It's time for 12 Days of Cookies, FoodNetwork.com's annual cookie swap. Each day visit us here on the Dish for a peek 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 Food Network chefs. Then visit Cooking Channel's blog for great takes on holiday baking from Cooking Channel chefs and Food People alike – cookies by the dozen to celebrate all season.

Who better than the Queen of Butter to kick off FoodNetwork.com's annual cookie party, y'all? Paula Deen’s Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies are chocolate-kissed snowballs that'll melt in your mouth faster than you can say, “Hand me another one!”--which believe me, you will. Thanks to a combination of chocolate cake mix (shh! it's a super shortcut) and cream cheese, these cookies stay moist and tender after baking. Dusted with a sprinkling of powdered sugar, they’re rich, sumptuous and a dessert unto themselves, no ice cream needed. But if you wanted to add a scoop....

Get Paula's recipe and check out dozens and dozens of batches in 12 Days of Cookies for more sweet ideas. Then tell us what you're baking.

• Hosting a cookie swap? Watch firsthand and see how Food Network stars pull off the best holiday parties.
• Sign up for our 12 Days of Cookies newsletter--it's not too late; we're just getting started!
• See which chefs baked which cookies in past seasons to get inspired for your own baking.
• Cooking Channel is joining in with a baker's dozen of cookies of their own. Today's cookie: Cute classic cookie cutouts from Nigella Lawson.