One of my lifelong dreams was finally fulfilled this past summer. I was able to spend a full day at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. I spent my day roaming the streets of Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade, getting fitted for robes, and even purchasing my wand at Ollivander’s. But, one of the highlights of my trip was overloading on all of the sweets sold at Honeydukes. They have everything, from Fizzing Whizbees to Chocolate Frogs. However, there are certain treats you just can’t miss out on. Below are the top ten sweets every witch or wizard has to have.
1. Butterbeer
Yes, I’m starting off with the most basic drink of the Harry Potter universe. But, everyone should have Butterbeer at least once in their life. The drink is cold and fizzy, almost like a butterscotch soda. But the best part is definitely the cream on top. It’s like whipped cream, only thicker and way sweeter. I could probably have a cup of just the cream topping and be satisfied. Also, I highly recommend splurging on the souvenir mug.
2. Butterbeer Ice Cream
As if it couldn’t get any better, Universal Studios recently came out with a Butterbeer ice cream. It’s a sweet, creamy vanilla ice cream with butterscotch swirls mixed into it. Walking through Diagon Alley with a dripping cone in my hand made me feel absolutely magical.
3. Peppermint Toads
I’m incredibly sad that I only grabbed one box of these while in Honeydukes. The dark chocolate is smooth and not bitter at all, as some dark chocolate tends to be. The peppermint wasn’t overwhelming, but just enough to leave a sweet aftertaste on the tongue. I’m slightly ashamed to admit I finished the whole box in one sitting.
4. Fizzing Whizbees
As everyone knows, fruit and chocolate is a magical combination. So, you have to snag a bag of Fizzing Whizbees. The fruit-flavored candy inside is covered with a coating of milk chocolate in the shape of a honey bee. However, the best surprise is when you bite into it and the fruit candy starts to fizz in your mouth.
5. Pumpkin Cake
I love pumpkin way more than the average person should. So, when I saw these adorable pumpkin cakes behind the bakery glass at Honeydukes, I knew I needed to have one. The little cupcake-like treat is pumpkin cake, covered in orange frosting (orange colored and orange flavored). Then, a little licorice stem is added to make these cakes even cuter.
6. Pumpkin Pasties
The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Pumpkin Pasties is “portable pumpkin pies.” That’s essentially what these are. It’s like having a little pumpkin pie burrito. If you like pumpkin pie, you’re going to love these. It’s pumpkin pie filling, wrapped in pie crust and sprinkled with cinnamon.
7. Exploding Bon Bons
These are my absolute favorite candies of the Harry Potter universe. It contains two things I love: orange and white chocolate. Orange and pineapple flavored popping candies are encased in a ball of white chocolate. Once you bite into one, you can hear popping and crackling coming from your mouth for at least a few minutes afterward. I grabbed so many from the shelves and I’m currently working my way through my stash of bon bons.
8. Chocolate Frogs
Ah yes, the classic Chocolate Frog. These are simply milk chocolate molded to look like a huge frog. But, the main reason to get them is the cards. Each box comes with a holographic card inside them, with a picture a short bio of a character in the Harry Potter universe. I currently have cards for Rowena Ravenclaw and Bertie Bott. Soon, I hope to have a collection that rivals Ron Weasley’s.
9. Sugar Quills
Although we can’t get away with sucking on these during lessons, we can still indulge in a sweet lollipop every now and then. These sweets are lollipops shaped like quills, with a quill tip added to the bottom of the lollipop stick. They come in a multitude of flavors, such as green apple, blue raspberry, and cherry.
10. Cauldron Cakes
These Cauldron Cakes are fairly new to the park. It took a lot of trials to get the cake to where it is today. The gooey chocolate cake comes in a mini, reusable cauldron and is heavily topped with sugary “fire” frosting. If you’re craving a decadent, chocolatey baked good, you definitely need to grab one of these cuties.