In the magical world of Harry Potter, Polyjuice Potion allows the drinker to transform into someone else. Our version features butterfly pea flowers in a delicious color-changing minty lime herbal brew. It’s perfect for a Halloween celebration or Harry Potter-themed party!
This post has been a long time coming for me. Every fall for the last decade or so, my niece and I would religiously watch our way through the entire Harry Potter movie series.
We could recite most of the lines, but it never got old or boring. The opposite, in fact. Watching it again every year when the weather started to change somehow felt like coming home.
For those of you who are like me and could read the Harry Potter books and watch the movies over and over, I hope you enjoy reading this post as much as I enjoyed coming up with my version of this recipe, photographing and videoing it, and writing this post. Like Snape said, “Always”.
Over the past couple of years, I’ve collected various Harry Potter trinkets. I bought a few on different trips to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ at Universal Studios. Some props I found at local antique shops. And others I found online on Amazon and Wish. I absolutely loved putting everything together to style this post.
The Best Polyjuice Potion Recipe
Polyjuice Potion Ingredients
In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling, Herminone mentions where to get the recipe for Polyjuice Potion:
“But getting ahold of the recipe will be very difficult. Snape said it was in a book called Moste Potente Potions and it’s bound to be in the Restricted Section of the library.”
Hermione obtained a permission slip to check out Moste Potente Potions from Gilderoy Lockhart, pretending that she wanted to read this book to better understand his books.
Once Herminone found the recipe for Polyjuice Potion, she said:
“This is the most complicated potion I’ve ever seen. Lacewing flies, leeches, fluxweed, and knotgrass. Well, they’re easy enough, they’re in the student store-cupboard, we can help ourselves…Oooh, look powdered horn of a bicorn – don’t know where we’re going to get that – shredded skin of a boomslang – that’ll be tricky too – and of course a bit of whoever we want to change into.”
This is the List of Known Ingredients in Polyjuice Potion From the Harry Potter Books:
- Lacewing Flies
- Leeches
- Fluxweed Roots, picked on a full moon
- Knotgrss Blades
- Horn of Bicorn, powdered
- Boomslang Skin, shredded
- Extract of the Transfigured-to-Be, usually hair
And Here Are the Ingredients in Our Version of Polyjuice Potion:
- Sugar
- Water
- Mint leaves
- Lime peels
- Fresh lime juice
- Dried butterfly pea flowers
- Turkish cotton candy (to simulate hair)
How to Make Polyjuice Potion
In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Hermione notes:
“Well, since the fluxweed has got to be picked at the full moon and the lacewings have got to be stewed for twenty-one days…I’d say it’d be ready in about a month.”
Later there is an instance where Hermione is described as throwing ingredients into the cauldron and stirring feverishly.
And then later still, it’s noted that thick black smoke was rising up from where Herminone was stirring the cauldron, and its contents being described as a “bubbling, glutinous potion”.
How to Make Butterfly Pea Flower Tea
- Steep butterfly pea flowers in hot water.
- Add simple syrup to taste.
- Drink hot or iced.
Polyjuice Potion FAQs
What is Polyjuice Potion?
Polyjuice Potion is described as a complex and time-consuming concoction. When brewed correctly, it allows the drinker to transform into someone else.
What Color is Polyjuice Potion?
Polyjuice Potion is a different color depending on the person you’re transforming into.
For example, “Goyle’s turned the khaki color of a booger”, Crabbe’s a “dark, murky brown”, and Harry’s was gold.
How Long Does Polyjuice Potion Last?
According to Hermione:
“I’m sure I’ve done everything right. It looks exactly like the book says it should…once we’ve drunk it, we’ll have exactly an hour before we change back into ourselves.”
Why is Polyjuice Potion Illegal?
As far as I understand it, it isn’t Polyjuice Potion itself that is illegal. Rather, it’s the potential illegal acts surrounding it.
For example, Harry, Hermione, and Ron had to steal powdered horn of a bicorn and shredded skin of a boomslang from Snape’s private stores to make the potion. In this case, it’s the stealing that’s illegal.
Additionally, once the drinker transforms into another person, if their intent was to do it to commit a crime, then the crime committed is what is illegal.
Butterfly Pea Flower Tea FAQs
Does Butterfly Pea Flower Tea Contain Caffeine?
No. Butterfly pea flowers comes from the Clitoria ternatea plant that’s native to Southeast Asia. The dried flowers are steeped in water to make an herbal tea, which is known as a tisane.
What Does Butterfly Pea Flower Tea Taste Like?
It has an earthy, slightly woody flavor that I find is close to unsweetened green tea.
How Does Butterfly Pea Flower Tea Change Color?
Butterfly pea flowers contain anthocyanin, which is a base indicator. It changes color as the pH level changes.
What Colors Can Butterfly Pea Flower Tea Turn?
When it’s brewed regularly, butterfly pea flower tea is a bright blue color.
When you add acid, such as lemon juice, it turns into a vibrant shade of purple. If you continue adding acid, the color changes to somewhere between fuchsia and magenta.
More Harry Potter Recipes to Make
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xoxo, Faith
Polyjuice Potion
Ingredients
Mint Lime Simple Syrup:
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 3 stems fresh mint leaves each with about 8 to 10 leaves
- Fresh lime peels from 2 limes
- 6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Butterfly Pea Flower Tea:
- 2 tablespoons dried butterfly pea flowers
- 3 cups hot water
Other:
- 4 small pieces of Turkish cotton candy
- Ice to serve chilled
Instructions
For the Mint Lime Simple Syrup:
- Add the sugar, water, mint leaves, and lime peels to a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, and then remove from the heat.
- Steep for 10 minutes, and then strain, discarding the mint and lime peels.
- Cool to room temperature.
For the Butterfly Pea Flower Tea:
- Add the butterfly pea flowers and hot water to a teapot and steep for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Strain, and then cool to room temperature.
To Serve:
- Transfer the brewed and cooled butterfly pea flower tea to a serving pitcher.
- Pour the mint lime simple syrup into the pitcher with the butterfly pea flower tea. At this point, the drink will change color from bluish to fuchsia because of the acid (lime juice) that’s in the simple syrup.
- For dramatic effect, add 1 small piece of Turkish cotton candy to each glass and stir.
- Serve with ice.
Video
Faith’s Tips
- Serving Temperature: This Polyjuice Potion is delicious served hot or iced.
- Dry Ice: If you’re wondering, you can add dry ice to a drink! Just be sure to use caution and never handle it directly; use tongs to pick it up. The dry ice will sink to the bottom of a drink, and if you use a 1 to 2-inch piece, it will be gone in about 5 minutes.
Nutrition
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
Wow, Faith! I could watch this video over and over! It looks like a ton of fun to make!