Harry Potter Butterbeer Recipe - Curly Girl Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

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.

Butterbeer Foam:

1/2 cup marshmallow fluff. 1/2 envelope Dream Whip whipped topping mix. 1 tablespoon powdered sugar. 1/2 teaspoon butterscotch syrup.

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.

The cookbook contains 10 chapters and 150 recipes. While a traditional cookbook organizes its recipes under chapters like main dishes, salads, and sides, the Unofficial Potter has chapters like “Recipes from a Giant and an Elf” (Rock Cakes, Bath Buns, Treacle Fudge, Kreacher's French Onion Soup, etc.)

Cold Butterbeer is mostly reminiscent of cream soda – yes, including the fizz – with a whipped topping that typically results in social-media-worthy mustaches; frozen, meanwhile, is more like a slushie that has been known to cause more than the occasional brain freeze.

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.

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.

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.

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.

In the books, the famous butterbeer is described as giving people a slight “buzz” but the version made at Universal theme park and the homemade version does not contain alcohol, although you may get a sugar high if you drink a couple glasses. If you're wondering, “Can kids can drink butter beer?” The answer is yes!

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.

But, the “froth” in Butterbeer contained dairy and without the froth, Butterbeer is, well, extremely sweet cream soda and tastes more muggle than magical. The rest of the day, Hannah encountered much the same issue, with very few vegan options.

It tastes like a root beer butterscotch base with the same exact coloring and soda consistency to the official cold Butterbeer from the Universal parks, just without the foam topping.

Butterbeer was a popular wizarding beverage described as tasting "a little bit like less-sickly butterscotch". 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.

The Universal Studios Orlando's butterbeer recipe is still top secret, but according to the books, it is made out of butterscotch, sugar, and water.

Where to find it: Hot Butterbeer is available at Leaky Cauldron and The Hopping Pot in Diagon Alley and Three Broomsticks and Hog's Head in Hogsmeade. Mix the ice cream in a cup of cold Butterbeer to make a DIY Butterbeer float.