Harry Potter fans of all ages will love this butterbeer recipe! It’s served warm just like it would be in The Three Broomsticks.
This Easy Butterbeer Recipe is Magic!
The Harry Potter novels are filled with all kinds of amazing treats and delicious sounding food. There are things like chocolate frogs, jelly beans flavored every way you can imagine.
These, and Butterbeer, are some of the more popular and memorable dishes. Of course, never melting ice cream would also be amazing- but my “normal” ice cream recipes like Cookie Dough Ice Cream and Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream are still pretty good, even if they do succumb to warm air.
Even if I can’t get awesome wizard powers (my owl didn’t show up with the letter) I can still pull a few “magic tricks” in the kitchen.
With just a few simple ingredients I developed a hot butterbeer recipe that tastes incredible and is perfect for a movie-watching marathon or simply snuggling up with a mug on under a blanket.
Another fun thing about this butterbeer recipe is that it’s especially delicious to drink during the fall and winter months because it’s so comforting and warm. Even the non-HP fans will appreciate this recipe and its unique creamy flavor.
What is Butterbeer?
Butterbeer is the popular, fictional drink wizards and witches enjoy in the Harry Potter universe. If you’re a fan of the books, then you’ll know Harry first enjoyed some butterbeer at The Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade – here’s where the fascination with this sweet, frothy drink began!
Butterbeer is a delicious butterscotch-flavored drink that can be served hot or cold. It’s sweet and creamy with a hint of caramel and is often topped with whipped cream.
Seriously, no Harry Potter-themed party is complete without a mug of butterbeer!
Does Butterbeer have Alcohol?
The original recipe is a closely guarded secret, but we can assume the butterbeer served to Harry and his friends doesn’t contain alcohol! However, many variations of butterbeer have been created since the books and movies were released – some of these recipes can include alcohol.
For example, my butterbeer recipe calls for rum extract. Some rum extracts can contain small amounts of alcohol. While the alcohol content is very small (and definitely not the same as real rum), you can leave the extract out if preferred.
Ingredients for Harry Potter Butterbeer
- Cream soda: This can easily be purchased in 2ltrs and will help to give a slightly bubbly base and flavor for our drink.
- Heavy cream: Using heavy cream we will help to get a rounder creamy flavor and lighten the color up so that it looks thick and delicious.
- Rum extract: Just a little rum extract really helps to kick this flavor up a notch.
- Browned butter: We actually make this ourselves using regular butter, so don’t worry. Steps are included to make this as simple as possible!
- Caramel: Just a little caramel will help to add that something extra that we want for appearances (and taste). Some people use butterscotch, but caramel is just as delicious (if not more so).
- Whipped Cream: Totally optional- but what warm fall drink doesn’t go amazingly with fresh whipped cream?
How to make Harry Potter Butterbeer (Hot Butterbeer Recipe)
- Start by making the browned by placing your butter in a small frying pan and melting over low heat.
- Swirl the butter around occasionally and continue cooking until the butterfat solids turn to a light golden brown color.
- Remove the pan from the heat immediately. Butter will burn easily, so it’s important to keep a close eye!
- In another saucepan, combine the heavy cream and the cream soda.
- Warm the pan over medium heat until it’s steaming hot.
- Add in the rum extract and the browned butter you just made. Whisk to combine.
- Drizzle the caramel inside the mugs to create a fun design.
- Divide the warm cream soda mixture between 4 mugs.
- Top with whipped cream if desired and enjoy.
Easy Butterbeer Recipe Variations
If you want to experience the iconic taste of butterbeer, here are a few variations you can easily make at home:
- Cold Butterbeer: My recipe is for hot butterbeer, but you can easily chill the leftovers and joy a cold and refreshing version of the drink!
- Frozen Butterbeer: Simply freeze your Butterbeer, and then blend it for an icy treat.
- Homemade Butterbeer Float: This one’s a real crowd-pleaser! To make an indulgent butterbeer float, take a scoop of vanilla ice cream and pop it on top of your butterbeer.
- Butterscotch Butterbeer: If you love the taste of butterscotch, then this variation is for you. Replace the caramel in my recipe with butterscotch sauce for the ultimate buttery beverage!
- Vanilla Butterbeer: Switch out the rum extract for vanilla – super simple!
- Spiced Butterbeer: Give your butterbeer a festive twist with ground nutmeg, cinnamon, or pumpkin pie spice.
- Spiked Butterbeer: For an adult alternative, use real rum in place of the extract.
- Marshmallow Butterbeer: Give your butterbeer a fun twist by adding a marshmallow topping! Combine some marshmallow fluff with whipped cream until creamy, and top your butterbeer with the mixture.
How to serve DIY Butterbeer
In the wizarding world (and in Universal Studios) you can choose between hot or cold butterbeer. While this particular recipe is for warm butterbeer, you can always chill the leftovers or blend with ice for a frozen version that is also “out of this world” good.
Harry Potter Butterbeer
Ingredients
- 48 ounces cream soda
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon rum extract
- 4 tablespoons butter browned
- 4 tablespoons caramel
Instructions
For the Browned Butter
- Place the butter in a small fry pan.
- Melt over low heat, swirling occasionally, and continue to cook until the butterfat solids turn light golden brown.
- Remove from the heat immediately, the butterfat solids will burn easily!
For the Butterbeer
- Combine the cream and cream soda in a saucepan.
- Warm over medium heat until steaming.
- Add the rum extract and browned butter. Whisk until well combined.
- Drizzle the caramel around the edge of the mugs.
- Divide the cream soda mixture between the four mugs.
- Top with whipped cream, if desired.
Alli says
Just how I imagined it from the books!!