Christmas Sugar Cookies

Cacio e pepe is a social media sensation. Everywhere you look, there are live-action pasta lifts of creamy, pepper-flecked, twirl-worthy mounds of this classic pasta dish. But this "new" foodie fodder is actually rooted in ancient Roman cuisine. To learn how to make this marvel from scratch, Guillermo travels to New York’s Seaport district to meet with world renowned chef Jordan Frosolone, and learn how he makes his “Best of NYC” (an honor bestowed by New York Magazine) dish. Chef Jordan is currently the executive chef at 10 Corso Como, an imported Italian restaurant/gallery concept that has become a celebrity darling since its opening last year. From its kitchen he shows Guillermo how to make pasta from scratch the traditional way, and how to successfully make this incredibly simple dish, that just requires precision and attention to detail.

These colorful little sandwich cookies turn us all into kids in a candy store. They’re so perfect that the idea of making them is intimidating — but fear not! To learn how to make them, Guillermo met with master pâtissier Jayce Baudry, the executive pastry chef for Daniel Boulud's Épiceries. The chef taught us tricks and techniques to make the process manageable, even for an amateur baker at home.

Store-bought hummus is convenient but you haven't lived until you've made your own. For this episode of Chow-To, we visit chef Eden Grinshpan at her Middle Eastern-inspired restaurant DEZ in New York City to find out how to make hummus that is way better than the kind you'll find in a store. Guillermo and Eden make a traditional version, and then, to make things more interesting, they take it to the next level with Eden’s signature Beet Meze. This delicious vegan, gluten-free, protein-packed base is easier to make than most people think.

While demonstrating recipes for simple sugar cookies and royal icing, Amy Wisniewski of the CHOW Test Kitchen shares a few helpful tips that'll help keep your holiday cookie-baking and -decorating fun and easy!

These thick, festive sugar cookies will absolutely light up your holiday season.

Give your sugar cookies an incredibly charming upgrade with these simple tips from Summer's Sweet Shoppe.

Orange zest lends a delicate floral, citrus flavor to this delightfully crisp and light shortbread cookies. Finished with a vibrant orange and cream cheese frosting, they’re the perfect treat to deliver a taste of sunshine on a chilly winter day.

These incredible sugar cookies are perfectly sweet with fluffy middles and crisp edges. Once you taste this version of the classic holiday cookie, you’ll never go back to the original.

If you want to spend more time caroling, and sipping wine instead of hanging in the kitchen, watch Chef Jansen Chan (International Culinary Center). make colored sugar, the easiest way to make basic sugar cookies shine on your holiday table.