These Harry Potter butterbeer cookies will transport you right into the wizarding world! They're extra chewy cookies flavored with butterscotch, vanilla and butter flavor, frosted with butterscotch buttercream and drizzled with butterbeer caramel sauce.
I haven't been this excited about sharing a recipe with you all since I shared my other Harry Potter recipe: butterbeer cupcakes! After sharing those cupcakes I just knew I had to share a butterbeer cookie recipe too! These are perfect for reading through the Harry Potter books again, having a Harry Potter marathon movie night or for a Harry Potter party! All my Harry Potter fans will absolutely adore these cookies!
Why You'll Love These Butterbeer Cookies
They taste just like butterbeer- These cookies taste just like butterbeer you get at Diagon Alley or The Three Broomsticks at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios. They're full of creamy, buttery butterscotch flavor.
They're topped with fluffy butterscotch buttercream and butterbeer caramel- The frosting is so smooth and fluffy and tastes just like the topping you get on butterbeer! The caramel is made from a butterscotch beer reduction mixed with butter and cream to make the most luscious drizzle.
They’re a sweet treat- These are extra sweet cookies that are a perfect treat and so much fun!
They’re extra chewy- They've got the best texture and paired with the butterscotch frosting they totally just melt in your mouth.
Ingredients For Butterbeer Cookies
- Flour- all purpose flour gives these cookies the best chew
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda-help the cookies to rise slightly
- Salt- helps bring out all the flavors in these cookies
- Sugar- mostly brown sugar is used for the best chewy texture
- Butter- make sure it's unsalted and softened
- Butterscotch Chips- are melted to give the cookie dough the best butterbeer flavor, then extra chips are mixed into the dough
- Egg Yolks- just the yolks give these cookies an extra chewy texture
- Vanilla- I always recommend vanilla bean paste for the best flavor but vanilla extract works just as well
- Butter Extract- adds an extra buttery flavor to the cookies
- Butterscotch Beer- I use Flying Cauldron butterscotch beer but if you can’t find it, cream soda will work as well
- Heavy Cream- used to make the butterbeer caramel sauce
- Sprinkles- optional, but white and gold nonpareils make these cookies look extra magical
Step by Step Instructions
Please see recipe card below for the complete instructions including bake time and measurements!
STEP ONE: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Then set aside the flour mixture.
STEP TWO: In a large bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar and granulated white sugar together with an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. (You can also add use the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment if you would rather.)
STEP THREE: Add in the egg yolks, vanilla extract, butter extract and melted butterscotch chips and mix on medium speed until pale in color and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. (Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.)
STEP FOUR: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix on low speed just until combined.
STEP FIVE: Mix the butterscotch chips into the dough with a rubber spatula.
STEP SIX: Scoop the dough with a large cookie scoop into 2 tablespoon portions. Arrange the cookie dough balls 2 inches apart on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake. After baking let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for five minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to completely cool.
STEP SEVEN: Make the butterscotch buttercream and the the butterbeer caramel while the cookies cool.
STEP EIGHT: Frost each cookie with butterscotch buttercream using a mini offset spatula. Then drizzle butterbeer caramel on top of the cookie. Sprinkle with white and gold sprinkles if you wish, then serve!
FAQs
Do I have to frost the cookies? No! You can definitely leave the frosting and the caramel off the cookies if you wish! They taste good just on their own!
Can I add white chocolate chips to the batter too? Sure! I would do ¼ cup of white chocolate chips and ¼ cup of butterscotch chips if you want to add white chocolate!
Pro Tips
Measure your flour properly. This is always my #1 baking tip. Do not ever scoop a measuring cup into your flour. This will always lead to using too much flour. Instead, scoop spoonfuls of flour into your measuring cup and swipe excess flour off with the back of a knife. Or better yet, weigh your flour with a kitchen scale. 1 cup of flour equals 125 grams.
When the cookies are straight out of the oven, scoot a large circular cookie cutter around them in a circular motion . This will give the cookies a perfect circular shape!
Make sure your wet ingredients are at room temperature. This will help to give you the best textured cookies!
If you make these cookies please leave a star review, it's so helpful for me! Tag me on Instagram @inbloombakery_ so I can see as well! Follow me on Pinterest for other dessert ideas!
