Homemade Butterbeer Recipe (2024)

Love Butterbeer but can’t get to Universal Studios? Make your own homemade butterbeer with this quick and easy recipe for some fun Harry Potter refreshments right at home!

Homemade Butterbeer Recipe (1)

My family is a bit obsessed with Harry Potter. My oldest son and I read the entire Harry Potter series together over the past two years and watched all of the movies (my son might’ve closed his eyes during a lot of Prisoner of Azkaban but still…). We’re pretty huge Harry Potter fans.

If you asked my son his favorite books, I can guarantee one of them would be a Harry Potter one.

We’re annual passholders to Universal Studios Florida and pretty obsessed with all of the different butterbeer options (and other drinks) you can get in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

But we can’t go as often as we want since we don’t live nearby, so I thought it would be fun to recreate the sweet drink at home!

So make up your own batch of this tasty drink and pretend you’re back in Harry Potter world for a minute or two! This would also be perfect to go along with playing these Harry Potter games and reading the Harry Potter books for Harry Potter’s birthday in July!

At some point I want to talk about how incredible Diagon Alley is, especially for fans of J.K. Rowling’s books but for now, let’s get to this homemade butterbeer recipe so you can pretend your at the theme park at home!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Kid-friendly – just like the real thing in the Universal Parks, this is a non alcoholic recipe that’s perfect for Harry Potter lovers of any age!
  • Taste of butterbeer – this butter beer recipe has that distinct butterscotch and caramel flavor that you get from regular butterbeer in the parks.
  • Easy recipe – the best part of this recipe is that it’s super simple to make! It’s just a matter of combining a couple of ingredients together then topping with homemade whipped topping!

Ingredients

Homemade Butterbeer Recipe (2)

Ingredient Notes

  • Cream soda – I highly recommend regular cream soda, not diet cream soda, so you can get the full flavor of the drink. You also want to make sure that the cream soda is well chilled before you add it to this sweet drink!
  • Butterscotch topping – I just used butterscotch syrup like you would put on ice cream. This gives it that nice butterscotch flavor that you get at Universal Orlando. You could also use your own butterscotch sauce, but I can’t promise you’ll get the real taste of the butterbeer since I’ve never tried your sauce. If you can’t find butterscotch topping, caramel topping works as well.
  • Butter extract – you could technically skip this, but it really adds to the flavor of this drink. I ordered mine on Amazon here but they also have them in grocery stores as well.
  • Heavy cream – make sure your heavy cream is nice and cold before you try to make the whipped cream for these drinks. I also recommend chilling the bowl and beaters for your electric mixer but that’s just to help the process go faster, not absolutely essential.

How to make Universal Studios Butterbeer

This easy butterbeer recipe is so simple to make, it almost seems silly to give you step by step instructions but if I don’t, I’ll probably forget something, so here goes!

This is one of my favorite things and such a delicious treat, I can’t wait for you all to make it!

1 – Make the whipped cream

First make your whipped cream by whipping the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. This will likely take a few minutes (less time if you chilled everything) so be patient.

Homemade Butterbeer Recipe (3)

Once the soft peaks have formed, slowly beat in the powdered sugar until well combined. This is the whipped topping that will go on top of the butter beer recipe.

Homemade Butterbeer Recipe (4)

2 – Make the Cold Butterbeer

Next, pour one cup of cream soda to a large pitcher or a punch bowl and whisk in five tablespoons butterscotch topping and two tablespoons of butter extract. Mix these together well to let the flavors really combine together before you dilute it with the rest of the cream soda.

Homemade Butterbeer Recipe (5)

Once that’s mixed well, gradually add the rest of the cream soda to the punch bowl and stir to combine.

Homemade Butterbeer Recipe (6)

3 – Finish the Harry Potter Butterbeer Recipe

To finis the butterbeer, pour cream soda mixture into 8 ounce glasses until they’re about 3/4 full. If you’re not using whipped topping, you could fill them up more, but you really want to leave some room for the whipped cream without the drink spilling all over the place!

Homemade Butterbeer Recipe (7)

Then to get the true wizarding world feel, top them with piped whipped cream topping. You can either pipe it on or just use a large spoon or ice cream scoop to add a good portion to the top of the butterbeer.

Finish it off with a little bit of butterscotch topping drizzled on top to give it that real authentic look!

Homemade Butterbeer Recipe (9)

This will make them look and feel like the real deal, not just a homemade version! Then serve chilled and enjoy while you’re watching a Harry Potter movie marathon (don’t forget Fantastic Beasts).

Homemade Butterbeer Recipe (10)

Make a Frozen Version

If you’re more of a fan of the frozen butterbeer, then I’ve got two simple ways that you can turn this popular drink into the frozen version to drink at home!

