Hot or Cold, Spiked or Not: A Dreamy Butterbeer Recipe (2024)

Non-Alcoholic Drinks

Colleen Graham

Freelance writer and co*cktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.

Learn about The Spruce Eats'Editorial Process

Updated on 05/6/21

Tested by

Carrie Parente

Tested byCarrie Parente

Carrie is a freelance food stylist and culinary producer who loves having a table full of guests.

Learn about The Spruce Eats'Editorial Process

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Ingredients

For the Batter:

1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons butterscotch sauce
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

For the Butterbeer:

6 (12-ounce) cans vanilla cream soda, or one 2-liter bottle

Steps to Make It

Make the Butterbeer Batter

Gather the ingredients.
In a small bowl, combine the cream, spices, butterscotch, and softened butter.
Whisk for 2 minutes to mix. Avoid whipping it so long that it becomes whipped cream, but it should thicken and increase in volume slightly.
Place the bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes to give it a good chill. If not making butterbeer immediately, cover the bowl and store in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Make the Butterbeer

Fill a frosty glass about two-thirds full with cold vanilla cream soda.
Pour the chilled butterbeer batter over the back of a spoon and into the glass. It will naturally rise to the top and float on the soda. Make this layer as thick as you like, but go slow because it will grow fast.
Serve it with a straw or drink it straight from the glass (and experience the foamy mustache). Enjoy.

Tips

Though it is best fresh, the batter can be refrigerated for up to 2 days in a well-sealed container.
You want a frosty mug or tall glass for cold butterbeer. For a quick chill, rinse each glass with cold water and place them in the coldest part of your freezer for at least 2 hours.

Make Hot Butterbeer

To make hot butterbeer, prepare the batter, then slowly heat up the batter and soda separately. Do this very gently so the cream doesn't curdle and the soda doesn't lose all of its carbonation.
You can also warm the soda and leave the batter chilled for a more accurate reflection of the book's drink. For a party, keep the soda warm in a slow cooker on the warm setting and add the batter to the glasses.
On the stovetop, warm both ingredients over low heat and stir the batter almost continuously. You do not want either ingredient to come to a boil, they just need to be warmed.
In the microwave, warm them in small increments. It should take less than 2 minutes for each ingredient.
Just as a frosty glass improves the cold butterbeer experience, a warm glass creates a better warm butterbeer. Use a heat-proof glass such as an Irish coffee glass or coffee mug. While you're warming the ingredients, fill the glass with very hot water. Discard the water before pouring the drink using the same method as the cold butterbeer.

Make Alcoholic Butterbeer

Spiking butterbeer adds to the warming effect described in "Harry Potter." If only adults will be drinking, you can substitute 2 ounces of butterscotch schnapps for the sauce and mix it right into the batter. Alternatively, add liquor directly into the glass along with the soda. A shot of rum is a favorite, though sweet whipped cream vodka is another good choice.

An even better option takes a hint from an old Irish drink that may have inspired Rowling's butterbeer in the first place. This beverage combined melted butter with beer, and Irish whiskey sometimes made it into the mix. The whiskey is an excellent addition to this butterbeer recipe because it contrasts the drink's sweetness and gives it a good, hearty background.

What Happens If the Cream Is Poured First?

For a proper butterbeer, it's critical that you pour the ingredients in order: soda then batter. If you pour the batter first, when the soda hits the cream, it will instantly foam up, fill the glass, and leave you with very little soda. It won't settle like the foam on beer or soda, either. Instead, you'll be left with something a root beer float with just a touch of soda underneath. All is not lost if you pour it out of order because the creamy, carbonated foam is delicious. Add a scoop of ice cream and turn the mishap into a surprise dessert!

