If you are a fan of the Harry Potter books and movies you are going to geek out over these Butterbeer Cookie Mugs. You can see through the butterscotch candy glass in the center of each of these butterbeer flavored, beer mug shaped, cookies. Each mug is topped with frothy butterbeer royal icing.
I can’t believe it has taken me so long to get this recipe created for you. I was inspired to create these fun Butterbeer Cookie Mugs while visiting The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Orlando last May. I couldn’t resist trying all the versions of butterbeer while visiting the amusement park. If you aren’t familiar, they serve the unique butterscotch cream soda flavored drink cold, frozen, or hot.
Inspiration struck as I sat drinking a frosty mug filled with butterbeer. I could visualize these cookies in my head. I imagined a cookie that not only tasted like butterbeer but looked like it too. I wanted each cookie to have a butterscotch glass center so it would appear as though the the mug was filled with butterbeer.
I've used this technique before to make my Mason Jar Cookies and my Magnifying Glass Cookies so I knew I could accomplish this easily.
As soon as I got home I found a nicely shaped beer mug cookie cutter and ordered it, unfortunately it sat on a shelf for months. When the time came to finally bake these cookies, I kind of geeked out a bit when they were all finished.They looked and tasted exactly as I had envisioned.
They are so much fun. I want to have a Harry Potter movie night just so I can share these with my friends. I hope they inspire you to do the same. They will be the perfect treat to serve at any Harry Potter themed party.
How to make beer mug shaped Butterbeer Cookies
You'll need the following supplies that can be found on amazon (commission earned for sales).
- Start by flavoring my favorite cut-out cookie dough with a splash of butterscotch flavoring.
- I used LorAnn Oils Butterscotch Flavoring. It has a very nice flavor. You can find butterscotch flavoring online or at cake and candy decorating supply shops or a specialty coffee shop.
- Roll out the dough to about ⅛th of an inch thickness.
- Cut the dough using a beer mug cookie cutter.
- Use a half moon shaped cutter to cut a hole out inside the beer mug handle if necessary.
- Then use a rectangle cutter to cut a hole out from the center of each mug cookie.
Notes about cutting the butterbeer mugs out of cookie dough.
- The cutter I used has a nice beer mug shape plus room to add a frothy frosting top. If your's doesn't, be sure to cut a top piece as well.
- I roll my dough out onto silicone baking mats. The dough doesn't stick to the mat so I only have to use a very light dusting of flour (if any at all.) I do dust my rolling pin (which has a silicone coating, as well) to make sure it doesn't stick to the dough.
- To get perfectly shaped cookies, I do not move them immediately after I cut them. I pop them in the freezer for about 10 minutes then peel them off the silicone mat and set on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
How to create the butterscotch candy glass in the Butterbeer Mug Cookies
- Pop the cookies in the oven to par bake for about 9 minutes.
- Crush up butterscotch candies. You’ll need about 1 candy per cookie but having a little extra will be a good idea.
- You can use a food processor or place the candies in a thick zip top bag and pound them with a meat mallet, a hammer, or the back of a heavy pan until you get fine crumbs.
- When the cookies come out of the oven, immediately spoon some crushed candy into the centers, filling them about ¾’s full.
- Be sure the candy fills in the corners completely. You don’t want holes in your butterbeer mugs.
- Place the pan back into the oven as quickly as possible and allow the candy to melt.
- This will take between 2 ½ and 3 ½ minutes. Start to watch your cookies at the 2 ½ minute mark.
- You want the candy to melt completely, but not start to bubble.
- Once the bubbles form, they are very difficult, if not impossible to pop. If you see a bubble forming, get the pan out of the oven and set aside. The heat of the pan will continue to melt the candy.
- Let the cookies cool completely on the cookie sheet.
How to make Butterbeer Royal Icing
- Combine powdered sugar, meringue powder, cream soda and butterscotch flavoring
- A clear or lightly colored cream soda is best. I used IBC Cream Soda which has a caramel color to it. If you use a red or pink cream soda, your frosting will turn pale pink.
- Beat the ingredients together until soft peaks form.
- You want the frosting to hold it’s shape when piped but if it is too thick, you can add more cream soda about a teaspoon at a time.
