Homemade Butterbeer Recipe: A Taste of the Wizarding World
Bring the magic of Harry Potter's world to your home with a glass of delectable homemade butterbeer! This easy Harry Potter Butterbeer recipe is every bit as delicious as the version we love from Universal Studios. It’s one of our favorite wizarding treats and the best part is that with just four ingredients, it’s super easy to make too! Homemade drinks are a great way to add a little pizzazz to meals with your family!
Introduction
Butterbeer, a popular drink in the Harry Potter books, is described as a butterscotch-flavored beverage enjoyed by students visiting Hogsmeade. Although the Harry Potter series made it popular, butterbeer actually originates from England and was a drink made with black beer in the 1500s! This recipe recreates the magic with simple ingredients, perfect for Harry Potter themed parties or a sweet, refreshing treat.
What is Butterbeer?
If you’ve landed on this page, I assume you already know what Butterbeer is, but just in case you’ve never heard of this delightful beverage I’ll tell you more about it. It originated in the Harry Potter book series. In the books, Harry and his friends get the privilege of going to a place near their wizarding school called Hogsmeade. Butterbeer came to life for humans at Universal Orlando Resort when they opened the Harry Potter worlds at the theme park. They make and serve Butterbeer at Universal - and it’s divine!
Why This Recipe Works
This homemade butterbeer tastes just as good (if not better!) than what we got from Universal Studios, and it only takes 4 simple ingredients to make! The bonus? You don’t need to buy any special extracts or even turn on the stovetop for this recipe. All you need is four ingredients and you’ll have a butterbeer that’s every bit as good as the one you’d get in the parks. After experimenting with a few different ingredients, adding extracts and other ingredients, I found that the simplest recipe was actually the very best!
Ingredients
The ingredient list to make this yummy drink is a short and easy one! The only ingredients you’ll need to make Butterbeer in your very own kitchen are:
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- Cream Soda: Some brands are superior to others when it comes to cream soda taste. I recommend using A&W cream soda as it has more mellow notes and isn’t overly sweet like other brands can be.
- Butterscotch Syrup: Gives this drink its signature nutty, sweet flavor. You can also use caramel syrup if you’d like! What’s in Butterbeer? butterscotch syrup - don’t skimp on this ingredient - it’s the key to butterbeer. Caramel won’t give you the same flavor.
- Butter Extract: It wouldn’t be butter beer without the butter! I used Watkins butter extract.
- Whipped Cream: Add some on top for a little extra decadence! You want to use whipped topping, not whipped cream.
Variations
You can make the drink version OR the frozen version!
Frozen Butterbeer
For a version of butterbeer that’s perfect for warmer weather, try it frozen! It’s super easy to make. Simply add your cream soda, syrups, and ice cubes to a blender and blend until smooth.
Alcoholic Butterbeer
This recipe is kid-friendly, but you can easily add your favorite alcohol to make a boozy version for Harry Potter themed parties! If you would like to create an alcoholic beverage from this yummy drink, simply add 1/2 cup of vodka (regular or vanilla vodka) or rum to the blender after all of the other ingredients have been pureed. To give the drink a rum flavoring without adding alcohol, add 1 teaspoon of rum extract to the blender along with the remaining ingredients. That being said, I have made a tasty alcoholic butterbeer with Butterscotch Schnapps and vanilla vodka.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This homemade butter beer is so easy to make and will transport you to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter after one sip! It only takes a couple minutes to mix together.
Start by preparing the whipped cream. Use a stand mixer or hand mixer to whip 1/2 cup of heavy cream.
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- With a stand or hand mixer, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form.
- Add powdered sugar and continue to mix on high until stiff peaks form.
- Fill an icing bag (optional) and set aside.
Now pour approximately two ounces of cream soda and a tablespoon of caramel syrup into each mug.
Mix together. You’ll want to be sure the syrup and cream soda are well blended.
