Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

In a large bowl, stir together the cake mix, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until a thick dough forms. It will be stiff at first but keep stirring until no dry pockets remain. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. If desired, press a few extra chocolate chips on top and sprinkle lightly with coarse salt.

Bake for 9-11 minutes, until the edges look set but the centers still appear slightly underdone. The cookies will look puffy and cracked on top. Do not overbake.

Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. They will flatten and crackle as they cool.