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.

David Rocco loves a good cup of espresso, but if you’re looking for a slightly sweeter twist on that Italian classic, try his Chocolate Espresso cookies. Each bite is a taste of David's Dolce Vita: In the cookies, he combines a double shot of chocolate (semisweet and cocoa powder) with the makings of a real espresso — coffee and milk, offered in balance.

The result? These cookies boast a delicious zip beneath their crackly sugared tops, providing a sophisticated pause amid the season's bustle and a tasty treat for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up.

• Make David Rocco's Chocolate Espresso cookies.
• See who's joining in: Jamie Oliver, Rachael Ray, Chuck Hughes and more.
• Food Network is swapping cookies, too.
• Get David Rocco's top recipes.
• Catch David Rocco 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.