Butterbeer Recipe (Harry Potter) (2024)

JUMP TO RECIPE

Sip your way into the magical world of Harry Potter with this sweet and frothy homemade Butterbeer recipe.

This recipe only has four ingredients and can be made in just a few minutes!

Butterbeer Recipe (Harry Potter) (1)

If you've ever dreamt of strolling down Diagon Alley or cozying up in the Three Broomsticks, you're not alone.

The Harry Potter books and movies have delighted fans for generations, and one of the most magical elements of this enchanting world is Butterbeer.

Whether you're a dedicated Potterhead, or just curious about what this sweet frothy concoction tastes like, I've got the perfect homemade Butterbeer recipe for you.

Jump to:
  • 🍺 What Is Butterbeer?
  • 🍻 Who Would Enjoy Butterbeer?
  • 🍦 Ingredients You'll Need
  • 🥛 Making the Recipe
  • 🖨 Printable Recipe

🍺 What Is Butterbeer?

Butterbeer is a beloved beverage in the Harry Potter series.

It's the wizarding world's equivalent of a comforting cream soda, served in a kid-friendly inn and pub called the Three Broomsticks in the village of Hogsmeade.

J.K. Rowling's books provide a vague description of this magical drink, saying it's "a little bit like less-sickly butterscotch", so the exact recipe is pretty much up to your interpretation.

However, fans around the world have attempted to recreate it, and this homemade Butterbeer recipe is my personal attempt.

My Butterbeer is a creamy butterscotch-flavoured beverage with a hint of fizz. The flavours are rich and comforting and are perfect for wandering the cobblestone streets of Hogsmeade or curling up with a good book.

Butterbeer Recipe (Harry Potter) (2)

🍻 Who Would Enjoy Butterbeer?

Butterbeer is a fun treat for all ages! Here's why it's a drink that can enchant just about anyone:

Harry Potter Enthusiasts: For devoted fans of the Harry Potter series, Butterbeer is a taste of the wizarding world right in their own homes.

Families and Kids: Butterbeer's sweet, butterscotch flavours are a hit with children and adults alike. It's a wonderful treat to share with kids while you dive into the enchanting tales of Hogwarts.

Autumn Lovers: With its warm and comforting butterscotch notes, Butterbeer is a fantastic non-alcoholic fall drink.

Anyone with a Sweet Tooth: If you have a penchant for sweet treats, Butterbeer is sure to tickle your taste buds. It's a dessert in a glass, complete with a frothy, creamy top.

🍦 Ingredients You'll Need

To brew your own Butterbeer, you'll need just a few simple ingredients:

  • Butterscotch Sauce (homemade or store-bought)
  • Boiling Water (for dissolving butterscotch if needed)
  • American Cream Soda (see note below)
  • Vanilla Ice Cream (real ice cream, not frozen dessert)

Canadian Cream Soda vs. American Cream Soda

When it comes to cream soda, there's a significant difference between Canadian cream soda and American cream soda (like the Virgil’s Vanilla Cream soda that I use in this recipe).

Canadian Cream Soda: Canadian cream soda is either clear or bright pink in colour, with an intensely sweet flavour like cotton candy or bubblegum.

American Vanilla Cream Soda: American cream soda, such as Virgil's, tends to be clear or pale brown in colour. It has a rich, creamy vanilla flavour with a hint of caramel, which makes it a great match for the butterscotch and ice cream in this Butterbeer recipe.

Butterbeer Recipe (Harry Potter) (3)

🥛 Making the Recipe

Making Butterbeer at home is actually very easy!

I start by adding the butterscotch sauce to a tall glass or a glass mug (like the one shown in my photos).

If the sauce is too thick, as it can be straight out of the fridge, I mix in a teaspoon of boiling water to help it dissolve.

Next, I pour in the cream soda and gently stir to combine. Be careful not to over-stir, as it can lose its carbonation.

Finally, I top it off with a tablespoon of real vanilla ice cream, stirring briefly to create a frothy foam on top.

