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

Toast the chopped pecans in a skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until aromatic and golden brown.

In a large bowl, cream the softened butter with the brown and granulated sugars until light and fluffy.

Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition, then stir in the vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and optional cinnamon, then gradually add to the wet ingredients.

Fold in the toasted pecans until evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Scoop rounded balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between each.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are golden brown but centers remain soft.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.