Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Cream the Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth.
Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.
Prepare the Baking Soda: Dissolve the baking soda in hot water and add it to the batter along with the salt.
Mix the Dry Ingredients: Stir in the flour, chocolate chips, and chopped walnuts until the dough is well combined.
Form the Cookies: Drop large spoonfuls of dough onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake: Bake for 10 minutes or until the edges are nicely browned.
Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