You can serve this drink at room-temperature or cold.

If you prefer a warmer drink, use room-temperature cream soda and pop the glass in the microwave for about 30 seconds before adding the ice cream.

To enjoy it cold, simply make sure your cream soda is chilled before adding it to your drink mixture.

Now that you've mastered the art of creating your own Harry Potter Butterbeer, you can enjoy this delightful drink from the comfort of your own home.

It's the perfect treat for cozy nights in, movie marathons of the Harry Potter series, or themed Harry Potter parties with friends.

🖨 Printable Recipe

Butterbeer

Indulge in the magic of the wizarding world with this homemade Butterbeer, a sweet and frothy concoction featuring butterscotch sauce, vanilla ice cream, and the delightful fizz of Virgil's Cream Soda.

4.34 from 6 votes

Created By: Shareba Abdul

PREP TIME: 5 minutes mins

TOTAL TIME: 5 minutes mins

SERVINGS: 1 glass

PRINT RECIPESAVE RECIPERATE RECIPE

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoon butterscotch sauce, (homemade or store-bought)
  • 1 teaspoon boiling water, (used to dissolve butterscotch if needed)
  • 355 millilitres Virgil’s Vanilla Creamsoda, at room temperature (or other pale brown vanilla cream soda)
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla ice cream, (preferably real ice cream not frozen dessert)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Add butterscotch sauce to a tall glass. If the sauce has been in the fridge, you will need to add the boiling water to help it dissolve.

  • Pour in the soda, and give the mixture a quick stir to combine. If you stir too much, you will lose the carbonation of the soda.

  • Add the ice cream, and stir briefly until foam forms on top of the drink.

  • Serve immediately.

Notes

Substitutions:

If you cannot find Virgil's Cream Soda, try to use another American cream soda. A pale caramel-coloured cream soda with a strong vanilla flavour will give you the best results, but a clear cream soda may also work.

Do not use pink Canadian cream soda in this recipe, the flavour and colour will not work.

Tips:

You can serve this drink at room-temperature or cold.

If you prefer a warmer drink, use room-temperature cream soda and pop the glass in the microwave for about 30 seconds before adding the ice cream.

To enjoy it cold, simply make sure your cream soda is chilled before adding it to your drink mixture.

Please read the blog post for detailed tips and explanations.

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Calories: 449 kcal

Nutrition

Calories: 449kcal | Carbohydrates: 80g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 94mg | Potassium: 61mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 80g | Vitamin A: 63IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 0.2mg

Nutrition Disclaimer: this nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of this information cannot be guaranteed.

Affiliate Disclosure: Links in this recipe card are affiliate links.

HAVE YOU MADE THIS RECIPE?Please leave a review in the comments below!

This recipe was originally published in October 2015. It has since been updated with new content, and the recipe is now non-alcoholic and kid-friendly.

Butterbeer Recipe (Harry Potter) (2024)

FAQs

Did J.K. Rowling approve Butterbeer? ›

The version sold at The Wizarding World was tasted and approved by Rowling herself. Visitors to the park see a large wooden barrel that bears the word "BUTTERBEER" as soon as they enter, and they can buy it from a street cart and inside The Three Broomsticks restaurant and Hog's Head pub.

What is Harry Potter's Butterbeer made of? ›

A simple brown sugar and butter syrup gets topped with cream soda and a dollop of cream in this wildly popular drink. Next time you are having a Harry Potter movie marathon, book club meeting, or even a Halloween party, pull out all the stops with this sweet drink that even Harry, Ron, and Hermione would approve of.

What are the ingredients in Warner Bros Studio Butterbeer? ›

INGREDIENTS: carbonated water, sugar, glucose syrup, pear juice concentrate, natural flavours, acid (lactic acid), fermented ginger root extract (water, glucose syrup, ginger root, pear juice concentrate, yeast), concentrate (apple, carrot, hibiscus), quillaia extract.

