Negroni Bars

Spiked with gin, vermouth, and orange bitters, these sweet-salty cookie bars will remind you of negroni cocktails.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 60 mins
• Calories: 255 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups white sugar
• 6 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 cups finely crushed pretzels
• 12 tablespoons salted butter, melted
• 1 grapefruit, zested
• 2 tablespoons gin
• 2 tablespoons red vermouth
• 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries
• 0.5 cup orange juice
• 0.33333334326744 cup dark brown sugar
• 0.25 cup dry milk powder
• 0.25 cup grapefruit juice
• 0.25 cup bitter orange aperitif (such as Campari®)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and line a 9x13-inch baking pan.

Step 2

Combine crushed pretzels, brown sugar, and milk powder in a medium mixing bowl. Add butter to the bowl and toss to combine. Press the pretzel mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Step 3

Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 4

Whisk sugar, eggs, flour, and grapefruit zest together in a large bowl. Whisk in orange juice, grapefruit juice, orange aperitif, gin, and vermouth. Pour over the pretzel crust.

Step 5

Bake in the preheated oven until filling is set, 30 to 35 minutes. Cover with foil if filling starts browning too quickly. Cool completely on a wire rack, 20 to 30 minutes. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Step 6

Pulse freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor until finely ground. Use a fine-mesh strainer to dust strawberry powder over the filling. Cut into 24 bars and serve.