Unless you’re living in Italy, you probably aren’t drinking limoncello on the regular—or know all the different ways you could be using the liqueur. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have a bottle of the spirit collecting dust in the back of your liquor cabinet. Maybe someone gave it to you as a gift a long time ago, or maybe you bought it on a trip as a souvenir, or maybe you were just drawn to its bright golden hue and couldn’t resist buying a bottle at your local liquor store. Or maybe you even made your own limoncello. Whatever the case, it’s time to grab that bottle and get to work (by drinking it).
For everyone who hasn’t spent a summer living on the Amalfi Coast, limoncello is a liqueur made by steeping finely grated lemon peels in a high-proof spirit (in Italy, most people use grappa) and then adding sugar. You can drink it straight (preferably chilled), or use it to make a variety of bright, citrus-forward cocktails. From lemony effervescent Highballs to a bittersweet Negroni with a zesty backbone, here are four cocktails to make with a bottle of limoncello. With these recipes you can officially drink like an Italian all year round.