What is Butterbeer foam made of? ›

Butterbeer Foam:

1/2 envelope Dream Whip whipped topping mix. 1 tablespoon powdered sugar. 1/2 teaspoon butterscotch syrup. 1/4 teaspoon butter extract.

Was Hermione drunk after Butterbeer? ›

↑ In the film version of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, however, Hermione Granger appears to act slightly tipsy after a visit to the Three Broomsticks Inn where she was shown drinking some; this can be seen just before the discovery of Katie Bell.

Was Butterbeer alcoholic in the books? ›

It was served at numerous locations in the wizarding world and had a very slight alcoholic content.

Is Hermione drunk in Half Blood Prince? ›

After drinking at the bar, Hermoine is shown to be tipsy, putting her arms around her male companions. Some criticized the film for portraying alcohol use as a way to deal with stress and sorrow.

Did Butterbeer exist before Harry Potter? ›

But its origin dates back much further than J.K. Rowling's films. Butterbeer, or “Buttered beere” as it was described in 1594, has existed for many centuries. At the time of the Tudors, beer was already a typical and commonly consumed drink.

What is in Butterbeer at Disney? ›

The ingredients of Butterbeer are top secret (that's part of the magic, right?), but it's fun to guess what's in it. Cold Butterbeer reminds me of a cream soda with shortbread and butterscotch flavors. It comes topped off with a thick layer of whipped cream.

What flavor is Harry Potter Butterbeer? ›

Just as Rowling imagined, there's more flavor here than sugar, or at least that's how it drinks — essentially, you're getting a butterscotch cream soda with a float of something like toasted marshmallow crème; there's no escaping the inevitable foam mustache, and while you can try, you'll never outdrink the head.

What flavor is Universal Butterbeer? ›

“With a flavor reminiscent of butterscotch and shortbread, Butterbeer is a perfectly fine-tuned Wizarding World treat that includes cold, frozen, hot and non-dairy Butterbeer beverages along with Butterbeer fudge, potted cream and ice cream,” Universal described the fan-favorite treat.

What are the three types of Butterbeer? ›

The Three Broomsticks (in Hogsmeade) and The Leaky Cauldron (in Diagon Alley): Cold Butterbeer. Frozen Butterbeer. Hot Butterbeer.

What the heck is Butterbeer? ›

According to HarryPotter.Wikia.com, Butterbeer is a popular wizarding beverage with a very slight alcohol content and a taste “a little bit like less-sickly butterscotch.” The Butterbeer served at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is amber-colored, non-alcoholic, and available in two forms—straight up or frozen.

What is Butterbeer actually? ›

While butterbeer is not a real drink, it has inspired many real-world versions that have been created by fans of the Harry Potter series. These versions often consist of a base of cream soda or root beer, mixed with butter-flavored syrup and topped with whipped cream.

Does J.K. Rowling make money from butterbeer? ›

Royalty Payments

Every time you purchase a Butterbeer, licensed product, on-ride photograph, or even a bottle of Gillywater from one of the Wizarding World lands at a Universal Park around the world, a percentage of that sale will go directly to the rights holders (Warner Bros. and J.K. Rowling).

Is butterbeer in Harry Potter supposed to be alcoholic? ›

In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Winky is found in a drunken state, having consumed copious amounts of Butterbeer. Her reaction to the drink indicates that it does contain alcohol, albeit likely in a small quantity, as house-elves are small and described as having a low tolerance for alcohol.

Did butterbeer exist before Harry Potter? ›

But its origin dates back much further than J.K. Rowling's films. Butterbeer, or “Buttered beere” as it was described in 1594, has existed for many centuries. At the time of the Tudors, beer was already a typical and commonly consumed drink.

Why are students allowed to drink butterbeer? ›

Butterbeer is implied to be about as strong as ginger beer, i.e. not very strong at all. Not strong enough to count as alcoholic for legal purposes. Winky only gets drunk because she's a House Elf and drinks a lot of it. The Hogwarts students aren't actually underage for drinking in the UK.

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