Cannabutter is the magic ingredient that can transform ordinary recipes like brownie batter, cookie dough, and countless others into delicious homemade edibles. You don’t need to be a professional chef or a cannabis expert to create it. Making weed butter at home is all about patience, organization, a reliable recipe, and understanding the importance of proper dosing. Following this same method, you can also infuse other fats like chili crisp for drizzling on noodles or coconut oil for a unique twist on kettle corn.
This guide offers a cannabutter recipe that aims for approximately 30 mg of THC per tablespoon of oil or butter. It’s crucial to remember that individual tolerance varies, but a standard starting dose is around 10 mg. When you first try your homemade cannabutter, begin with just ¼ teaspoon and wait about an hour to gauge the effects. Edibles take longer to kick in compared to inhalation, so be patient. Pay attention to how you feel to determine if that’s the right amount for you, or if you need to adjust your dosage in the future. Starting with a low dose is always the safest approach to ensure a positive and enjoyable experience.
Step 1: Decarboxylation: Activating Your Cannabis
The first and most crucial step in making potent cannabutter is decarboxylation, often referred to as “decarbing.” This process involves heating your cannabis flower to transform inactive cannabinoids like THCA and CBDA into their active forms, THC and CBD. Decarboxylation is essential because it unlocks the psychoactive potential of cannabis and allows the cannabinoids to effectively bind to the fats in butter or oil, resulting in a more potent and effective cannabis infusion.
Whether you prefer indica, sativa, or hybrid strains, it’s recommended to use whole cannabis flowers, broken into slightly larger pieces rather than finely ground cannabis. Using ground cannabis can create a mess in your oven, with fine particles potentially burning or escaping. You’ll grind the decarboxylated flower after baking.
What you’ll need:
- ½ oz cannabis flower
- Parchment paper
- Glass baking dish or sheet pan
- Hand grinder or scissors
What to do:
- Preheat your oven to 220°F (105°C).
- Prepare the cannabis: Gently break the cannabis buds into medium-sized pieces. Spread the pieces evenly in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake the cannabis: Place the baking sheet on the center rack of the preheated oven. Baking times vary depending on the quality and freshness of your cannabis:
- 20 minutes: For older or lower-quality cannabis.
- 45 minutes: For well-cured, high-grade cannabis.
- 1 hour or more: For freshly harvested or still slightly moist cannabis.
- Monitor and stir: Check the cannabis every 10 minutes during baking. Gently stir the pieces to ensure even decarboxylation and prevent burning. You’ll notice the color of the cannabis changing from a vibrant green to a deeper brownish-green, indicating decarboxylation is complete.
- Cool and grind: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the decarboxylated cannabis cool completely on the sheet. Once cooled, use a hand grinder, scissors, or your hands to break it down to a consistency similar to that for rolling a joint – finely ground but not powder-like. Avoid grinding it too finely, as this can lead to plant material passing through cheesecloth and making your cannabutter cloudy or murky. Clear cannabutter is a sign of a well-made product.
Step 2: Cannabutter Stovetop Infusion: Extracting the Goodness
The next phase, infusing the decarboxylated cannabis into butter, is a more time-consuming process. A simmering time of around 4 hours allows for a thorough infusion of the cannabis into the fat. While butter, particularly unsalted butter, and ghee are popular choices for cannabutter, you can also use other fats like olive oil, sesame oil, or coconut oil. The infusion method remains consistent regardless of the fat you select. Using unsalted butter is generally recommended as it gives you greater control over the salt levels in your final edibles.
The longer you gently simmer the butter and cannabis together, the more potent your cannabutter will become. This recipe recommends a four-hour infusion, striking a balance between potency and flavor. This duration yields a cannabutter with noticeable effects and a slightly grassy, but not overpowering, taste.
What you’ll need:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, or other fat of choice
- 1 cup water
- Decarboxylated cannabis
- Cheesecloth
- Saucepan
- Jar or airtight container for storage
What to do:
- Melt butter and water: In a saucepan over low heat, combine the butter (or chosen fat) and water. The water helps to regulate the temperature and prevent the butter from burning.
- Add decarboxylated cannabis: Once the butter is melted, add the decarboxylated cannabis to the saucepan.
- Simmer gently: Maintain a very low simmer, ensuring the mixture doesn’t boil. Simmer for 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Keep the heat as low as possible; you should barely see bubbles. If the water evaporates too quickly, add a little more to maintain the slow simmer.
- Strain the cannabutter: After 4 hours of simmering, line a strainer or funnel with several layers of cheesecloth and place it over a heatproof bowl or jar. Carefully pour the butter mixture through the cheesecloth to strain out the plant material. Gently squeeze the cheesecloth to extract as much infused butter as possible, but avoid pressing too hard, which could release unwanted plant particles.
- Cool and store: Discard the strained plant material. Allow the cannabutter to cool and solidify. The water will separate from the butter and settle at the bottom. Once completely cooled and solidified, you can easily remove the solid cannabutter from the top and discard the water at the bottom. Store your homemade cannabutter in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or in the freezer for longer storage.
Making cannabutter at home is a rewarding process that opens up a world of possibilities for creating your own edibles. Remember to always start with a low dose and consume responsibly. Enjoy your homemade creations!
