The centers might look slightly underbaked, but they will firm up as they cool.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.