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This smooth and creamy Butterbeer Ice Cream not only tastes amazing but this no churn recipe is also super quick and easy to make! It’s a delicious dessert that’s guaranteed to be a huge hit with all the Potter fans in your house!

If you’ve ever been to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort or Universal Studios Hollywood, you have seen, and no doubt sampled, some of the many delicious Universal Studios butterbeer options.

But if you haven’t tried Butterbeer Ice Cream before, you are in for a treat! This copycat version is incredibly easy to make and taste just like the Butterbeer ice cream you get at Universal in Hogsmeade at The Three Broomsticks or in Diagon Alley at The Leaky Cauldron.

Homemade Harry Potter butterbeer ice cream is the perfect sweet and delicious treat to serve for your next Harry Potter Themed Party or movie night. And if you really want to impress all the Harry Potter fans in your house, you can make ice cream cookie sandwiches using these Butterbeer Cookies or serve them alongside these decadent Butterbeer Cupcakes.

Why We Love this Recipe

Taste: It has the most amazing buttery flavor, and the swirl of sweet butterscotch sauce sends everything right over the top! This is truly an indulgent-worthy ice cream recipe.

Simple Ingredients: This butterbeer ice cream only requires 5 simple ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen. That means you can whip up this super easy recipe anytime the craving hits.

Easy to make: This recipe has a no egg yolks ice cream base. It’s just mixed and chilled. Once you’ve made the sauce and it has cooled you simply swirl it into the base and freeze it- no ice cream maker required!

Ingredients For Butterbeer Ice Cream

Sweetened Condensed Milk: Creamy condensed milk acts as the primary sweetener for this homemade ice cream recipe.

Heavy Whipping Cream: Whipped until light and fluffy, heavy cream adds the perfect creaminess to the ice cream and it’s also used in the butterscotch sauce to give it a rich and velvety texture.

Vanilla Extract: The vanilla extract gives the ice cream great flavor while enhancing the butterscotch flavor in the sauce.

Brown Sugar: Used to sweeten the sauce. The molasses used to make brown sugar gives the butterscotch sauce a rich flavor and beautiful amber color.

Butter: What would butterbeer ice cream be without butter? This helps to thicken the sauce and gives a nice glossiness.

How to Make Harry Potter Butterbeer Ice Cream

For the Ice Cream

Step 1: Add cream to the bowl of your mixer.

Step 2: Using the whisk attachment, whip the cream until stiff peaks form.

Step 3: Add the condensed milk and the vanilla to a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine.

Step 4: Fold in the whipped cream. Set this mixture aside in refrigerator while you are preparing the sauce.

Whipped cream combined with condensed milk and vanilla

For the Butterscotch Sauce

Step 1: In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, cream and butter.

Brown sugar and butter in a mixing bowl with cup of cream

Step 2: Stir to combine. Cook over medium heat until sugar is melted.

Step 3: Lower heat and let cook for 5 minutes without stirring. Once everything is combined and thickened, remove the sauce from the heat and add the vanilla and stir to combine it.

Step 4: Pour the sauce into a jar or an airtight container to cool.

Pouring butterscotch sauce ingredients into jar

To Assemble the Ice Cream

Step 1: Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.

Step 2: Spoon half of the condensed milk ice cream mixture into the loaf pan. Spread it until it’s nice and even.

Step 3: Drizzle the cooled butterscotch sauce over the top of the ice cream.

Ice cream mixture with butterscotch sauce

Step 4: Top with the remaining ice cream base.

Step 5: Drizzle the top with the butterscotch sauce. Take a spoon or a butter knife and gently create a butterscotch swirl in the ice cream. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 3 or more hours until set.

Once the ice cream hardens serve in sugar cones or parfait glasses. You can also make a Butterbeer Ice Cream Float by adding a couple of scoops of this ice cream to a tall glass and top with cream soda!

What is Butterbeer?

