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

In a large mixing bowl, cream the room-temperature butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.

Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then, add vanilla extract and beat for another 1–2 minutes until creamy.

Sift together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually fold into the wet mixture without overmixing.

Gently fold in the chocolate chips and any optional add-ins like crushed candy canes.

Drop rounded balls of dough onto prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches of space between each cookie.

Bake for 10–12 minutes until golden around the edges but still soft in the center.

Let the cookies cool on the sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks. Drizzle with melted white chocolate if desired.