Last Updated on 05/11/2021 by Adina
Learn how to make Harry Potter's pumpkin juice, the most popular beverage in Hogwarts. Fresh and spicy, perfect for a wizarding or Halloween party, this drink comes together in 10 minutes.
This Harry Potter pumpkin juice recipe is delicious! Much better than you might think. I've cooked many recipes mentioned in the Harry Potter books (almost all of them), and I can say that this one is one of my favorites. And if you like this popular drink, check the Boozy Butterbeer Recipe or the Pumpkin Pasties as well!
Why you will love this drink?
- Easy and so much fun to make. If your kids are Harry Potter lovers, they will enjoy helping you in the kitchen.
- Perfect for any Harry Potter-themed party. You can make it in advance, chill it, and serve it in good-looking glasses, jars, or bottles.
- Unlike commercial drinks, this is a clean recipe with no artificial flavors or weird ingredients.
What does pumpkin juice taste like?
You might think that pumpkin juice is not something you would like to try, but trust me on this: you will love it; it has a unique flavor! Hogwarts' pumpkin juice tastes less of pumpkin than expected; it tastes like apple pie in liquid form with a hint of pumpkin flavor. And although it's enjoyed cold as a refreshment, the flavors are warm, autumnal, almost Christmassy.
Recipe ingredients
- Pumpkin puree: From a can. Not pumpkin pie filling. If you don't have canned puree, learn How to Roast a Pumpkin and make puree.
- Apple juice: it's preferable to use juice without any added sugar, it has the best flavor, and the pumpkin juice will not be overly sweet. Alternatively, use apple cider or a mix of cider and juice. In this case, don't serve the drink to children; it is alcoholic.
- Sweeteners: Two tablespoons of honey and one tablespoon of brown sugar. You can add more to personal taste. Although honey and brown sugar impart the drink their particular flavor, you can replace both with another (healthier) sweetener of choice, something like xylitol or stevia. Use both to taste.
- Spices: cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice, and two cloves. You could also add some vanilla extract and a little nutmeg. Alternatively, use a small amount of pumpkin pie spice.
Step-by-Step Drink Instructions
- Combine: Place puree, apple juice, honey, sugar, and spices in a small saucepan. Whisk well. If the mixture is too thick, feel free to add a bit of extra apple juice. However, the pumpkin juice should be a little thicker than regular juice, so don't add too much (1).
- Simmer: Bring to a boil, turn the heat down and simmer on medium-low heat for 5 minutes (2).
- Chill: Remove from the heat, discard the cloves, let cool completely, then chill in the refrigerator.
Tips
- Don't skip the simmering step; the heat helps the spices release their flavors and infuse the juice.
- If you make your pumpkin puree, use a flavorful pumpkin, like Hokkaido (Red Kuri squash). Butternut squash is great as well. Don't use the Jack O'Lanters; they are great for Halloween but are tasteless.
- When using homemade puree, you could strain the juice through a fine-mesh strainer to make sure it is perfectly smooth when you serve it.
Recipe FAQ
In the wizarding world, this fun drink is always served cold. However, you can also serve it warm or hot.
Harry Potter's pumpkin juice keeps well in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Keep it in a bottle or another closed container. Shake well before serving.
More Harry Potter recipes:
Harry Potter's Pumpkin Juice
Equipment
- Saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin puree Note 1
- 2 ½ cups unsweetened apple juice Note 2
- 2 tablespoon clear honey Note 3
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 2 cloves
Instructions
- Combine: Place all the ingredients in a small saucepan. Stir well. If the mixture is too thick, feel free to add a bit more apple juice, but don't overdo it; it is supposed to be slightly thicker than regular juice.
- Simmer: Bring to a boil, turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Chill: Remove from the heat, let cool completely, then chill.
Notes
- Make your pumpkin puree: bake ½ small pumpkin at 200 degrees Celsius/ 400 degrees Fahrenheit until soft. Remove the peel, measure 180 g/ 6.5 oz, chop roughly and place in a blender. Add 1 cup water and blend until smooth. If it's not perfectly smooth, add the remaining ingredients and blend again until smooth. Pour into the saucepan and continue with the recipe. Strain the juice through a fine-meshed sieve to make sure it is perfectly smooth.
- The apple juice should be unsweetened; otherwise, the pumpkin juice will be too sweet.
- Add honey and brown sugar to taste. The apple juice I used was very tart, so this amount was right for me. Add more or less according to taste.
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