Butterbeer Cookies . . . for the final Harry Potter movie !

*sigh* The last Harry Potter movie comes out on Friday...and I'm just not ready.

I've posted about my love of Harry and even made Harry Potter cookies before, but couldn't resist doing a little something to commemorate the last movie.

The cookies are a butterbeer sugar cookies with a butterbeer glaze.

The Hogwarts house crests are images printed on frosting sheets applied to fondant.

But, not to fear if you don't want to print the images on frosting sheets....the cookies with just the glaze?  "Bloody delicious" as I imagine Ron might say. (Is that a saying?)

My sign that I have something delicious on my hands?  Kiddo's nostrils flare.  What more evidence do you need?

If you are having a Harry Potter party, I beg, no, I INSIST that you make these cookies.
I'm a first-born and I'm very bossy like that.

Where would the sorting hat put you?
{OK...and don't you think sorority rush would be SO much nicer if there was just a sorting hat?!?} 

"You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart."

"You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true

And unafraid of toil."

"Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

If you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind."

"Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means

To achieve their ends."

{Source: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone}

Now, I know I wouldn't be brave enough for Gryffindor or cunning enough for Slytherin. There's no house that mentions eating sugar all day and avoiding exercise, so I'm not really sure where the hat would put me.

Butterbeer Sugar Cookies

3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)
2 sticks butter
1 egg 
1 tsp butter flavoring
3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, set aside.

Cream the sugar and butter. Add the egg, butter flavoring, and vanilla; mix until well-blended.

Gradually add the flour mixture and beat just until combined, scraping down the bowl, especially the bottom. (The dough will be quite thick...you may need to knead in stray bits of flour from the bottom of the bowl by hand.)

Roll on a floured surface to about 1/4" and cut into shapes. Place on parchment lined baking sheets and bake for 9-12 minutes, depending on the size of your cutter. Let sit a few minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Butterbeer Glaze
{This will cover 12 cookies...and I STRONGLY recommend doubling the recipe as you might want to put this in a shot glass and drink it straight.}

2/3 cup butterscotch chips (I used Guittard)
1/8 cup evaporated milk
1 TBSP light corn syrup
pinch coarse salt

Place all of the ingredients in a glass or metal bowl and heat over a pot of simmering water (or a double boiler).  Stir occasionally, until melted and smooth.

Put the cooled cookies on a wire rack on a baking sheet.  Pour the glaze over the cookies and spread with an offset spatula.  If using the fondant house crests, place these on the wet glaze to adhere.

So, here's to Harry, Ron, Hermione...and of course, JK Rowling.  Thank you for precious hours (and years!) spent reading aloud, snuggled under blankets with my kiddo.  Thank you for casting the *perfect* actors for the movies!  Thank you for amazing characters who will stay with us forever...Harry, Ron, Hermoine, Fred, George, Snape, The Dursleys, Professor McGonagall, Bellatrix and Mrs. Weasley (to name a few).

{I could go on....or maybe I already have?  I'd love to hear your favorites from Harry Potter!}