Butterbeer Italian Soda: The Cheater’s Recipe
Ever since my son got hooked on the Harry Potter books he has wanted to try butterbeer. So I figured his birthday party would be the perfect time to try out some recipes. I found several butterbeer recipes that sounded yummy, but I didn’t feel like messing with the cream topping, especially in the middle of a birthday party. Even if they were supposed to be close to the one you can buy in Orlando, I figured it is an imaginary drink and I could imagine a much easier way to make it!
So I decided to just make it a Butterbeer Italian Soda! My kids love Italian sodas. We often joke about me being the Mormon mixologist. We don’t do alcohol or coffee, but I have a pantry full of syrups that I use for things like Italian sodas and steamers. I love experimenting! I also knew that I had the PERFECT syrup for butterbeer!
I know that Italian soda purists would look down their noses at the spray-on whip topping, but I find that kids like it better than the half & half. And to be honest, I really like it too. It makes the drink a little sweeter.
The syrup is also really good if you want to make a butterbeer steamer!
Butterbeer Italian Soda Recipe
- 4 squirts or 2 tbsp Torani Almond Roca Syrup
- 1 cup (8oz) club soda or sparkling water
- 1/2 cup ice
- Spray-on Whipped Topping
- Butterscotch ice cream syrup
Pour ice, sparkling water, and syrup into a glass and stir. Top with whipped topping and drizzle butterscotch syrup over the whipped topping. You can also add the butterscotch syrup to the sparking water if you like it a little richer!
Anybody want to send me to Orlando to see if I am even remotely close to the “real” thing?
Next week I will cover how to play Water Quidditch!
You have the best Harry Potter party ideas! Thank you so much for sharing them!!! Do you have the printable label for this butterbeer available somewhere? To purchase? Or free? I hope I didn’t just miss the link. I tried looking thoroughly. 🙂
Thank you so much!
Thanks! I got the label from online somewhere, but can’t remember where. But I also love the one here: http://howboutno.deviantart.com/art/Butterbeer-Label-200739750
Thanks for the almond roca suggestion—that is the secret ingredient! It isn’t close to Universal with that alone, though. As is, it was too coffee-tasting for my kids. Added about 2 tbsp caramel sauce and it wasn’t quite right then either. Fortunately, I had a 20oz. Coke in the fridge, and I added that to my 2L mix, and voila! As close as I could remember to Universal studios. We did cool whip in the glass, poured the butter beer on top to make a nice foamy head and drizzled caramel sauce to serve. 1/4 cup servings were more than enough for this crew. Very rich! Wouldn’t have been remotely close without the almond roca! Genius! Thanks for the recipe base!
Oh my goodness! You have me dying of curiosity. I am going to have to try adding Coke to it now. I am totally intrigued. And Almond Roca syrup is one of my favorites! You should also try it in a steamer 🙂