You are going to love this hot butterscotch. With a beautiful balance between sweetness and salt, this is a more-ish hot drink that Santa–and most folks–is going to really enjoy.
If you’re looking for an adult beverage for the holidays, you may also enjoy my orange spice eggnog.
For ease of browsing, you can find all my Christmas recipes in one place. Now let’s get into this tasty hot butterscotch.
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The Christmas mugs were a gift from a wonderful photographer friend named Kristina Jager. Thank you, Kristina! I hope you’ll check out her mugs (links below in the Die Hard section below)
Hot Butterscotch, At a Glance
✅Skill Level: Intermediate
✅Skills: making butterscotch
✅Type: non-alcoholic hot beverage
✅Number of Ingredients: 6
✅Prep Time: 5
✅Cook Time: 15 minutes
✅Yield: 4 8oz servings
Jump Straight to the Recipe
Tasting Notes
This hot butterscotch has about the same body as hot chocolate or hot cocoa. Even with a lot of milk and cream in the mix, the distinctive flavor of butterscotch shines through with a nice balance of caramel, browned butter, and salt.
I like to enhance the flavor by rimming my glasses (and/or drizzling down the insides of the glasses/mugs) straight-up butterscotch sauce and sweetening the hand-whipped cream on top with more butterscotch sauce.
Because if a little butterscotch is good, a lot of butterscotch is even better!
If this sounds like a winner to you and you end up making it, please do me a quick favor, if you would.
When you do make this recipe, it will help me and other readers if you:
✅Rate the recipes using the stars in the recipe card⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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Die Hard is a Christmas Movie
It really shouldn’t have to be said, but Die Hard is a great Christmas movie. See what that mug says up there? That Ugly Sweater Mug that celebrates Die Hard?
It also happens to be filled with hot butterscotch.
The main thing is that we all agree, that Die Hard, what with its Christmas Party at Nakatomi Plaza, Christmas songs throughout, the whole Ho Ho Ho now I have a machine gun too? All festive!
If you love these ugly sweater Die Hard mugs, please take a look at them on Kristina Jager’s website. They come in red, green, yellow, and blue, and I will be enjoying holiday beverages from mine–hot butterscotch or otherwise–through the new year.
Order by December 10 to get them in time for Christmas, but if you just want to pick up a set to have, they’re available through December 31, 2024.
Want to see more of these mugs as well as my Die Hard-themed Christmas treat? Check out my Santa Twinkies!
As they say, Yippee Kay-ay!
How to Make Hot Butterscotch
This is not a hard drink to make, although it does take a little time for the butterscotch to cook. If you already know how to make butterscotch, you won’t have any problem and can jump on down to the recipe.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need:
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- dark brown sugar: I prefer making butterscotch with dark brown sugar because it has more molasses in it. If all you have is light brown, add a teaspoon of additional molasses. If you don’t have molasses, your butterscotch will still be tasty if you use light brown sugar. It just won’t be quite as robust
- butter: Since butterscotch should be salt-forward, you can use either unsalted or salted butter in this recipe. If using salted butter, you will probably be able to reduce the amount of salt called for by 1/4 teaspoon or so
- water: While not strictly necessary, I do like to add water to my brown sugar-butter mixture when making butterscotch. The water ensures the sugar dissolves completely so the butterscotch doesn’t get grainy. And while adding a ton of milk will certainly dissolve those crystals later, your butterscotch will be harder to cook if it crystallizes
- salt: Part of the flavor profile of butterscotch, salt is necessary in this recipe. Salt is what gives the flavor enough backbone to cut through the dairy in the recipe
- heavy cream: You’ll use heavy cream to stop the cooking process when making your butterscotch. It has plenty of butterfat in it and won’t curdle when it hits the hot candy
- whole milk: Once you add the heavy cream and it’s no longer boiling, add the milk for volume and mouthfeel. I use whole milk and think it’s the best option.
- vanilla extract: Rounds out the flavors and provides some woody, floral, creamy notes
Procedure
Hot butterscotch is nothing more than intense butterscotch diluted with cream and milk and flavored with a bit of vanilla.
First, you’ll make the butterscotch and stop the cooking with heavy cream.