  1. Put the cream soda into the freezer for a couple of hours before you mix it into the other ingredients. This will give you a nice slushy cream soda that will give you a frozen version of this homemade butterbeer.
  2. Place three cups of the cream soda, butterscotch, and butter extract mixture into a freezer bag. Carefully remove all the excess air from the bag then place that into another freezer bag. Fill the outside freezer bag halfway full with ice cubes and a tablespoon of salt (similar to how people make homemade ice cream in a bag). Wrap all of this in a towel and shake/squeeze the bag for 5-10 minutes until the drink becomes slushy.

Expert Tips

Make butterscotch whipped cream by replacing the powdered sugar in the whipped cream with 1/4 cup of the butterscotch topping. This will give you a creamy butterscotch whipped cream instead of the natural flavor.

Make the whipped cream up to a day ahead of time and keep it in the fridge until ready to serve. Make the drink right before you’re ready to serve it and top with the whipped cream – it’s not great as a make ahead drink.

Serve this with some chocolate frogs and homemade treacle tarts for some really fun birthday parties for Harry Potter lovers! It’ll be just like you’re at your very own Three Broomsticks Inn or the Leaky Cauldron (your choice).

Recipe FAQs

What if I don’t have butter extract?

You can omit the butter extract if you can find it or add additional butterscotch topping to make up for the lost flavor. I do not recommend using another extract or melted butter in its place because it just won’t have that same butterbeer flavor.

Can kids drink butterbeer?

This butterbeer recipe is non alcoholic and great for kids to enjoy! It does have cream soda, which is carbonated, so if your kids are not used to that, I recommend just giving them a little bit to start.

Can you freeze butterbeer?

I do not recommend freezing the butterbeer mixture as written in this recipe. If you’re looking for frozen butterbeer, the best way to make that is explained in the make a frozen version section above. The good news is that this is a really yummy drink when frozen properly, but don’t just try to stick it in the freezer and hope for the best.

Homemade Butterbeer Recipe (11)

More Harry Potter Fun

If you like this DIY butterbeer recipe, you should try it out while playing some of these fun Harry Potter games!

  • Harry Potter trivia questions – easy and challenging Harry Potter trivia questions and answers, great for everyone from house elves to wizards!
  • Harry Potter scavenger hunt – clues based on the books that will lead to a fun Harry Potter surprise (maybe even this delicious drink and some Harry Potter goodies).
  • Harry Potter would you rather – tons of would you rather questions inspired by your favorite Harry Potter questions!
  • Harry Potter charades – act out your favorite characters and Harry Potter inspired words (like pumpkin juice and Hogwarts) in this fun game!
  • Harry Potter danger word game – a Harry Potter inspired version of the hilarious game where you have to get a friend to guess a word without guessing the danger word!

Print Rate

5 from 8 votes

Homemade Butterbeer Recipe

Love Butterbeer but can’t get to Universal Studios? Make your own homemade butterbeer with this quick and easy recipe for some fun Harry Potter refreshments right at home!

Homemade Butterbeer Recipe (12)

Prep: 10 minutes minutes

Total: 10 minutes minutes

Serves10 servings

Ingredients

Whipped Cream

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 TBS powdered sugar

Butterbeer

  • 2 liters cream soda (well chilled)
  • 5 TBS butterscotch topping
  • 2 TBS butter extract
  • cup butterscotch topping (for drizzling on top)

Instructions

Whipped Cream

  • Whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form, then slowly beat in the powdered sugar until well combined. Set aside.

    1 cup heavy cream, 3 TBS powdered sugar

Butterbeer

  • Add 1 cup of cream soda to a large pitcher and whisk in 5 tablespoons butterscotch topping and 2 tablespoons of butter extract. Mix well.

    2 liters cream soda, 5 TBS butterscotch topping, 2 TBS butter extract

  • Once that is mixed together, gradually add the remaining cream soda until you've added the entire 2-liter bottle.

  • Pour into 8 ounce glasses and top with the prepared whipped cream and drizzle with butterscotch topping.

    1/3 cup butterscotch topping

Tips & Notes:

Make butterscotch whipped cream by replacing the powdered sugar in the whipped cream with 1/4 cup of the butterscotch topping. This will give you a creamy butterscotch whipped cream instead of the natural flavor.

Make the whipped creamup to a day ahead of time and keep it in the fridge until ready to serve. Make the drink right before you’re ready to serve it and top with the whipped cream – it’s not great as a make ahead drink.

Make A Frozen Version

  1. Put the cream soda into the freezer for a couple of hours before you mix it into the other ingredients. This will give you a nice slushy cream soda that will give you a frozen version of this homemade butterbeer.
  2. Place three cups of the cream soda, butterscotch, and butter extract mixture into a freezer bag. Carefully remove all the excess air from the bag then place that into another freezer bag. Fill the outside freezer bag halfway full with ice cubes and a tablespoon of salt.Wrap all of this in a towel and shake/squeeze the bag for 5-10 minutes until the drink becomes slushy.

