Gather ingredients: flour, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla, baking soda or baking powder, salt, and any mix-ins like chocolate chips or nuts
Preheat the oven to 350°F
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
Cream the butter and sugar together until smooth
Beat in the eggs and vanilla
Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients
Stir in any mix-ins
Scoop the dough onto the baking sheet
Leave space between each cookie
Bake until the edges are lightly golden
Remove from the oven
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet briefly
Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely