This easy homemade Harry Potter-inspired Pumpkin Juice is the most popular non-alcoholic beverage in the wizarding world and it's a must for the Fall season! Made with real pumpkin, apple cider, and warm and cozy spices for a delicious drink that is sure to delight wizards, witches, and muggles alike!
You will love this Harry Potter Pumpkin Juice Recipe
I don't know about where you live, but here in my part of California we are definitely noticing that the nights are getting a little cooler and even though the days are still warm, they've lost the intensity of summer. Which means my favorite season of the year is right around the corner!
I love, love, love Fall. Sweater weather, pumpkin patches, hayrides, donuts and trick-or-treating all just make my heart sing. It doesn't hurt that I have an October birthday either. For me, THIS is the most magical time of the year!
So while I've shared both sweet and savory pumpkin recipes this week, I thought it would be fun to share a pumpkin-forward beverage with you as well so you can have this recipe to celebrate Halloween, Thanksgiving, or just for no reason at all this Fall.
When we have visited the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, I actually prefer the pumpkin juice over the more popular butterbeer! Obviously I needed a recipe for both.
We love family-friendly, fun non-alcoholic drinks around our house to make things feel special. Some of our other favorites are Slow Cooker Homemade Apple Cider, Homemade Hawaiian Punch Recipe, and Fresh Squeezed Homemade Lemonade.
I have made this for class parties and it was a big hit with my kids who love when there is a pitcher of pumpkin juice in the fridge.
What is Pumpkin Juice?
Pumpkin juice is a deliciously cool and refreshing beverage made with pureed pumpkin, apple juice or apple cider, apricot or peach nectar, warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, and a little sugar for sweetness. It’s popularity is largely thanks to the Harry Potter books where it’s mentioned often as a favorite wizarding beverage, but you are unlikely to ever find it in any grocery stores.
What does Pumpkin Juice taste like?
Pumpkin juice has a wonderful Fall flavor of apples, spices, and of course, pumpkin. It’s wonderfully sweet and we prefer it chilled, although you can serve it warm if you prefer. If you enjoy spiced cider or wassail during the holidays, you are sure to love this pumpkin juice recipe.
Don't be scared away by the idea of drinkable pumpkin. The flavor of pumpkin juice is really mostly apple cider and pumpkin spice with hints of pumpkin and apricot that give it a really full-bodied and smooth appeal.
Start a new tradition this year by making a batch of pumpkin juice to enjoy with some popcorn and watch the Harry Potter Movies. Or better yet, re-read the books!
I love listening to them on Audible. In the Harry Potter books, pumpkin juice is mentioned in all but the first book in the series as one of the most popular wizarding beverages (the other being butterbeer, of course). It is served in the Great Hall at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and on the Hogwarts Express snack trolley. This is one magical treat that you are going to love!
Pumpkin Juice Recipe ingredients
Here's the short list of what's in pumpkin juice:
- Canned or homemade pumpkin puree
- Apple cider or apple juice (real apple cider has to be refrigerated and has a stronger flavor than apple juice, but either can work for this recipe)
- Apricot, pear, or peach nectar (listed in order of preference with apricot being my first choice - I can always find at least one option at my local grocery store)
- Brown sugar (just a little to sweeten things up just a bit)
- Pumpkin pie spices (cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and cloves)
How to Make Pumpkin Juice
It’s so simple to make this fall beverage at home. Just stir all of the ingredients together in a large pot on the stove and let it simmer for a bit to allow the brown sugar to dissolve and the flavors of the other ingredients have time to really blend together.
I've tried this before just blending the ingredients without heating them and you just don't get the same smooth, unique flavor that comes from allowing the heat to unite all the flavors into something more than just amped up apple cider.
How to serve Harry Potter Pumpkin Juice
Pumpkin juice is always served cold in the Harry Potter books, and that's definitely my preference as the flavor deepens as the pumpkin juice cools and has a chance for the spices, cider, and pumpkin to meld.
But you can certainly serve it warm if you're looking for an extra cozy beverage to sip on chilly nights when dry leaves are blowing across the ground outside.
Adding the brown sugar is optional and some might think that the pumpkin juice is sweet enough on it's own from just the cider and apricot nectar (or whatever fruit juice or nectar you have available to you).
But I think adding a small amount of sweetener actually helps bring out the pumpkin flavor just a little bit more.
How to store this Pumpkin Juice Recipe
I recommend storing your pumpkin juice in a pitcher in the fridge until you are ready to serve it if you like it chilled.
How long is pumpkin juice good for?
Pumpkin juice will be good for about 1 week in the refrigerator and its flavor seems to improve as the ingredients have a chance to marry over time. I really think it’s best the second day.
Pumpkin Juice Recipe Harry Potter FAQs
Pumpkin juice is perfect for serving at parties and other Fall gatherings, especially if you are throwing a Harry Potter-themed party. But you could also use any leftover pumpkin juice in baking recipes that call for apple cider or apple juice.
No, the pumpkin juice at Universal Studios Orlando is non-alcoholic so it can be enjoyed by wizards & muggles of all ages!
More Delicious, Family Friendly Drink Options
- Slow Cooker Homemade Apple Cider
- Orange Julius Recipe
- Pomegranate in a Pear Tree Punch
- Raspberry Peach Italian Cream Sodas
- Homemade Blackberry Lemonade
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Pumpkin Juice (Harry Potter Recipe)
Ingredients
- 8 cups apple cider (64 ounces)
- 15 ounces pumpkin puree a little less than 2 cups if using homemade pumpkin puree
- 2 cups apricot, peach, or pear nectar (16 ounces)
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ ground ginger
- Pinch of ground allspice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except vanilla in a large pot over medium heat on the stove and heat just until the pumpkin juice starts to boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, then allow to cool completely and chill before serving over ice or re-heating to serve warm.
I'm going to miss my daily dose of Harry Potter recipes.
Oooh this sounds right up my street I love pumpkin anything. P.S I love those straws!
Aren't they fun?!
Oh man, this sounds so fun! I've seen the Harry Potter movies, but I'm not big into the whole thing, so I didn't realize that pumpkin juice was a thing in the books! I would totally try this!
Canned or homemade pumpkin puree, is NOT PUMPKIN!
It's a squash, not a pumpkin.
Learn what you're talking about!
Hey Phil,
Just checking you are aware that pumpkin is a squash.
Thanks.
Soooo…pumpkin isn’t pumpkin? So if I cook and purée a pumpkin, which is also a squash incidentally, it’s no longer a pumpkin? What is it then?
Family of Harry Potter fans - tried several recipes - this one, everyone's favorite hands down.
Just sayin'
So happy to hear that!
This looks amazing. I bought all the stuff to make it but have a question. Do you use sweetened apricot nectar? I found one with added sugar and one without.
Hmm I can't remember if it had added sugar or not. I'm sure it probably had added sugar in it though. But you can pick which one you want to use. If it is not quite sweet enough just add a little more sugar and adjust to your liking. It will turn out great!
Could I substitute pumpkin pie spice for the spices since I already have it? If so, how much would you recommend?
Yep you can do that. I would start out with 1 tsp and add more to taste.
How many carbs is a cup of juice? My kid is diabetic so sugar is ok to a point...thanks!