Preheat the oven:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal of the bars.

Mix the dry ingredients:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Cream the butter and sugars:
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together using a hand mixer or stand mixer. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the eggs and vanilla:
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract until fully incorporated.

Combine with dry ingredients:
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.

Fold in the chocolate chips and nuts:
Stir in the Nestlé Toll House chocolate chips and the optional chopped walnuts or pecans, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Spread the dough into the baking dish:
Evenly spread the cookie dough into the prepared baking dish, pressing it down gently to make sure it covers the entire bottom.

Bake:
Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean (a few crumbs are okay). Be careful not to overbake, as you want the bars to stay soft and chewy.

Cool and slice:
Allow the bars to cool completely in the baking dish on a wire rack. Once cooled, lift the bars out using the parchment paper overhang and cut into squares or rectangles.

Serve:
Serve your Toll House Cookie Bars with a glass of milk or enjoy them as a sweet treat for any occasion!