Cooking Channel is joining Food Network for our first annual cookie swap, 12 Days of Cookies. Each day, visit us here for a look at new holiday cookies, party-planning tips and top techniques for rolling, spooning, slicing, baking and decorating delicious sweet treats to give — or keep — from favorite chefs and Food People. Then visit FoodNetwork.com/12daysofcookies for great takes on holiday baking from Food Network chefs — cookies by the dozen to celebrate all season.

Kelsey Nixon turns the always delicious pairing of rich chocolate and wintry peppermint into her irresistible Peppermint Fudge Crinkle Cookies.

Bite through the crinkled, powdered-sugar shell and into the chocolaty insides. With a perfect hint of mint, you'll be thinking candy canes and peppermint bark. It's a sweet combination that will force the grinchiest of eaters to break a smile.

• Make Kelsey's Peppermint Fudge Crinkle Cookies.
• See who's joining in: Laura Calder, Nigella Lawson, Chuck Hughes and more.
• Food Network is swapping cookies, too.
• Catch Kelsey on Cooking Channel.
• Share your Holiday cookie pix with us on Facebook.

Melanie Rehak, author of Eating for Beginners, has been baking cookies since she was old enough to climb onto the kitchen stool. She's partial to Zimtsterne—cinnamon stars—for the holidays, but loves most cookies all year long.