- Pour the icing into a pastry bag or a zip top bag and pipe it onto the cookie creating a fluffy topping.
- Allow the cookies to dry completely.
Shiny versus matte finish royal icing frosted cookies.
- If you want shiny cookies, place an oscillating fan in front of the cookies and allow it to blow over the cookies as they dry for about 6-8 hours.
- You can also place your cookies in a dehydrator set on the lowest heat setting. Dry for 4 hours with the heat on and another 4 hours with the heat turned off.
- You'll notice my cookies have a matte finish. I allowed them to simply air dry. If you air dry the cookies allow them to dry overnight before stacking them.
Watch the video tutorial to see how you can make these Butterbeer Cookie Mugs (an add will play before the video begins.)
Butterbeer Cookie Recipe
- 2 - 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour I start with 2 cups, then add more if needed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup 1 stick butter, softened slightly
- ¾ cups sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon butterscotch flavoring
- 20 butterscotch candies unwrapped and crushed into fine crumbs
- 3 tablespoons cream soda plus 1-3 teaspoons more to thin icing
- 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons meringue powder
- 1 teaspoon butterscotch flavoring
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder together in a bowl. Set aside.
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Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
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Stir in eggs, vanilla, butterscotch flavoring.
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Add dry ingredients and stir just until it’s mixed in.
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Roll your cookie dough out to ⅛ inch thickness either on a flour dusted cutting board or on a non-stick silicone mat.
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Cut out beer mug shaped cookies.
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Cut a rectangle out from the center of each much (allowing about ⅜ inch border around the bottom and sides of the mug.)
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Use a small half moon shaped cutter to cut out the inside of the handle.
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You should get 16-18 cookies out of the dough.
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Remove excess dough.
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Freeze the cookies for about 10 minutes.
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Set the cut-out cookies on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
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Bake for 8-9 minutes until the cookies look set (dull, no longer wet).
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Remove from oven and sprinkle butterscotch candy crumbs in the rectangle hole, filling it ¾'s full.
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Return to the oven and bake for approximately 3 minutes until the candy is melted.
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Remove and allow the cookies to cool completely on the cookie sheet.
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Beat all ingredients together until icing forms peaks (7-10 minutes at low speed with a heavy-duty mixer, 10-12 minutes at high speed with a hand-held mixer).
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If icing is too thick, add more cream soda, a few drops at a time, until you get thick icing that is easy to pipe.
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Pour icing into a pastry bag.
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Pipe icing on the cookies creating the butterbeer foam.
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Allow the icing to dry completely.
Have fun making your own Butterbeer Cookie Mugs with Butterscotch Candy Glass. If you make these and share them online be sure to link back to this blog post and mention Hungry Happenings. Use #HungryHappenings on social media and send an image if you'd like to be included in my Readers' Gallery.
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Zula
These were so much fun to make and eat for Father’s Day and then the 4th of July! I used root beer barrels and extract since I had it. The recipe was perfect and I appreciated only needing to use one stick of butter. Thank you!
Beth Klosterboer
I love the idea of using root beer barrels. I am so happy you had fun making and eating the cookies!
Amy
I just wanted to stop and offer gratitude for sharing this with us. I am new to the sugar cookie world and I love the photos you have here along with easy to follow instructions! I’m still perfecting my sugar cookie recipe but there’s tips in here I’m going to try! Thanks again Beth!
Beth
Hi Amy,
I am so happy you found my instructions helpful! I love this sugar cookie recipe. It tastes great and doesn't spread. I hope you enjoy it too. Good luck with your sugar cookie-making endeavors.
Pou
Is the butterscotch flavoring for the royal icing an emulsion or is it an oil?
Beth
I used LorAnn Butterscotch oil.
things to do
What a fun cookies to make! Thank you for the recipe!
Beth
Thanks, Cheryl. I hope you enjoy making them 🙂
The Partiologist
Okay, these are the coolest beer cookies ever, they would make a great father's day gift too! Looks like I really need to have a Harry Potter movie night!
Beth
Thanks. I think most dad's would love getting these for Father's Day even if they aren't big Harry Potter fans. I know mine would!
Christine Stephens
Absolutely love these! Completely adorable!❤️❤️❤️❤️
Beth
I had so much fun creating these cookies and am so glad you like them!!!