In this article we’ll be going over some exciting new ways that you can use your recreational cannabis or medical marijuana to make edibles beyond just making pot brownies. Most recipe articles are often made fun of because the articles themselves feature a seemingly endless introduction that frankly nobody is looking to hear! First and foremost we will share a great recipe for making “cannabutter” (THC-infused butter) as well as a vegan alternative that uses coconut oil and then will give some recipes it can be used in. Then we will dig a bit deeper and share some fun recipes for gummies, ice cream, and more. So get your aprons, and let’s get cooking!

Cannabutter Recipe (Non-Vegan)

Cannabis-infused butter, or cannabutter, is one of the simplest and most common ways to make edibles. This is because butter which has a high amount of fat is an ideal medium for cannabis infusion because THC needs to bind to fat molecules like it does in your body. Also since butter is used in almost any baking endeavor, it’s the perfect way to get the THC and cannabinoids you need into almost any recipe.

The infusion process takes a few hours, so maybe make sure you have an audiobook or some some great TV to binge while you’re waiting for it to solidify (Breaking Bad is a perfect choice). With that being said, it is a relatively easy and fun process. ...let’s go over the necessary ingredients and equipment you’ll need.

*decarboxylation is necessary for making Cannabutter!

Before making cannabutter, you need to decarboxylate, or “decarb,” the cannabis flower. Skipping this step will result in butter that has little to no cannabis effects. So again, Do not skip this step!

A brief science lesson, “decarboxylation” is the process in where heat converts THCA into THC, which will allow the butter to have THC and deliver euphoric effects as it can better work with your body.

Some recipes will tell you to add the cannabis directly in hot butter, but decarbing before will make your cannabutter more effective, and the less time spent soaking buds, the better your infused butter will taste. For this reason, we recommend decarbing in an oven first.

Materials You’ll Need

• Baking sheet

• Parchment paper

• Oven (a toaster oven can work if you do not have an oven)

• Saucepan, stock pot, double-boiler, or slow cooker

• Mesh strainer or cheesecloth

• Container for cannabutter

• Cannabis grinder (optional but highly recommended)

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)

• 1 cup water

• 1 cup ground cannabis (7-10 grams), decarboxylated

When making cannabutter, we recommend a 1:1 ratio of cannabis to butter. If you want milder effects, use less cannabis. Also please note that like any recipe, quality counts. If you’re able to maybe splurge and get some locally-sourced butter, make sure the water is clean and pure, and try to find some awesome cannabis flower that’s caked in THC crystals from your local dispensary. If you are looking to get more of the beneficial effects of CBD, ask you budtender about the many strains grown with a higher CBD content.

The Recipe

1. Decarb the cannabis. Preheat the oven to 245ºF (118ºC). Then cover your baking sheet with parchment paper and place the loosely broken up cannabis on it. Heat in the oven for 30-40 minutes. Gently mix the buds every 10-15 minutes to expose all sides of the buds. (pro tip: older, drier cannabis may require less time.) If you’re in a rush, you can set your oven to 300ºF (149ºC) and heat for 10-15 minutes, although the low-and-slow approach is recommended to better preserve cannabinoids and terpenes. This is why it’s important to have a good way to spend your time as this is a long but rewarding process. It might be worthwhile to ask a friend to come help as you two can pass the time keeping one another entertained.

2. Grind or break up the decarbed cannabis. Grinders break weed down to the same consistency and will save you time, but if you’re in a pinch and don’t have one you can just as easily break up the weed with your hands. Keep in mind however that anything small enough to fit through the mesh strainer or cheesecloth will end up in your finished product, so be careful not to grind the weed into a fine powder.

3. Melt the butter. On low heat, melt 1 cup of butter in a saucepan, crock pot, double-boiler, or slow cooker. Add 1 cup of water, which will help regulate temperature and prevent the butter from burning so as to discolor or damage the texture and make up of the butter.

4. Add the cannabis. After the butter is fully melted, add in the decarbed cannabis.

5. Simmer. Simmer your butter and cannabis mixture on low heat, between 160-200ºF (71-93ºF) ; don’t exceed 200ºF (93ºF) or you may burn out the cannabinoids and you could potentially miss out on some of the great side effects they produce in concert with THC. Simmer for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. The mixture should never come to a full boil.

6. Strain the mixture. Place a mesh strainer or cheesecloth over a jar and pour the butter/cannabis mixture through it. At this stage it’s important to discard the plant material and make sure none is present in your strained product. Be sure not to squeeze out every bit of butter—this will add chlorophyll to your cannabutter, giving it that bad plant taste you have already encountered in edibles beforehand.

7. Refrigerate. Place the jar of butter in a fridge, and let it solidify before using, ideally overnight, or a few hours at least. If excess water forms at the bottom of the jar, remove the solid butter with a knife and drain out the water.

Cannabis-infused Oil (Vegan)

Like butter, Coconut oil, olive oil, or peanut oil has a high concentration of fatty acids, or saturated fats, which are great for cannabinoids to bind to. It’s also most importantly not an animal product, making it the quintessential choice for those living a vegan lifestyle.