Nutrition Info

Calories: 313kcal, Carbohydrates: 45g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 27mg, Sodium: 50mg, Potassium: 39mg, Sugar: 45g, Vitamin A: 350IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 33mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

Author: Britni Vigil

Course:Drinks

Cuisine:American

Did You Make This?Tag @PlayPartyPlan on Facebook and Instagram and hashtag it #playpartyplan so I can see your creations!

Homemade Butterbeer Recipe (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 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.

Is there a Butterbeer recipe in the unofficial Harry Potter cookbook? ›

The 150 recipes in Bucholz's cookbook are classic versions of some of the foods cited in the “Harry Potter” books. But because of copyright rules, dishes named by Rowling, including butterbeer, could not be used in the “unofficial” cookbook.

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.

Was Hermione drunk after butterbeer? ›

In the Harry Potter series, several instances imply Butterbeer contains a low level of alcohol. Particularly in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, there are subtle hints about its effects. One notable moment is when Hermione Granger appears slightly tipsy in the film adaptation after consuming butterbeer.

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.

Was there ever alcoholic Butterbeer? ›

Butterbeer had a slight alcoholic content and although was safe for children to drink, it could affect creatures (such as house-elves) if consumed in to high a quantity. Harry enjoyed his first Butterbeer in Hogsmeade.

Does Starbucks sell Butterbeer? ›

To get your hands on a butterbeer latte, you should order a whole milk steamer with two shots of espresso, two shots of caramel syrup, three shots of toffee nut syrup and three shots of cinnamon dolce syrup. Ask for whipped cream and caramel crumbs on top to complete the beverage.

Can you get alcoholic Butterbeer? ›

While all butterbeers at Universal are non-alcoholic, you can order other alcoholic drinks and mix them on your own!

Does the leaky cauldron have butterbeer? ›

Where to find it: In Diagon Alley, frozen Butterbeer is available at Leaky Cauldron, The Fountain of Fair Fortune and The Hopping Pot. In Hogsmeade, you can get it at Three Broomsticks, Hog's Head and the two Butterbeer street carts. Hot Butterbeer is the last of the drink options (and Leap's fave).

Can Hogwarts students drink butterbeer? ›

It was served at numerous locations in the wizarding world and had a very slight alcoholic content. Students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry would often buy it when visiting Hogsmeade. It could be served either hot or cold.

What is butterbeer from Harry Potter supposed to taste like? ›

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 is Disney butterbeer? ›

Butterbeer: Take a really rich cream soda, top it with creamy foam that tastes something like a Werther's candy. Comes in both frozen and soda consistencies. There's no doubt it's sweet. You might get a Butterbeer moustache from the foam. The passion fruit mango foam on Disney's brew won't do that.

Is butterbeer worth it? ›

The Butter Beer is worth the expense. Get it in a keepsake mug which can be refilled with various drinks of your choice around the park for . 85 instead of the customary/exhorbitant drink fee. Get your Butter Beer in The Three Broomsticks rather than on the street.

Can you buy butterbeer to take home? ›

Calling all Potterheads! You don't have to make a trip to Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley to get your hands on some delicious Butterbeer. Flying Cauldron's butterscotch cream soda, previously only available in a glass bottle option, is now sold in new 16-ounce aluminum cans for on-the-go magic.

How did J.K. Rowling describe butterbeer? ›

Asked, "What does Butterbeer taste like?" before Universal even began working to create the stuff, J.K. Rowling was quoted as saying that she imagined it to be "a bit like less sickly butterscotch." Two and a half years in the making, the Rowling-approved original is as popular as ever, even with all the other ...

Does J.K. Rowling get 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).

Was butterbeer alcoholic in the books? ›

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

Is butterbeer mentioned in Harry Potter movies? ›

Though Butterbeer is repeatedly mentioned in the seven Harry Potter books and the eight HP films, the favored ale of witches & wizards everywhere doesn't actually exist.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Geoffrey Lueilwitz

Last Updated:

Views: 5764

Rating: 5 / 5 (60 voted)

Reviews: 83% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Geoffrey Lueilwitz

Birthday: 1997-03-23

Address: 74183 Thomas Course, Port Micheal, OK 55446-1529

Phone: +13408645881558

Job: Global Representative

Hobby: Sailing, Vehicle restoration, Rowing, Ghost hunting, Scrapbooking, Rugby, Board sports

Introduction: My name is Geoffrey Lueilwitz, I am a zealous, encouraging, sparkling, enchanting, graceful, faithful, nice person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.