Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. This will prevent the cookies from sticking and make cleanup easier.

In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Give it a quick stir, then set the bowl aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a handheld mixer), beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy—this should take about 1–2 minutes.

Mix in the egg and vanilla extract, beating until just combined. Be careful not to over-mix, as this can affect the texture of your cookies.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a dough forms. Stir in the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate until evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Use a medium cookie scoop or a spoon to portion the dough into 1.5-tablespoon-sized balls. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 3–4 inches apart to allow for spreading.

Bake one sheet at a time for 8–11 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven when the edges look set but are not golden brown. The cookies will appear underbaked and pale (this is normal since there’s no brown sugar).

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes—this allows them to finish baking and set up. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve and enjoy!