It should be noted that the fat contents of these oils differ, but depending on what you’re you might want to pick wisely. Olive oil and peanut oil usually contains a saturated fat content of less than 20%, coconut oil usually contains over 80% saturated fats, . It is even more fatty than butter, which contains about 60% saturated fats. This means coconut oil can retain more cannabinoids during infusion, making it more potent. Coconut oil also has a higher smoke point, so it can be heated at a higher temperature and there is less of a chance of burning it. The cherry on top is that if you’re fond of the taste, coconut oil will give your baked goods a pleasant coconut aftertaste which can do wonders in mitigating any displeasing flavors the cooked plant matter can produce.

If you’re looking to cook cannabis infused dishes that are more on the savory side, using olive oil or peanut oil is a great way to go and will still pack the euphoric punch you’re looking for. With that being said, why not make a little of each?

Materials

• Baking sheet

• Parchment paper

• Oven

• Saucepan, stock pot, double-boiler, or slow cooker

• Mesh strainer or cheesecloth

• Container for cannabis oil

• Cannabis grinder (optional)

Ingredients

• 1 cup ground cannabis flower (7-10 grams)

• 1 cup coconut oil, peanut or olive oil

When making cannabis cooking oil, we recommend a 1:1 ratio of cannabis to oil. If you want milder effects, use less cannabis.

Directions

1. Decarb the cannabis. Like we explained in the first recipe, this is perhaps the most Important step. Loosely break up cannabis and place it on parchment paper on a baking sheet. Heat it for 30-40 minutes in an oven at 245ºF (118ºC).

2. Grind or break down cannabis. Liked mentioned in the previous recipe, consistency of size and the sized itself matters. Be sure to get a good size of grind without turning it into a powder or small enough to pass through the strainer or cheesecloth you will use in step 4.

3. Heat oil and decarbed cannabis. Add oil and decarbed cannabis to double-boiler, slow cooker, or saucepan, and simmer on low for 2-3 hours. Make sure the temperature of the oil stays between 160-200ºF (71-93ºF).

4. Strain and store the oil. Put mesh strainer or cheesecloth over container for oil and pour the oil/cannabis mixture through it. Do not squeeze it out—this will add more chlorophyll to your oil and make it taste more vegetal. Do your best to discard the plant material leaving simply the oil. Your new THC-infused cooking oil will have a shelf life of at least two months and can be extended with refrigeration. And unlike butter it can be used in a wider variety of cannabis cooking.

Now that you’ve made your cannabutter or THC-infused cooking oil you can break out your old family recipe book and achieve much success using it whenever the recipe calls for butter or oil. If you don’t have access to anything such as this, here are some fun edible recipes we’ve tried out that we think you’ll love.

Cannabis Pizza

Cannabis and Pizza are often the building blocks of an epic movie marathon There are two basic ways to make weed-infused pizza: using cannabis oil to make the dough, or simply drizzling it over a homemade or store-bought pizza before baking. We prefer the later although it takes more time, the reward of making your own pizza is truly satisfying. Plus you can pick your favorite toppings.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons dry active yeast

• 4.5 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting on the counter

• 2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 2 tablespoons infused olive oil

Directions

1. Place 1 ¾ cups of lukewarm water in a mixing bowl and sprinkle the yeast over the water. Let the yeast dissolve in the water, which should take about two minutes.

2. Add flour, salt, and your infused olive oil and mix for about five minutes until the flour is incorporated and the dough is formed.

3. Dust your countertop with some flour and place the dough on top. Knead the dough lightly for about 3-4 minutes until it looks smooth and then cut it into four equal pieces.

4. Wrap both of the dough pieces in plastic bags and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

5. Take the dough pieces and form them into smooth, firm balls on a flour-dusted or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot for about 30 minutes. Each dough ball should rise and double in size.

6. Now that your dough balls are ready, roll each one out to about 10 inches diameter and about ½ inch thick. Make sure not to work the dough too hard. Prepare whatever toppings, sauce, and cheese you want to use. About one-third to one-half of a cup of tomato sauce and the same amount of cheese should be enough to cover one pizza — but you’re an adult, you can put on as much cheese as you want!

7. If you have a pizza stone, place it on a rack in the lower half of the oven. Preheat the oven to 475°F (245°C) and bake the pizza for about 10-15 minutes, keeping a close eye on things so that the crust doesn’t overcook. (If you don’t have a pizza stone, a regular old oven tray will work. For best results, preheat the tray before putting the pizza on it.)

Cannabis Peanut Butter

Looking to make a truly out of this world PB&J? Or maybe just put some on a banana or a piece of celery with some raisins? With THC-infused peanut butter you can turn any dish into delicious cannabis edibles.

