Earlier this year I was able to take our oldest daughter, Clara, to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Florida with my sister and two oldest nieces. It was indeed a magical trip and the girls LOVED the butterbeer there from the Three Broomsticks and the butterbeer cart in Hogsmeade. (UPDATE: We just went back with the whole family and I wrote about visiting Harry Potter World with all my best tips!) This copycat version tastes just like the regular butterbeer drink from the park! It’s foamy and sweet and the perfect drink for serving at a Harry Potter-inspired Halloween party! So grab a mug and your wand because it’s time to accio butterbeer! If you are looking for recipes for a Harry Potter Party, be sure to also check out our Pumpkin Juice and Sticky Toffee Pudding!
Ingredient Notes
Whipped cream: Sure you could just use a can of Redi-Whip, but c’mon, we all know the real stuff made with heavy cream and powdered sugar is SO. MUCH. BETTER. Cream soda: It doesn’t actually contain any cream, despite its name. Cream soda is vanilla flavored instead. Butterscotch topping: Similar to caramel but made with dark brown sugar and butter, which gives it a different flavor profile. Butter extract: You’ll find this in the baking aisle next to the vanilla and other extracts.
How to Make This Recipe
Make the sweetened whipped cream first so it’s ready to go once the butterbeer is mixed together. Beat heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract together in a bowl until soft peaks form. I have a whole post on how to do this if you are new to making homemade whipped cream and want more details. Set in the fridge until ready to use. Meanwhile, pour 1 cup of the cream soda into a large bowl or pitcher. Then add the butterscotch syrup and butter extract, and whisk to combine. Add the remaining cream soda and stir gently just until combined. The reason you only whisk the syrup into some of the soda is that you will lose much of the bubbliness of the soda if you stir it too much. Incorporating the butterscotch into a small amount of soda first helps it incorporate better but it also means more fizz later. Fill frosty mugs (if you have glass mugs, stick them in the freezer for 20-30 minutes before serving!) with the butterbeer, then top with a large scoop of freshly made whipped cream. Drizzle with plenty of extract butterscotch syrup and serve your deliciously frothy and cold homemade butterbeer with a straw!
Expert Tips
Butterbeer is really best served freshly made. If you try to make it too far in advance and keep the drink in the fridge, it might still have good flavor, but the soda will lose its delightful fizziness. If you can’t find butterscotch syrup anyway, you could get away with just using caramel syrup or even making a batch of salted caramel sauce (although I would leave out the salt) and using that instead. Feel free to skip the whipped cream in favor of a scoop of ice cream for a butterbeer float! Ten points for Gryffindor if you have star sprinkles to sprinkle on top!
More Family Friendly Drinks Recipes
Homemade White Hot Chocolate Slow Cooker Homemade Apple Cider Orange Julius Recipe Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix Non-Alcoholic Mint Julep Easy Watermelon Lemonade
More Halloween Recipes
Haunted Mansion Bloody Wedding Cake from Big Bear’s Wife Frankenstein Cupcakes from Semi Homemade Recipes Graveyard Dirt Cream Puffs from Pint Sized Baker Halloween Cookies & Cream Cheesecakes from Fresh April Flours Halloween Cupcakes from Devour Dinner Halloween Ghost Cake from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks Pumpkin Macarons from The Redhead Baker Monster Burgers from 4 Sons ‘R’ Us Poisoned Apple Hand Pies from Cookaholic Wife Halloween Nachos from Eat Move Make Baked Pumpkin Donuts from The Flour Handprint Caramel Apple Sandwich Cookies from Sweet ReciPEAs Caramel Apple Cupcakes from Karen’s Kitchen Stories Hocus Pocus Spell Book Cupcakes from It’s Shanaka Halloween Cake Pops from Sweet Beginnings Deviled Egg Eyeballs from The Spiffy Cookie Poisoned Apple Macarons from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures Pizza Skulls from Lemon Blossoms Bloody Dirty Shirley Float from An Affair from the Heart Reese’s Pieces Cookies from Back To My Southern Roots Oogie Boogie Dark Chocolate Brownies from Savory Moments Halloween Ghost Kabobs from Our Good Life
Easy Brazilian Lemonade (Limeade)
Virgin Piña Coladas (Non-Alcoholic)
Horchata Mexican Drink Recipe
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
