Instructions
- Chill a beer mug or tall glass in the freezer for at least 10 minutes.
- Add the vanilla vodka and butterscotch schnapps to the glass.
- Top with cream soda and stir very gently to combine — avoid breaking the carbonation.
- Spoon a generous dollop of whipped cream over the top.
- Drizzle with butterscotch sauce and serve immediately.
📜 History
Butterbeer is a fictional warming drink that appears throughout J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter book series, first published in 1997, described as tasting of butterscotch and warming those who drink it. Fan bartenders began developing alcoholic versions in the early 2000s, and the drink's popularity surged following the 2010 opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Orlando, which serves its own non-alcoholic version. Home mixologists settled on vanilla vodka and butterscotch schnapps as the standard spirits base, topped with cream soda and butterscotch whipped cream to replicate the sweet, effervescent character of the fictional original. The cocktail now appears on themed bar menus worldwide and is a popular feature at Halloween and Harry Potter watch-party events.