If you’ve never read a Harry Potter Book or watched any of the Harry Potter Movies, then I bet all this butterbeer talk probably has you a bit confused. Let me explain.

Butterbeer is a fictious beverage popular between witches and wizards in the Harry Potter Series by author J.K. Rowling. It’s described in the book as a little bit like less sickly butterscotch. I’ll admit that description doesn’t do butterbeer justice, so you’ll just have to trust me when I tell you it is AH-mazing!

What Does Butterbeer Ice Cream Taste Like?

Butterbeer Ice Cream has a sweet vanilla cream base, and the butterscotch sauce gives it a buttery caramel flavor. It’s the perfect combination.

Butterbeer ice cream cones with black and white checkered napkin

Does Butterbeer Ice Cream Have Alcohol

Butterbeer drinks in the Harry Potter Series had the mildest touch of alcohol. Of course, for house elves, like Winky, even a little bit could be too much. You may even remember this conversation between Dobby and Harry in The Goblet of Fire:

“Winky is getting through six bottles a day now,” Dobby whispered to Harry.
“Well, it’s not strong, that stuff,” Harry said.
But Dobby shook his head. “‘Tis strong for a house-elf, sir,” he said.

But no worries! All of our Harry Potter recipes, like this ice cream recipe, are 100% alcohol-free and super kid friendly.

If you want to make this a boozy version, you can add a little butterscotch schnapps to the mixture before you freeze it. Keep in mind that when you add alcohol to ice cream, it prevents it from freezing really firm so it will be more like a soft serve ice cream.

Butterbeer ice cream in sugar cone propped up in glass

Favorite Add-Ins

Nuts: You can add toasted pecans or walnuts if you like a little added crunch.
Chocolate Chips: For even more butterscotch flavor, add mini butterscotch chips to the mix. Dark chocolate chips are also a nice compliment to caramel and butterscotch.
Toppings: This ice cream is delicious without any toppings but you if want to add one, you can make extra butterscotch sauce for an even stronger butterbeer flavor. Or you can add a big dollop of sweetened whipping topping for an extra touch of decadence.
Flavoring: Rum extract goes perfectly with the other flavors in this creamy ice cream. You can also use almond extract.

Hand holding a butterbeer ice cream cone

Want More Harry Potter Inspired Recipes?

5 from 46 votes

Harry Potter Butterbeer Ice Cream

Author Lisa O’Driscoll | Fun Money Mom

Course Desserts & Sweets

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Additional Time 3 30

Total Time 3 55

This delicious Harry Potter butterbeer ice cream recipe is a creamy no churn ice cream that's filled with delicious butterscotch flavor. It's a delicious dessert that makes the perfect treat for any Harry Potter fan!

Equipment

Ingredients

Ice Cream

▢ 2 cups heavy whipping cream
▢ 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Butterscotch Sauce

▢ 1/2 cup brown sugar
▢ 1/2 cup heavy cream
▢ 4 tablespoons butter
▢ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Add whipping cream to the bowl of your mixer.
2 cups heavy whipping cream
Using the whisk attachment, whip the cream until stiff peaks form.
Add the condensed milk and the vanilla to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Fold in the whipped cream. Set this mixture aside in refrigerator while you prepare the sauce.

For The Butterscotch Sauce

In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, cream and butter.
1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 4 tablespoons butter
Stir to combine. Cook over medium heat until sugar is melted.
Lower heat and let cook for 5 minutes without stirring. Once everything is combined and thickened, remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pour the sauce into a jar to cool.
Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
Spoon half of the condensed milk mixture (the ice cream) into the loaf pan and spread it evenly across the bottom.
Drizzle the cooled butterscotch sauce over the top of the ice cream.
Top with the remaining ice cream.
Drizzle the top with the butterscotch sauce. Take a spoon or a butter knife and gently create a butterscotch swirl in the ice cream. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 3 or more hours until set.