Non-Alcoholic Drinks
Halloween Drinks

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
137	Calories
9g	Fat
14g	Carbs
1g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories	137
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g	12%
Saturated Fat 6g	29%
Cholesterol 28mg	9%
Sodium 38mg	2%
Total Carbohydrate 14g	5%
Dietary Fiber 0g	0%
Total Sugars 14g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg	1%
Calcium 23mg	2%
Iron 0mg	0%
Potassium 26mg	1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

mocktail
dessert
american
birthdays

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Hot or Cold, Spiked or Not: A Dreamy Butterbeer Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is warm or cold butterbeer better? ›

As a general rule of thumb, we always suggest that Butterbeer is better cold just like in the books and movies. We feel like butterbeer is meant to be enjoyed like a soda, especially on those hot Florida and California days.

Discover More ›

Is Butterbeer hot or cold in the books? ›

Although the original stories depicted Butterbeer ™ as being served cold in bottles and hot in "foaming tankards," Universal Orlando Resort serves it three different ways, along with a flavored ice cream, for Harry Potter ™ fans craving the wizarding beverage.

Can you add alcohol to Butterbeer at Universal? ›

Sadly, no. There is no alcoholic butterbeer option at Universal. And they get so neurotic about keeping it proper, that if you go to the Hogshead and order a butterbeer and alcohol and attempt to mix the two at the bar, it is said that they will actively stop you.

What does JK Rowling say about 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 ...

Find Out More ›

Is Harry Potter Butterbeer hot or cold? ›

When the Wizarding World of Harry Potter opened at Universal Orlando in 2010, cold Butterbeer was one of the two Butterbeer options available in the land (the other was frozen). The taste of cold Butterbeer isn't too different from hot or frozen, but the experience of drinking it is.

Keep Reading ›

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.

Learn More Now ›

Did JK 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.

Read On ›

What does cold Butterbeer taste like? ›

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.

Learn More Now ›

Is hot butterbeer good? ›

It is sweet but not too sweet, with a very rich and luscious flavor. It comes with the same thick foam on top as the other kinds do and it slowly melts into the rest of the beverage making it even better. Hot Butterbeer is a rare treat, because of its seasonal nature.

View Details ›

Is there spiked Butterbeer? ›

Boozy Butterbeer is an easy to make, adult co*cktail that tastes just as creamy, sweet, and delicious as Harry Potter's favorite drink. No need to travel to the theme park when you can recreate the recipe at home.

Show Me More ›

Can you mix fire whiskey and Butterbeer? ›

A Harry Potter inspired co*cktail made with butterbeer and firewhisky or in muggle case butterscotch cream soda and cinnamon whiskey. This uses 151 to light it on fire, please use caution. This step is not necessary if you wish to skip it.

Get More Info ›

What is Gilly water at Universal Studios? ›

Well, Butterbeer, make room for Gilly Water, the signature drink at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley at Universal Studios. According to the Harry Potter books and films, Gillywater is made of Gillyweed and plain water.

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Why are students allowed to drink Butterbeer? ›

There are two main reasons why the Hogwarts students are able to drink butterbeer, each rendering the other unnecessary: Butterbeer is implied to be about as strong as ginger beer, i.e. not very strong at all. Not strong enough to count as alcoholic for legal purposes.

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Does Butterbeer taste like butterscotch? ›

It definitely has a butterscotch flavor to it, creamy and cold. A definite "must try" if you're going to Universal.

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Is Butterbeer supposed to be cold? ›

The theme park already offers carbonated (below) and frozen versions of the drink, which is all fine and good. But if we're taking accuracy into account, which we are, we know that Madam Rosmerta's butterbeer is served warm in the books.

Show Me More ›

What is the best kind of Butterbeer at Universal? ›

Out of the 3 drink forms of Butterbeer, I find the Hot to be the sweetest. Where to find it: In Diagon Alley: The Leaky Cauldron and The Hopping Pot. In Hogsmeade: The Three Broomsticks Hog's Head Pub.

Does Universal Studios Hollywood have hot butterbeer? ›

You can also get it inside at Hog's Head or the Three Broomsticks restaurant (where they also serve hot Butterbeer). If you are dairy-free or vegan, you can now get a Butterbeer with a vegan-friendly froth at The Three Broomsticks or Hog's Head!