This rich, creamy Butterbeer starts with a quick salted butterscotch sauce made of brown sugar, butter, vinegar, salt, cream, and a touch of rum extract. A few tablespoons of butterscotch sauce mixed with cream soda and topped with whipped cream in a chilled glass produces a frothy delicacy that is guaranteed to delight just about anybody, but especially Harry Potter fans. It makes a great, festive treat for Christmas as well!
Ingredients and Equipment Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
Salted Butterscotch Sauce
- Brown sugar – Light or dark.
- Water
- Salted butter
- Kosher salt
- Apple cider vinegar
- Heavy cream
- Rum extract
Additional Ingredients
- Cream soda
Equipment
- Candy thermometer – This recipe requires a candy thermometer. But, as far as candy thermometer recipes go, this one is super simple. The syrup just needs to reach 240°F and you’re done!
- Glass beer mugs – While not a requirement, something about a thick, chilled glass fresh from the freezer makes butterbeer taste extra amazing! Any thick glass cup will do.
How to Make Butterbeer
Make Your Salted Butterscotch Sauce
- In a small saucepan, combine some brown sugar and water. Heat, stirring frequently, over medium heat until a candy thermometer registers 240°F. Reduce heat to low and, whisking constantly, add in butter, salt, and vinegar and whisk until smooth. Slowly stir in 1/4 cup of the heavy cream, reserving the rest for later, and whisk until smooth and combined and then remove from heat.
- Add the rum extract and allow to cool to room temperature. Use for Butterbeer or save for later.
Assemble Your Butterbeer
- Pop 4 large glasses or beer mugs in the freezer and 4 12-ounce bottles of cream soda into the refrigerator. Do this with enough time to get them good and cold.
- When ready to assemble your drinks, pull everything out. Combine 2 tablespoons of salted butterscotch sauce with 1/2 cup of whipping cream. Whip with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Set aside.
- Pour 1/4 cup of the butterscotch (approximately) into each of the chilled glasses. Whisk in 1/4 cup of cream soda in each glass so it becomes frothy. Then add the remaining cream soda to each glass.
- Divide the whipped cream mixture evenly among the four glasses and serve immediately. You can always drizzle a little extra sauce on top if desired.
Storing and Other Tips
- Butterbeer as a drink is best enjoyed freshly made! For the butterscotch sauce, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 2-3 weeks.
- This sauce isn’t just for drinks! It’s a wonderful topping for ice cream or baked goods as well.
- Salted butterscotch sauce also makes a great little gift!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this ahead of time?
You can definitely make the butterscotch a day or two in advance! Chill your glasses and your cream soda. You can even whip heavy whipping cream a day ahead if desired. Then, simply assemble everything when ready to serve.
Can I make this without a candy thermometer?
For consistency in results I have to recommend using a candy thermometer. If you have a digital thermometer, it may reach that high (Thermapro brand, for example, often reads up to 500°F). If you want to give it a go without a thermometer that’s fine, just be aware your results may vary.
Can I leave out the rum flavoring?
Sure. If you’d prefer a traditional salted caramel flavor, omit the rum flavoring.
Butterbeer with Salted Butterscotch Sauce
Salted butterscotch sauce makes a great Butterbeer or gift around the holidays!
Servings servings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup packed brown sugar light or dark, packed
- 2 tablespoons water
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon cider vinegar
- ¾ cup heavy cream divided
- ½ teaspoon rum extract
- 4 12-ounce bottles cream soda
Instructions
- Set 4 mugs into the freezer to chill.
- In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar and water. Heat, stirring frequently, over medium heat until a candy thermometer registers 240℉. Reduce heat to low and, whisking constantly, add in butter, salt, and vinegar and whisk until smooth.
- Slowly stir in ¼ cup of the heavy cream, reserving the rest for later, and whisk until smooth and combined and then remove from heat. Add the rum extract and allow to cool to room temperature. You can use this as a sauce, ice cream topping, syrup, or you can save it for the butterbeer.
- To make the butterbeer, combine 2 tablespoons of the salted butterscotch with the remaining ½ cup of heavy whipping cream and whip with electric beaters until soft peaks form. Set aside.
- Pour ¼ cup of the butterscotch (approximately) into each of the chilled mugs or glasses. whisk in 1/4 cup of cream soda in each glass so it becomes frothy. Then add the remaining cream soda to each glass.
- Divide the whipped cream mixture evenly among the four glasses and serve immediately. Top with extra sauce if desired.