Other Cookie Recipes to Try Next Time
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
📖 Recipe
Harry Potter Butterbeer Cookies
Ingredients
For the Butterbeer Cookies
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (165 g) light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated white sugar
- 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1 ½ teaspoon butter extract
- ¼ cup (50 g) butterscotch chips, melted and slightly cooled
- ½ cup (100 g) butterscotch chips
Butterbeer Caramel
- 12 oz (355 ml) butterscotch beer or cream soda
- 3 tablespoon (42 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoon (45 ml) heavy cream, at room temperature
- pinch salt
For the Butterscotch Buttercream
- ½ cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (100 g) butterscotch chips, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 cup (130 g) powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon butter extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
Instructions
For the Butterbeer Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Then set aside the flour mixture.2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar and granulated white sugar together with an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. (You can use a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment.)¾ cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened, ¾ cup (165 g) light brown sugar, packed, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated white sugar
- Add in the egg yolks, vanilla extract, butter extract and melted butterscotch chips and mix on medium speed until pale in color and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.2 egg yolks, at room temperature, 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or extract, 1 ½ teaspoon butter extract, ¼ cup (50 g) butterscotch chips, melted and slightly cooled
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined.
- Mix the butterscotch chips into the dough with a rubber spatula.½ cup (100 g) butterscotch chips
- Scoop the dough with a large cookie scoop into 2 tablespoon portions.
- Arrange the cookie dough balls 6 at a time, 2 inches apart, on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies for 10-11 minutes.Right after baking, scoot a large circular cookie cutter around the cookies to give them a perfect circular shape.
- Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for five minutes then transfer them to a wire rack to completely cool.
For the Butterbeer Caramel
- Add the butterscotch beer to a pot and simmer it over medium-low heat until it is thick and a deep golden color, about 15-17 minutes all together.12 oz (355 ml) butterscotch beer or cream soda
- Turn the heat down to low and mix in the butter.3 tablespoon (42 g) unsalted butter, softened
- Once the butter is fully incorporated, mix in the cream and salt.3 tablespoon (45 ml) heavy cream, at room temperature, pinch salt
- Let the caramel simmer over low heat for one minute, then remove it from the heat to cool.
For the Butterscotch Buttercream
- Add the softened unsalted butter and salt to a medium bowl. Whip the butter with an electric mixer on high speed until pale in color and fluffy, around 5-10 minutes.½ cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened, ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Add in the melted and slightly cooled butterscotch chips and combine. (The chips should be completely melted but just slightly warm to the touch.)½ cup (100 g) butterscotch chips, melted and slightly cooled
- Sift in the powdered sugar and mix until combined.1 cup (130 g) powdered sugar
- Lastly, add in the butter extract and vanilla and mix the frosting until it's light and fluffy, about one more minute.¼ teaspoon butter extract, ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
Decorating the Cookies
- Once cooled, top each cookie with butterscotch buttercream using a mini offset spatula.
- Drizzle butterbeer caramel over each cookie and sprinkle with sprinkles. Then serve!
I made these yesterday and I made the Butterbeer Caramel twice. Each time it was still thin and runny. The second time I let it reduce down to around 4 oz. I am going to be making the cupcakes today and I want to know the best way to get the right reduction. Help?
Hi Pam! For the butterbeer cupcakes, simply simmer 3 cups (710 ml) of butterscotch soda/cream soda until it is 1/2 cup. (The butterbeer ganache for the cupcakes is different than the butterbeer caramel used on the cookies.)
For the butterbeer cookies, you're simmering 12 oz (1.5 cups/ 355 ml) of butterscotch soda/cream soda until it is quite thick, almost like honey. After the butter, cream and salt are added in you can always simmer the caramel for longer than 1 minute if you think it's too runny. Keep in mind that once it cools it will get thicker though. Hope this helps 🙂
Can I package these or are they sticky
Hi Breanne! The frosting and caramel are a little sticky so if you want to wrap them I would maybe leave the frosting and caramel off.
Trying to make these but the caramel is super runny after following the instructions! I tried twice too! What’s going wrong?
Oh my gosh. I haven't traded these yet, but I just want to rave about your institutions and how you also put the amounts of the ingredients underneath Soo I don't have to keep scrolling out turning pages!!!! Yes!!!
Wow. Just reread my comment. So many typos, but I think you get what I'm saying
Not sure how many people may think of it, but I tried to make this with a diet cream soda. Just an FYI, you must need full sugared soda for this to work when you make the caramel.
Hi! Did you originally cook the caramel on a gas range? I have electric and it took much longer for the soda to reduce.
Hi Stephanie! No, I have an electric stovetop as well. Every stovetop is different though, so that could be why. As long as it reduces and becomes thick you should have no problems with making the butterbeer caramel!
I used clear cream soda for the caramel and I didn’t get a caramel look to it, what can I do