Butterbeer Ranked: A Guide To The Harry Potter Treats At Universal

As a serious "Harry Potter" fan who's not only read all the books more than once, seen each and every movie, but even did the tour in London, I couldn't pass up the chance to visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios and sample all the new Butterbeer offerings the theme park has to offer, as of this writing. While I took my time wandering through Hogsmeade, picking out a wand in Ollivander's, grabbing a few chocolate frogs at Honeydukes, and enjoying an exciting ride on Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, my main goal was to sample each and every Butterbeer treat. 

Ever since I first pored over the pages of "The Prisoner of Azkaban," I've wanted to sip a hot mug of Butterbeer. Well, I finally got my chance. But I didn't just get to enjoy a piping hot version of the sweet elixir — there was a cold and frozen version of the drink available, as well. While each one had their own distinctions, they all shared the same luscious butterscotch flavor and thick, luxurious, sweet cream topping. 

Drinks weren't the only Butterbeer options I consumed, however. There were also several edible versions of the famous heavenly beverage. Only available inside The Wizarding World of Harry Potter during the spring Butterbeer Season, which runs through May 31, 2025, I took on the not-so-painful task of tasting my way through every Butterbeer treat available. While some I would give up my wand for, others I wouldn't even serve to Voldemort. Read on to see which treats you should travel to Hogsmeade for and which you should avoid at all costs.

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

I love a good pot de crème — the thick, rich pudding that's like velvet on your tongue. It doesn't matter what flavor it is, if pot de crème is on any dessert menu anywhere, that's what I'm ordering. So, when I saw that The Wizarding World of Harry Potter had its own version, I was so excited. Not only would I get that great luscious creamy dessert, but it would also have that wonderful butterscotch flavor in every bite. 

Absolutely adorable in its mini mason jar, the Butterbeer Potted Cream fills the jar completely. There's the cutest little dollop of whipped cream on top that's drizzled with a sumptuous butterscotch sauce, which I couldn't get enough of. And I couldn't wait to dig in. Unfortunately, once I did, that butterscotch sauce was the only part of this dessert I could praise.

The pudding, if you can call it that, was so cloyingly sweet, I was barely able to stomach one bite, let alone finish off the whole jar. But it wasn't just the flavor, which had an artificial, chemical taste. It was also the texture. This pot de crème was nothing like the creamy puddings I enjoy. Instead, this had the texture of store-bought frosting that had just come out of the can. While I'm sure children under the age of 10 will absolutely love this Butterbeer treat, I'd recommend skipping it for anyone else. 

Another dessert I'm a fan of, the cream puff is one of those treats that isn't too sweet but hits all the right marks, especially when dusted with powdered sugar. The Butterbeer Cream Puff, which is available at the Three Broomsticks, may be called a cream puff, but it's very different from the classic French dessert. This version has no powdered sugar, but rather a shortbread cookie and the same dollop of whipped cream as the Butterbeer Potted Cream. 

Both the heavenly butterscotch sauce and shortbread cookie are amazing. The cookie has a delicate sweetness and buttery flavor that makes for one delicious bite. And if you dip that cookie into the sauce, it's even better. Unfortunately, that delectable bite doesn't extend into the cream puff itself. The cake isn't just sweeter than your average cream puff pastry, it's also dry and crumbly. Nothing like the classic choux pastry that's commonly used. 

Then there's the cream inside. Yes, it had the same light, butterscotch-y flavor of the Butterbeer Potted Cream — but once again, it was way too sweet, and the texture was off-putting. It was too thick and didn't coat the tongue like the classic custard you'd usually find inside a cream puff. While I finished off the cookie and the butterscotch sauce by using it as a dip for that lovely piece of shortbread, I only had one bite of the actual cream puff. And that was more than enough.

Fudge is a decadent dessert usually made of cream, butter, and chocolate. But that's not the only option. These days, you can find vanilla fudge, peanut butter fudge, as well as a variety of other flavors. Sometimes, the fudge has nuts, and sometimes it's plain. Considering this dessert has so much versatility, it's no surprise that the Universal Studio chefs created a Butterbeer version — a version that can be found alongside several other candies inside the candy store Honeydukes.

A pretty two-tone treat that's ivory on the top and light tan on the bottom — reminiscent of the classic Butterbeer drink — the Butterbeer Fudge was delightful. While it wasn't quite as creamy as a classic piece of fudge, it was just as decadent. I could only have a bite or two before I wrapped it up in a napkin to save for later. The fudge has a delectable vanilla flavor on the top and a subtle caramel flavor on the bottom. When combined, you get a distinct Butterbeer essence that makes this a great treat for now or later.

On a chilly day, there's perhaps nothing better than a big, steaming mug of hot chocolate. Of course, if you find yourself wandering the streets of Hogsmeade, you probably won't find hot chocolate. But what you will find is a steaming cup of Hot Butterbeer. Available at either Hog's Head — which is one of the best bars at Universal Studios — or the Three Broomsticks restaurant, this delicious elixir goes down pretty easily once it cools down to a drinkable temperature.

The liquid is rich and velvety with a delightful mouthfeel that coats the tongue like a warm cloak. That delightful warmth continued down my throat and into my stomach, covering me like a blanket from the inside out. Then, there's the flavor. Once again, you have that butterscotch flavor that has just the right amount of butterscotch without being too sickly sweet — at least, on the first couple sips. After sip four or five, the drink starts to become a little too sweet and a little too rich. Even though it was only a 12-ounce cup, I couldn't finish it. I'd absolutely get it again, but only if I knew I could share it with a friend.

