Giada De Laurentiis' Trick To Turn Store-Bought Cookie Dough Into Breakfast
Breakfast cereal and cookies have been battling for the title of milk's one true companion since their invention. But, with Giada de Laurentiis' hack for transforming store-bought cookie dough into cereal, the score has been undeniably settled with room for both cookies and cereal in milk's heart. In a TikTok shared on her page, de Laurentiis shows her ingenious idea of baking premade cookie dough from the grocery store into mini, bite-sized bits that get tossed into a cereal bowl, topped with milk, and made into the most delicious breakfast ever. This trick is probably the furthest evolution from cereal's interesting origin story as a health food, but it sure is fun and the ultimate guilty pleasure.
Cookie dough from the grocery store usually comes in a tub, a tube, or a flat, scored sheet for easy portioning. Regardless of the shape, start by breaking your dough down into more manageable chunks. In her TikTok, de Laurentiis uses a knife to easily separate the dough into smaller pieces. You can then roll the dough bits into tiny, marble-sized balls, lay them out on a baking sheet, and bake. Keep a close eye on them in the oven, as their smaller size means they'll bake through fairly quickly. Once baked, you're ready to top with milk and eat just like a regular bowl of cereal.
Why stop at just cookie dough?
As the chef who introduced us to her childhood favorite dish of chocolaty pasta and a very unique way to use up your last bit of Aperol, de Laurentiis is clearly no stranger to ideas that are a little out of the box. In the video she shared on TikTok, de Laurentiis uses chocolate chip cookie dough, but the same hack would work well with any flavor of the cookie. Try swapping out the original for peanut butter cookie dough, sugar cookie dough, or any of the variety of flavors available at your nearest supermarket. A gingerbread and sugar cookie blend would be the perfect Christmas morning treat.
@giadadelaurentiis
Beyond cookie dough, there are lots of store-bought treats and mixes that can be repurposed into a makeshift cereal. Bake boxed brownie mix and crumble it into cereal-sized pieces for an indulgent, chocolatey DIY cereal. The same could be done with a store-bought cornbread mix or canned cinnamon rolls. Whip up a batch of quick and easy pancakes and make quarter-sized cakes, then drizzle with maple syrup and eat with milk. Remove the baking step entirely, and simply break down Poptarts into small squares and top with milk for an easy twist on the ultra-convenient store-bought breakfast snack. Take a page from de Laurentiis' book and get creative.