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Our recipe for Harry Potter Butterbeer tastes just like the drink they sell at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios. A no-cook method that is SO easy!
Harry Potter Butterbeer
We took a trip to Universal Studios and we fell in LOVE with this tasty drink. I knew I had to recreate it once I got home. It turns out it is so easy to make! I will definitely be whipping up a batch for my next Harry Potter movie marathon. You can make this recipe two ways. If you are going for super authentic, you can add caramel and butter extracts to the cream soda. This really adds that extra butter-y flavor and makes it taste exactly like the real thing.
Ingredients in Butterbeer
Making homemade Butterbeer is quick and easy with just a few ingredients!
- Cream Soda
- Caramel Extract
- Butter Extract
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Butterscotch Topping
- Powdered Sugar
TIP: If you are looking for a simplified recipe, you can just use plain cream soda. It’s not quite as authentic, but still tastes SUPER yummy and you don’t have to spend the extra money on extracts.
How to Make Butterbeer
Follow these simple steps to create this delicious, creamy drink inspired by the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
- Prepare the Butterscotch Topping:
- Use a stand mixer or a mixing bowl and a hand mixer to whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks.
- Blend in the powdered sugar and butterscotch topping until well combined.
- Mix the Butterbeer Base:
- Empty the two-liters of cream soda into a pitcher. Stir in the butter and caramel extracts.
- Pour the Butterbeer into glasses, leaving room at the top for the whipped topping.
- Top and Serve:
- Spoon or pipe the butterscotch whipped topping over the Butterbeer.
- Serve immediately and enjoy this magical treat!
Where can I find Butterbeer at Universal Studios?
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. It is also on the menu at The Three Broomsticks, of course!
A very blurry photo of us at Universal Studios Hollywood drinking our Butterbeer. The cream on top is the best part!
Frequently Asked Questions about Butterbeer
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 use A&W Cream Soda, which has a caramel color. If your cream soda is clear, the appearance will be different, but it won’t necessarily affect the taste.
If butterscotch syrup isn’t available locally, consider purchasing it online through retailers like Amazon.
Yes! You can use a dairy-free whipped topping. It’s pretty easy to find a coconut or almond-based alternative.
Harry Potter Butterbeer Copycat Recipe
Video
Equipment
- Hand Mixer
- Butterbeer Mugs (the BEST glasses for serving)
- Piping Bags (we like these ones!)
Ingredients
- 2 liters cream soda, chilled
- ¼ teaspoon caramel extract
- ¼ teaspoon butter extract
Butterscotch Cream Topping
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup butterscotch topping
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a large pitcher, mix the cream soda with the caramel and butter extracts. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to whip heavy cream until it forms stiff peaks.
- Add butterscotch topping and powdered sugar. Mix to combine.
- Pour the soda mixture into clear cups or mugs. Pipe butterscotch cream topping over the butterbeer.
- Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
More Delicious Drink Recipes
We love this Harry Potter Butterbeer! Here are a few more of our favorite drink recipes:
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Hi, Erika.
I’d recommend using Virgil’s Flying Cauldron Butterscotch Beer (there’s no alcohol in it) instead of cream soda. I just went to the Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio Tour in Tokyo yesterday, and I couldn’t tell the difference between the soda they served and Virgil’s Butterscotch Beer. Here’s a link to it: https://virgils.com/flying-cauldron/
The fake “head” on the butterbeer was terrific, and I can’t wait to get home and try your recipe. Would blending a bit of the butterscotch soda into the whipped cream thin it out enough to have the same texture as the topping served by the park? I’ll try it and let you know.
Anyway, thanks for the recipe. I foresee myself referencing it quite often.
Thanks so much for the tip!
We loved this! We’ve never been to Universal Studios Harry Potter World, but drinking this made us feel like we finally got to go! I’m not a huge sugary soda person, but I used sugar-free cream soda and it was perfect! The topping was especially good. I could have just had a bowl of that.😄 I used caramel syrup because I didn’t have caramel extract and it worked just fine. We can’t wait to make some more this!! Thanks for the yummy recipe!
That’s awesome, so glad you like it!
Never change this post – ITS PERFECT
Thank you so much! Glad it was a hit!
I was wondering about the cream you make for the top. When I had the butterbeer in the park, the cream was not the same as whipped cream. It was thick but still liquidy. Does yours do that after stirring in the butterscotch and powdered sugar when you put it on top of the soda?
The cream that they put on the Butterbeer in the park isn’t whipped cream. It is liquidy. I think you are spot on with the flavor profile but the texture is wrong. I think maybe to get the same “texture” as in the park, you would do a cold frothing of the cream? Does that sound right to you?
Yes, I think to get the more liquid-like texture you could use half and half instead of heavy cream and blend it with a handheld frother. Thank you for your comment!
Thanks for the reply. I didn’t see it before I made the other comment. I will try this with the half and half and report back my results.
Thank you, Laura! I’ll try it as well. I make this often as we are big Harry Potter fans and like to drink butter beer when we watch the movies.
Do you have a recipe for the hot butter beer they serve in the park?
I am here to report that using half and half with a hand frother does indeed make the same type of cream topping as what they serve at the park. However, I did have to cut the amount of butterscotch topping in half to make it taste the same what it tastes like in the park. When doing the half and half method, mix the powdered sugar and butterscotch in the half and half before you froth it.
Question what are measurements for the butter beer
Hi Racheal, For 2 liters or 8 servings of butterbeer, the measurements are:
2 liters cream soda, chilled
1/4 tsp caramel extract
1/4 tsp butter extract
For the topping:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup butterscotch topping
1/4 cup powdered sugar
I don’t mean to be crude, but which alcohol additive would you think would go best with this recipe? (For our family get together coming up! Bunch of Potterheads)
– Captain Morgans Spiced Rum/rum in general
or
– Vanilla Vodka and -butterscotch schnapps
– or your personal recommendation!
Thanks!
LOL this is probably not the best question for any of us to answer since none of us drink :/ I will leave your comment right here though so maybe you can get some tips from other readers!
Use a shot of white rum per drink and serve your Butterbeer hot. It’s delicious!
I like to mix in a shot of vanilla vodka
So delicious
don’t use imitation caramel.