Then, stir in the milk and heat until steaming. Whisk in the vanilla, and serve it up.
Here’s a little collage that shows how to make the butterscotch:
- Add the dark brown sugar, salt, butter, and a little water to your saucepan.
- Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar has dissolved and the butter completely melts.
- Turn the heat up to medium and cook until it comes to a boil.
- Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the butter browns (the mixture will smell nutty) and the sugar caramelizes (you’ll begin to smell caramelized sugar).
As soon as you smell caramelized sugar, stop the cooking with the heavy cream–carefully. It will boil up.
Once the butterscotch smooths out, pour in the milk, heat until it’s steaming, and then whisk in the vanilla.
Taste the drink and make sure you like the amount of salt in it. Add a tiny bit more if necessary.
Serve with whipped cream and a ton of mini marshmallows.
A Little Butterscotch Q & A
Honestly, for best flavor, my vote is yes. But if you have an excellent-quality butterscotch sauce at home, you can just dissolve it in a mixture of heavy cream and whole milk until you like the flavor. You will most likely still need to add a bit of salt and vanilla.
It’s best served fresh, but you can refrigerate the mixture and reheat for up to 5 days. Some butter will most likely float on top if you reheat it, but that’s easily stirred in and then covered with whipped cream and mini marshmallows.
Questions?
If you have any questions about this post or recipe, I am happy to help.
Simply leave a comment here and I will get back to you soon. I also invite you to ask question in my Facebook group, Fearless Kitchen Fun.
If your question is more pressing, please feel free to email me. I should be back in touch ASAP, as long as I’m not asleep.
A Note About Measurements
My recipes are almost all written by weight, including liquids, unless otherwise specified.
For accuracy and consistency of results, I encourage you to buy–and use–a kitchen scale.
I promise that baking and cleanup will be so much quicker and easier.
This is the scale that I recommend for home use. I have owned and used one for years.
Don't let its small price and small size fool you. The Escali Primo is an accurate and easy-to-use food scale that I have used for years. It's easy to store, easy to use, has a tare function, and easily switches between grams and ounces/pounds for accurate measurements.
Love This Butterscotch Drink? Please Take a Moment to Rate and Review
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You can use the stars to rate 1-5 (5 is best), and leave a review in the comments. It helps me make adjustments if any are needed, and comments help others decide whether the recipe is worth making.
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Thank you so much for taking the time!
Hot Butterscotch Recipe
Video
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Ingredients
- 8 oz heavy cream hot but not boiling
- 4 oz dark brown sugar
- 2.5 oz unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt I use Morton. If using a different type of salt, shoot for 5 grams, by weight
- 1 oz water just to help dissolve the brown sugar
- 24 oz whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt dark brown sugar, butter, salt, and water together over medium-low heat.
- Once the butter is melted and the sugar is mostly dissolved, turn the heat up to medium and cook the butterscotch, stirring frequently, until the butter has browned and the sugar is beginning to caramelize. This may take 10-15 minutes. You will know it's ready when you smell caramelized sugar. A few wisps of smoke may come off the mixture too.
- As soon as you smell caramel, carefully pour the hot cream into the pan. It will bubble and sputter and boil up, so be careful. Turn the heat off and stir/whisk the butterscotch until it is smooth.
- Pour in the milk and heat until very hot and steaming. Don't let it boil, though.
- Taste and adjust the salt if necessary. Remember, salt is one component of the butterscotch flavor profile, so it should be prominent but not overpowering. I generally use a total of 1 1/4 teaspoons or 7 grams, but you may be happy with the flavor without adding more salt.
- Stir in vanilla before serving. As a serving suggestion, rim your glasses/mugs with butterscotch sauce, allowing some to drizzle down the insides and outsides of your glasses. Top with whipped cream and mini marshmallows. To carry through the butterscotch flavor, sweeten the whipped cream with butterscotch sauce.
Did You Make Any Changes?
Notes
Nutrition
Hi, y’all! I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and hopefully also learned a thing or two.
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And there you have it, friends. I think you–and Santa–will really appreciate this hot butterscotch.
Thanks for spending some time with me today!
Take care, y’all.
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