Ingredients

• 2 cups raw, shelled peanuts (you can roast them if you like, simply place on a baking sheet in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes or until golden brown)

• 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 2 tablespoons of cannabis infused peanut oil

• 2 tablespoons of honey or other sweetener (if you want it sweet)

Directions

1. Pulse the peanuts in a food processor with the blade attachment until just chopped

2. Pulse the processor for 1 minute, scraping along the sides into the bottom of the bowl. The mix will look gritty and dry

3. Process for an additional minute until it starts clumping up

4. Process for 1 more minute until glossy and soft

5. Add salt, infused cannabis oil, and sweetener and process for 1-2 more minutes or until completely smooth

Cannabis Gummies

If you live in a state where you have access to recreational cannabis or medical marijuana, chances are you’ve seen thc-infused gummies at your local dispensary or retail shop. We’ll show you a way to make them at home, which could potentially save you money and give you the ability to make them in the flavors you’ve always wanted.

One thing that’s important to know when making gummies is “emulsification” process. Cannabis oil won’t naturally bond with water or with some of the melted ingredients in gummies, which can mean you’ll have a separate layer of cannabis oil in your gummies, or gummies that just don’t have the right consistency. An emulsifier like soy or sunflower lecithin will solve this issue, allowing the whole mix to combine uniformly in that wonderful gummy consistency you’re looking for. 

Materials

• stove

• pot or deep saucepan

• a good whisk

• a liquid dropper

• gummy bear mold (or worms, whichever shape you like)

• a freezer

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup cannabis-infused coconut oil

• 1⁄2 cup cold water

• 3oz (85 grams) packet of flavored gelatin (this is the standard size small box of Jell-o)

• 2Tbsp unflavored gelatin

• 1⁄2tsp sunflower or soy lecithin

Directions

1. Add the water, cannabis-infused coconut oil, and sunflower/soy lecithin to the pot and place on the stove on low heat.

2. Stir until the oil is completely melted and the mixture has a consistent texture. Add in the flavored and unflavored gelatin, stirring constantly.

3. Keep on low heat for 10-15 min until the gelatin is dissolved, making sure to constantly whisk the mixture and make sure it does not come to a boil.

4. Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain mixture to catch any lumps of undissolved gelatin and impurities.

5. Use a dropper to fill the gummy molds one by one, and do so quickly so that the liquid doesn’t cool and begin to separate. Make sure to double back and stir the rest of the mixture frequently so it doesn’t harden.

6. Once the mold is full, put the gummies in the freezer for 20-25 minutes.

Cannabis-infused Ice Cream

Like pizza, chances are you’ve encountered ice cream during your cannabis escapades. With this recipe you can skip smoking that joint and get right to the ice cream! Would you like a cup or a cone?!

One of the best things about making your own ice cream is making whatever flavor you want, but we decided that your best bet is to go with a simple vanilla ice cream recipe, to which you can add toppings or flavors as you see fit. You could even make edibles like cookies or pot brownies and use them as an ingredient.

This recipe unfortunately does not take advantage of the cannabutter or canna oils we gave directions for earlier in the article as. Using a process similar to the cannabutter recipe you’ll be making your own cannabis-infused whipping cream. Here’s three ways how you can make it:

In cannabis whipping cream recipes, the amount of cannabis used ranges from around 1-5 grams per 2 cups of cream. The amount you use depends on your personal preference and your tolerance. In addition, the potency of the cannabis used can make a big difference in terms of how much to put (for instance, if your cannabis is 24% THC, you may want to use less than you would with a 12% THC strain).

1. Saucepan Method: Take your decarboxylated cannabis and place it in a saucepan with the whipping cream. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce it to a simmer for around 45 minutes to 2 hours, making sure to stir regularly so that it doesn’t burn. Strain into a jar and refrigerate. 

2. Double Boiler Method: If you have a double boiler, you can combine the cannabis and 2 cups of heavy cream and double boil it on a medium pot of water for around 40 minutes or so. Afterwards, pour it through a strainer into a jar for storage. 

3. Mason Jar Method: Another method is a bit more complicated, but still easy. Pour the whipping cream and ground, decarboxylated cannabis into a mason jar and seal it. Place the sealed jar inside a deep pot filled with hot water that reaches about ¾ of the way up the jar. Simmer the water below 185 degrees fahrenheit for about three hours, adding more water as needed. Take off the heat, and strain through a cheesecloth into a jar. 

Once you have your whipping cream, let’s make some ice cream!

Ingredients

• 1 can of sweetened condensed milk

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt

• 2 cups cannabis-infused whipping cream

• 1⁄2 cup cocoa powder (optional — only if you want to make it chocolate)

Directions

1. Whisk the condensed milk, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl (plus cocoa powder if you want to make chocolate ice cream)

2. In a separate, chilled bowl, used a mixer to whip the cannabis cream until firm peaks form

3. Take a spatula and fold about half of the cannabis whipped cream mixture into the condensed milk mixture until combined, then fold that mixture back into the whipped cream and blend well.

4. Put the mixture into an airtight container and freeze for around 3 hours.