Potions of healing are the most iconic element of D&D. I have seen many people making Potions of Healing with dice in potion jars, but here at Halfling Hobbies, we like our potions, well, a little more liquid. That’s why I came up with this Potion of Healing Cocktail/Mocktail!
At any level, Potions of Healing can be life savers, literally, and you can bet your party will wander around every town asking for them. Why not liven up your game and bring out real, beautiful, shimmering Potions of Healing the next time they buy them in game?
How do you make drinkable Potions of Healing? These potions are made from bottles I found 50% off at Hobby Lobby, luster dust for the classic glittering effect, and a mix of champagne or sparkling white grape juice and pomegranate juice, depending on if you want them to be alcoholic or not.
You will need the following to make your own potions of healing:
- Potion bottles
- Corks (if your bottles don’t come with them)
- Labels
- Clear drying craft glue (like ModPodge) and a paintbrush
- Twine
- 1 bottle of Sweet champagne (I recommend Toad Hollow) or Sparkling White Grape Juice
- Pomegranate juice
- Gold Luster Dust (this is what makes the magic happen!)
Making Potion Bottles
Your first quest is to obtain clear, 6-8 ounce bottles and corks. There are several places I would recommend to look. I found mine at Hobby Lobby. they came in a pack of six with this cool wooden rack that I thought looked perfect for an alchemist shop! Hobby Lobby puts their glassware on sale for 50% off every 3 weeks, but if you can’t wait that long, they always have a coupon for 40% off online.
Be warned, Hobby Lobby has many beautiful colored bottles that are tempting, but colored bottles will not show off the gorgeous swirling glitter you are going to put in these potions, so stick to the clear for now.
Another great place to look for cheap bottles is Dollar Tree. My Dollar Tree has started to add a large selection of glassware. The problem here is that you can never be sure what they will have, or if they will have the amount that you need. You may end up with a hodge-podge of bottle types (not necessarily a bad thing!)
If you don’t have access to either of these places, Amazon has some amazing options! Just be careful to look at the description and order bottles that hold 6-8 ounces. I once made the mistake of ordering bottles that were only 1/8 of an ounce, so make sure you are reading carefully!
Your next quest is to turn those clear bottles into potion bottles.
To do this, you will need to wash the bottles with warm, soapy water and dry them thoroughly. Gather your twine, glue, paintbrush, scissors, and labels.
I chose to designate the mocktail (non-alcoholic) from the cocktail by using different labels. The mocktails I labeled at Potions of Healing and the cocktails I labeled at Superior Potions of Healing.
The Potion of Healing label I made using the free app “Canva.” I chose earthly browns and flower accents to make the label feel more rustic. If you don’t have the time to make your own labels, or you aren’t that good at digital design, feel free to download mine. below!
The Superior Potion of Healing label I chose to leave to the professionals. I found these vinyl stickers and fell in love! My players are all huge fans of Critical Role and appreciated all the details on them. I highly recommend these if you want to go that route. Check them out here!
First, apply your labels using ModPodge or some other clear drying craft glue. Make sure to apply glue with an old paint brush to avoid wrinkles in your paper. If you simply spread some glue in line on the back of your label, the paper will wrinkle and bubble and it will not look as good.
If using ModPodge, after the label has dried, apply a thin layer over the top of the label to make it water proof.
After the label is attached, place a generous amount of clear drying glue on the neck bottle and tightly wrap the twine around it. Make sure it is tight! You don’t want gaps in the twine. This step really helps give the potion bottles an old world feel, but can be skipped if you are pressed for time.
Cocktail/Mocktail Recipe
After your bottles have dried completely, it is time to fill them with liquid magic!
In a pitcher, combine the entire bottle of champagne (or sparkling grape juice) with 1/3 as much pomegranate juice (to your taste).
1 bottle of champagne or juice is enough to fill six, 6-ounce bottles.
Next, add 1-2 teaspoons of Gold Luster Dust and stir gently. It might seem like a tiny amount when you put it in, but this is enough to make bold swirls in your potions. If you want a more subtle effect, use 1/2 a teaspoon. Personally, I can’t get enough of the glittering swirls and always add more than I need!
Slowly pour the mixture into each bottle using a funnel. Make sure to pour slowly as champagne is especially bubbly and will make a mess if you go too fast.
Cork the bottles and serve immediately for the best effect. The luster dust will settle after a while, but if this happens, simply use a straw to gently stir each bottle and it will be just as lovely as when you first poured it!
You can store these up to one day in the fridge, but I wouldn’t do more than that. The corks aren’t designed to be airtight, so your champagne or sparkling grape juice will go flat if you store it longer.
And there you have it! Beautiful, glittering, drinkable Potions of Healing that will dazzle your players! Be prepared for your game to be derailed for 10-20 minutes when you first bring these out. My party was mesmerized! They couldn’t focus on anything but staring at the swirls, they didn’t even want to drink them because they were so cool, but they got over that quickly after they had their first sip!
Not only do they look like I always imagined potions of healing would look, but they taste amazing! Your players won’t get enough of these, and I guarantee everyone will feel better after opening one of these potions. The best part? The bottles are reusable! So you can mix these up anytime you go into combat!
Until next time,
May your game have advantage, my friends!
-Halfling Hannah
