Preheat Your Oven: Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). This ensures it’s the right temperature when your cookies are ready to bake, giving them that perfect golden-brown finish.

In a large mixing bowl, blend the softened butter and peanut butter together, beating until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy. You can use a hand mixer or stand mixer, but a spoon and some elbow grease will work just fine, too!

Incorporate the sugars: After thoroughly blending the butter and peanut butter, add both the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat the mixture until it becomes light and fluffy—this process aerates the dough, resulting in soft and chewy cookies.

Incorporate the Eggs and Vanilla: Next, add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract. This step ensures that everything is evenly incorporated and helps the dough bind together.

Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the oats, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add this dry blend to the wet ingredients, stirring until just incorporated. Avoid overmixing—mix only enough to bring everything together.

Fold in the Chocolate Chips: Now, fold in the chocolate chips (and any other add-ins like nuts or raisins if you’re customizing). You want them evenly distributed throughout the dough for that perfect balance of chocolate in every bite.

Chill the Dough (Optional): If you have the time, chill the dough for about 30 minutes. This allows the cookies to maintain their shape during baking and results in a chewier texture. If you’re short on time, though, you can skip this step and still have great cookies.

Divide the dough: Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, place rounded spoonfuls of dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving about 2 inches of space between each to allow for spreading.

Bake the cookies: Put the baking sheet into the preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown and the centers are firm. The cookies will continue to cook slightly after you take them out, so don’t worry if they look a little soft in the middle!

Cool and enjoy: Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. This step allows them to firm up without crumbling.

Pro Tip:

• For extra crisp edges and a soft center, slightly underbake the cookies. They’ll continue to cook on the baking sheet, giving them that perfect chewy texture!