Add 1 tablespoon of butterscotch syrup into each glass.
Add 1 teaspoon of butter extract into each glass.
Stir gently, just until ingredients are mixed.
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Divide the remaining cream soda between the two glasses and stir gently.
Top with whipped cream.
- A heaping scoop of whipped cream on top can’t hurt!
- (Optional) drizzle whipped cream with butterscotch or caramel syrup.
We like to serve ours in mugs but you can use tall glasses or even some fun Hogwarts inspired tumblers.
Tips and Tricks
- Make sure the cream soda is nice and chilled before making the butter beer!
- Don’t want to make whipped cream from scratch?
- Butterbeer is best enjoyed immediately after you make it.
- Did you know that there are multiple versions of butterbeer at the parks, from ice cream to fudge?
- Can I make the butterscotch cream topping ahead of time? Will it keep its form? For best results, prepare the topping on the same day you plan to serve it. Making it a few hours in advance is fine if you keep it refrigerated.
- I’m having trouble finding butterscotch syrup at my local store. Any suggestions? If butterscotch syrup isn’t available locally, consider purchasing it online through retailers like Amazon.
Serving Suggestions
Here are some party ideas! This is a great recipe for a Harry Potter birthday party or any gathering where kids will be present. Think Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas or Fourth of July, and they don’t have to be Harry Potter themed! We like to serve ours in mugs but you can use tall glasses or even some fun Hogwarts inspired tumblers.
Taste and Flavor
The deliciously amazing thing about this famous drink is that it contains such an array of flavors! As you sip on it, different flavors are picked up. If you like cream soda, you’re going to love Butterbeer. It’s a popular drink for a reason. Butterbeer has a very sweet, fizzy soda base with strong vanilla and caramel notes-if you have ever had cream soda, then you know what it tastes like!
Where to Find Butterbeer
Universal in Orlando is the only place that sells authentic butter beer. Butterbeer can easily be found inside of Universal Studios. As you enter The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, there is a bright red Butterbeer cart where you can purchase Butterbeer and Frozen Butterbeer. If you want to buy butterbeer already made, you won’t find a lot of options. You can buy Flying Cauldron Butterbeer on Amazon but otherwise you’ll have to visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, take the Harry Potter Studios Tour in London or visit the Harry Potter store in NYC. I only recently discovered that Starbuck has a special Harry Potter frappuccino on their secret menu…pretty cool, right?
Can Butterbeer Be Made in Advance?
Butterbeer can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Is Butterbeer Gluten-Free?
Both the version you’ll find at the park and the version in this recipe are indeed gluten free.
Is Butterbeer Alcoholic?
It does have the word “beer” in the name, but it doesn’t actually contain any alcohol. While it makes Winky drunk in the books, butterbeer does not have any actual alcohol in it.
Dairy-Free Version
Is there a dairy-free version of this Butterbeer? Yes! You can use a dairy-free whipped topping. It’s pretty easy to find a coconut or almond-based alternative.
Hot Butterbeer Recipe
Our favorite was the hot butterbeer. Here's the recipe for anyone who wants to make hot Butterbeer on release day!
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 cups milk
- 2 tbsp butterscotch sauce - (Can be found in the icecream topping section of store.)
- 12 ounces cream soda (1 can)
- Whipped cream and extra butterscotch sauce for topping
Instructions
- Add butter, brown sugar, and milk to a medium saucepan.
- Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Continue until mixture is steamy, butter is melted and brown sugar is dissolved.
- Add butterscotch sauce and heat for just a couple minutes.
- Add cream soda and heat a little longer until liquid is thoroughly heated through.
- Top with whipped cream and butterscotch sauce.
Notes
Because this drink contains dairy, you don’t want to walk away while it’s on the stove. It doesn’t need to boil, so heat it just until the brown sugar dissolves and the mixture is nice and hot.
tags: #universal #studios #butterbeer #recipe
