Use Up That Last Sip Of Aperol With Giada De Laurentiis' Dessert Hack

We know Giada de Laurentiis is a wiz in the kitchen and that she knows a thing or two about cocktails, too — we're still smitten with the spicy bourbon and beer tipple she serves party guests. But now, the celebrity chef is proving those skill sets go together with a cocktail cookie recipe guaranteed to refresh your baking routine. The alcohol going into this unique recipe? Aperol, of course. True to her Italian heritage and approach to cooking, de Laurentiis calls on the Aperol spritz (a drink that instantly conjures up a leisurely aperitivo hour in Italy) to make these genius cookies.

De Laurentiis posted a video of herself making these summery light pink-frosted cookies on her Instagram page, saying, "Everyone's fav summer cocktail is now the most delicious dessert & it has been on repeat in my house all summer." Taking arguably the most popular drink of the season and making it something we can consume in cookie form, too, is brilliant. And it's a great way to use any leftover Aperol you might have after making Aperol spritzes with the proper ratio. According to the recipe de Laurentiis posted on her lifestyle and e-commerce platform Giadzy, you'll just need 1 tablespoon of Aperol for the batter, plus a ¼ cup for that pretty glaze. 

When it comes to the flavors of Aperol that you can expect to come across in these cookies and their glaze, you'll get bright orange, which is further bolstered by fragrant zest and orange juice in De Laurentiis' recipe. Aperol's own recipe is a secret, but the profile is complex with botanicals, herbs, and spices, plus specific notes of rhubarb and gentian root. Aperol is sweeter than Campari, so it's a natural fit for a baked treat, but it still packs a bitter punch that brings refreshing balance to these cookies, tempering the recipe's sweet sugar and rich butter and ricotta cheese.

If the comments on De Laurentiis's Instagram video are any indication, a lot of Aperol spritz lovers will be making these cookies for the end of summer. User @spoonfuloflili points out, "It's like your lemon ricotta cookies!!! I used to make them in college so much!!" This is a good way to get a feel for the recipe if you've made the famed chef's lemon ricotta cookies too. "I'd eat 500 of those," says @hetaculo. @samanthasommelier adds, "You really outdid yourself with these!!! You made my all-time favorite cookie of yours a dream come true!!!" @chef_sean_patrick_gallacher commented that he'd had a negroni in the past that was "Sweet and bitter!" and that instantly put yet another cocktail-inspired cookie on our radar. We'll be keeping an eye out in case de Laurentiis adds negroni cookies to her repertoire as well.