Chocolate bars are that easy treat you can grab from any convenience store and enjoy anywhere whenever the mood hits. Since they're such an easy treat, it makes perfect sense that The Wizarding World of Harry Potter would create its own version with a Butterbeer Chocolate Bar. Reminiscent of something you'd find in Willy Wonka's chocolate shop, this bar is not your typical 2-ounce Hershey's bar. Instead, this is nice-sized 3.5-ounce bar that's wrapped in gold. 

Available at Honeydukes, the bar looks just like what Butterbeer would look like if it were magically transformed into a chocolate bar. The main bar is a beautiful golden yellow, and the top is a lovely off-white to mimic the creamy topper of the classic drink. While you may think two different colors would imply two different flavors, only one seems to exist — that of white chocolate. Yes, for some reason. there's no Butterbeer flavor that I could detect in this bar. Now, that doesn't mean that it's a not a delicious sweet you can buy and save for later, but it just doesn't seem to fit in with the Butterbeer theme. 

Now we get to the classic Cold Butterbeer drink. The reason you visit The Wizarding World of Harry Potter ... well, that and the cool rides and robes. Available in either a basic plastic cup or two different steins, this is the drink "The Prisoner of Azkaban" made famous — and after one sip, I can understand why all the students and professors at Hogwarts frequently enjoy it. It's pure heaven. 

A cross between cream soda and an iced latte, this drink is a fizzy, bubbly treat. The top is a sweet creamy dream (that's also available in a non-dairy version) that tastes like a melted marshmallow. That decadent topping is layered over a delightfully sweet, cream soda-type soft drink. Once mixed together, you get a beverage that totally satisfies, especially on a warm day. 

While I enjoyed this drink in a regular, albeit somewhat boring plastic cup, if you want the full Hogwarts experience, you can purchase two different steins in which the drink can come. The cheaper option is a plastic beer stein with the word "Butterbeer" printed on it. This cool keepsake is $15. If you're looking for something a little more wizardly and don't mind spending a few extra gold Galleons, you can get a dazzling gold beer stein that's made out of metal for $38. Either way, you'll have an awesome memento from your trip.

While we all know Butterbeer as the drink, once I discovered that Universal Studios was infusing a variety of edible treats with Butterbeer flavor, it came as no surprise that there is now a soft serve version, as well. Available at Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Counter inside Honeydukes, the Butterbeer Soft Serve is the perfect delight for a warm spring or summer day. Rich and creamy with a wonderful vanilla flavor, the soft serve is stunning to behold thanks to the butterscotch ribbon running through it. Similar to the butterscotch sauce drizzled over both the Butterbeer Cream Puff and the Potted Cream, the ribbon adds a decadence you don't normally find in a standard soft serve. It also adds a lovely saltiness that satisfies both the sweet and savory parts of one's palate. 

While the soft serve began as a true delight, just like the Hot Butterbeer, after a few bites, it became too rich for me, and I couldn't finish it. Maybe if I'd gotten it in a cone instead of a cup, the cookie-like texture of the cone would have cut the richness of the soft serve. Guess I'll just have to return to Hogsmeade to find out. 

When I was a kid, one of my favorite treats was a Slurpee from 7-Eleven. Available in a variety of flavors from blue raspberry to cola, I would always go in, grab a cup, and mix the cherry and cola flavors together for my very own, delicious, cherry cola Slurpee. While it would inevitably turn my tongue a bright, candy-apple red, it was absolutely delicious. Well, the Frozen Butterbeer located at several carts and restaurants inside The Wizarding World of Harry Potter brought all of those memories back with abundance. 

This drink was far and away my favorite of the three options, providing just the right amount of butterscotch flavor without overpowering everything else. Even though the creamy topper is exactly the same in both the Frozen and Cold Butterbeers, when mixed with the frozen slushy, you end up with a creamy, almost soft serve-like drink — and I couldn't get enough of it. 

Of the three drinkable Butterbeers, this is the only option I was able to finish. It had just the right amount of sweetness, and those ice chips watered it down just enough that it didn't turn into a heavy concoction. Instead, they created a lightness not found in the other two sippers. Even though the melting ice did dilute the drink a bit, it didn't ruin the flavor or deter me from finishing it. In fact, it just spurred me on to drink it that much faster. 

It's been years since I've had an Edy's Pie, but I was always a fan. That hard, dark chocolate shell surrounding a sweet and creamy bar of vanilla ice cream — it was the ultimate treat on a hot summer day. Thanks to the new Butterbeer Ice Lolly inside The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, I got to relive my childhood dreams all over again, only better. Instead of a dark chocolate shell, I got a two-tone, white-and-golden, candy-coated shell that tastes like salted white chocolate and surrounds a bar of Frozen Butterbeer. 

Because Butterbeer in its classic form is a liquid, the consistency of the bar hiding inside is more suggestive of a fudgsicle than an ice cream bar, which makes it even more palatable on a hot day. Plus, because of its more popsicle-like consistency, I didn't end up with melted ice cream dripping down my hands — one thing I always hated about those luscious Edy's Pies. 

Just like all the other Butterbeer treats, this Butterbeer Ice Lolly tastes of salted caramel and cream, but the icy bar inside mutes the flavor just enough so that eating this sweet is an experience of pure pleasure rather than one of overwhelming dread. Available inside the Three Broomsticks or a stand just outside of the restaurant, I definitely know what my first stop will be the next time I head to Universal Studios' The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I think it should be yours, too.

While I'm an avid "Harry Potter" fan who has always wanted to try Butterbeer, being invited to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios finally opened that door. I was given access to every Butterbeer treat currently available at the theme park and was able to take my time and really taste each item. Sampling the desserts in this way without being limited on time or money really allowed me to compare and contrast each treat easily and honestly discern the differences. Because I've had the opportunity to taste other theme parks' drinks and desserts in the past, I was able to judge the quality of each bite and give an informed decision on which Butterbeer treats were amazing and which ones needed to be left on the shelf.