Notes
- Butterbeer as a drink is best enjoyed freshly made! For the butterscotch sauce, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 2-3 weeks.
- This sauce isn’t just for drinks! It’s a wonderful topping for ice cream or baked goods as well.
- Salted butterscotch sauce also makes a great little gift!
Nutrition
Calories: 511kcal, Carbohydrates: 55g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 33g, Saturated Fat: 21g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 96mg, Sodium: 454mg, Potassium: 121mg, Sugar: 55g, Vitamin A: 1181IU, Vitamin C: 0.3mg, Calcium: 81mg, Iron: 0.4mg
Calories: 511kcal
Cost: $5
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Questions & Reviews
You should always share pictures of beautiful babies in sock monkey hats. Especially if the baby is this cute. Recipes are also nice, but it’s tough to compete with something as delicious as a charming baby.
We had Butterbeer this spring at Harry Potter World at Universal and I almost died I was so over-the-moon happy. It was like a book come true to stand there with my kids staring the at Castle we have all read about so many times while in line to get in Ollivander’s and just look around at the quaint Hogsmeade Village they built and drink Butterbeer. Yes, I am a 34 yr old mom of 4 who loves Harry Potter. I swear I was more excited than the kids!!! Thanks for this recipe, now we can have it at home, too 🙂
Glad to hear I’m not the only one who misses characters and can’t mix them with the next! I made this Butterbeer for my son’s birthday last year and my niece and nephew have been begging me to make it for Christmas ever since! It is really delicious.
Finally, a butterbeer recipe that actually sounds (and will most likely taste) how I think it should (based on the books!). The one in Florida just doesn’t sound right, and my daughter said it didn’t taste right…we love Harry Potter too, and will try this out this Christmas! Thank you for doing the work!!
Your little guy is so stinkin’ cute!!! Even without the sock monkey, that face would be worth the shameless pic.
This recipe sounds soo delicious. I can’t wait to try it. I did have a question, though. When it says near the end of the recipe to put 1/4 cup of the butterscotch into four chilled mugs, does that mean 1/4 cup in /each/ mug, or one single 1/4 cup divided evenly among the 4 mugs? Thanks!
I wondered the same thing!
Just clarified that–Thanks! 🙂 It’s 1/4 cup per glass.
i don’t mean to alarm you, but i think we may have been separated at birth :). i had very similar experiences with books as a child, and i also associate harry potter with christmastime. in fact, i’ve been getting myself into the holiday spirit by watching the movies a bit at a time each night while i fold laundry or stuff envelopes. anyway, the point is, you made me smile this morning. so thanks! (also, you should read Divergent if you haven’t already. there’s a sequel called Insurgent and a third should be out fairly soon. it had the same effect on me as the Hunger Games…in fact, i’d have to put it down every now and then just to soak it up.)
Aw, crap, I always knew that twin separated at birth was gonna find me… 🙂
you mean you KNEW? mom always told ME i just weighed ten pounds at birth all by myself. i knew that couldn’t be right… 🙂
Also the Iron Fey books by Julie Kagawa are a really good read, I spent last christmas vacation reading them, and could not put them down. I borrowed them from work for my daughter, but she had to wait until I was finished with them, before she was able to read them.
I LOVED the Iron Fey series. Now every time I think about getting a new electronic device, I worry about the Never Never.
Your son is adorable! And this looks so tasty! And since you love blurring the lines between fiction and reality, have you been able to watch “Once Upon a Time” on ABC? I just discovered season 1 on Netflix, and I cannot stop watching it and am so sad that I am almost done with the season. Now I have to find a way to catch on up season 2. If you haven’t watched it yet, give it a try! I think you will love it!
We LOVE that show! Our kids do, too–it’s so fun to have something we all like that we can look forward to on Sunday nights! 🙂
You can watch Season 2 on Amazon Prime Instant Videos, and ABC has them online as well, (for free) but the first few episodes already “expired” and aren’t available for viewing anymore. I watched the entire season 1 on Netflix in a matter of a few days…..my husband was so glad when I finally watched all of them and got it out of my system. Then I found the series “Merlin” on Netflix, and here we go again! 🙂 LOL
9 3/4 minutes-haha! 🙂
This is perfect for my daughter’s requested Harry Potter birthday in Feb!
Your son is a super-cutie! Mine is too but he’s almost 25 and won’t wear a sock monkey jacket anymore, LOL! Thank you for your wonderful website and the cute pictures!
That looks positively sinful! I sure could have used this recipe last week, but better late than never. (and thanks for that story about the cough drop earlier). Happy 12/12/12!