In the realm of culinary experimentation, few ingredients have garnered as much attention and intrigue as cannabutter. For home chefs looking to infuse their cooking with a little extra kick, mastering the art of cannabutter recipes opens up a world of possibilities. After all, many people consider edibles to be better than smoking (though that’s still up for debate.)
Whether you're a seasoned cannabis connoisseur or a curious kitchen novice, these top five cannabutter recipes are sure to elevate your culinary creations to new heights.
We’ll start with the basics and then drop 5 recipe ideas down below.
Master the art of cannabutter infusion for versatile culinary creations.
Calculate THC content responsibly to ensure safe and enjoyable consumption.
Experiment with infused recipes, starting with conservative doses and labeling servings for informed enjoyment.
What is Cannabutter?
Before diving into the delectable recipes, it's essential to understand the foundation: cannabutter.
Also known as cannabis-infused butter, cannabutter is precisely what it sounds like—a combination of butter and cannabis. This potent ingredient serves as the cornerstone for countless cannabis-infused dishes, from sweet to savory. By infusing butter with the cannabinoids found in cannabis, such as THC and CBD, as well as fragrant terpenes, home chefs can create edibles that deliver both flavor and effects.
So, cannabutter will be the cornerstone of each of the five recipes, but how do you make the cannabutter? It's a pretty simple process, but if you aren't sure how to do it, here are the steps:
Basic Cannabutter Recipe:
Making cannabutter at home is surprisingly simple, requiring just a few key ingredients and some patience. Here's a basic recipe to get you started:
Ingredients:
1 cup of unsalted butter
1 cup (7-10 grams) of ground cannabis flower or trim
Instructions:
Decarboxylate your cannabis by preheating your oven to 245°F (120°C) and placing your cannabis on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat until it begins to simmer.
Add the decarboxylated cannabis to the melted butter, stirring well to combine.
Simmer the mixture on low heat for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. Be careful not to let it boil.
Once the mixture has infused, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a container, squeezing out as much liquid as possible.
Allow the cannabutter to cool and solidify at room temperature or in the refrigerator before using it in recipes.
Note About Making Cannabutter
Keep in mind that this recipe is not concrete–you can adjust the butter-to-cannabis ratio to create cannabutter that is more or less potent. Of course, you do not want to decrease the butter content too much because the butter can only take on so much of the cannabis infusion.
Using too little butter will mean that some of your cannabis potential is wasted. Using too much butter will make a very weak butter, meaning that the final dose of each recipe you make will be smaller.
With that in mind, you may start with the recommendations above to get a taste for how potent your cannabutter will be. Then, you can adjust your cannabis to butter ratio next time.
Another note: The final potency of your cannabutter also has a lot to do with the potency of the cannabis material you use. We’ll touch more on how to roughly estimate the THC content if your cannabutter below.
One more note: Making cannabutter usually involves using marijuana, a type of cannabis that is still prohibited in many states. If you live somewhere where cannabis is not yet legal, you should consider hemp-derived THC edibles or hemp THC flower instead.
Top 5 Recipes to Make with Cannabutter
Now that you've mastered the basics, let's explore five delicious recipes that showcase the versatility of cannabutter.
1. Cannabis-Infused Chocolate Chip Cookies:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup cannabutter (room temperature)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, cream together the cannabutter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a dough forms.
Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Drop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Enjoy your cannabis-infused chocolate chip cookies with a glass of milk for the ultimate indulgence!
2. Garlic Herb Cannabis Bread
Ingredients:
1/2 cup cannabutter (melted)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 loaf French bread
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
In a small bowl, combine the melted cannabutter, minced garlic, dried basil, dried parsley, dried oregano, and salt.
Slice the French bread in half lengthwise and place it on a baking sheet, cut side up.
Brush the herb-infused cannabutter mixture evenly over the cut sides of the bread.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and crispy on the edges.
Slice the garlic herb cannabis bread and serve it warm as a delicious appetizer or side dish.
3. Cannabis-Infused Macaroni and Cheese:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup cannabutter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 pound elbow macaroni (cooked according to package instructions)
Instructions:
In a large saucepan, melt the cannabutter over medium heat.
Whisk in the flour until smooth to create a roux.
Gradually pour in the milk, whisking constantly, until the mixture is smooth and thickened.
Stir in the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder until well combined.
Reduce the heat to low and gradually stir in the shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese until melted and creamy.
Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese sauce, stirring until evenly coated.
Serve the cannabis-infused macaroni and cheese hot, garnished with additional shredded cheese if desired.
4. Cannabis-Infused Thai Green Curry
Ingredients:
1/4 cup cannabutter
1 onion (sliced)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tablespoon green curry paste
1 can (14 ounces) coconut milk
1 cup vegetable broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 red bell pepper (sliced)
1 green bell pepper (sliced)
1 zucchini (sliced)
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 block firm tofu (drained and cubed)
Cooked jasmine rice, for serving
Instructions:
In a large skillet or wok, melt the cannabutter over medium heat.
Add the sliced onion and minced garlic, and cook until softened and fragrant.
Stir in the green curry paste and cook for an additional minute.
Pour in the coconut milk, vegetable broth, soy sauce, and brown sugar, stirring to combine.
Add the sliced bell peppers, zucchini, broccoli florets, mushrooms, and cubed tofu to the skillet, stirring to coat in the curry sauce.
Simmer the curry for 10-15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the flavors have melded together.
Serve the cannabis-infused Thai green curry hot over cooked jasmine rice.
5. Cannabutter Maple Glazed Carrots:
Ingredients:
1/4 cup cannabutter
1 pound carrots (peeled and sliced into coins)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions:
In a large skillet, melt the cannabutter over medium heat.
Add the sliced carrots to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes, or until slightly softened.
Drizzle the maple syrup over the carrots and season with salt and black pepper.
Continue cooking the carrots for an additional 5-7 minutes, or until they are tender and caramelized.
Transfer the glazed carrots to a serving dish and garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving.
Enjoy experimenting in the kitchen and indulging in these flavorful and infused creations responsibly!
Calculating THC Content in Cannabutter
Determining the THC potency of your homemade cannabutter is essential for responsible consumption. Here's a simplified guide:
Know Your Cannabis: To calculate the potency of your homemade cannabutter edibles, you need to know the THC percentage of your cannabis strain, if available.
Estimate THC Percentage: The percentage gives you an idea of how many milligrams of THC are in each gram of weed. So, if your cannabis has a THC of 20%, that works out to 0.05 grams of THC in each gram of weed
Convert to Milligrams: 0.05 grams is equal to 50 milligrams. So, each gram of weed (at 20% THC content) has 50 milligrams of THC.
Multiple by the Amount Used: Now, calculate the total amount by multiplying the amount in each gram by the amount of weed used. If we used 10 grams of weed with a THC content of 20%, we used 500 mg of THC total.
Calculate THC per Serving: Divide the total THC in your cannabutter by the number of servings in your recipe. If you made 24 cookies, then each cookie has around 21 milligrams of THC.
Remember this is an Estimate: Keep in mind that there are numerous factors that affect this dosage. For instance–simmering more or less can affect the amount of THC extracted. Every edible may not be exactly the same size. Overall, these numbers are estimates, so don't rely too heavily on them.
Consider Dosing: Start with a conservative dose and wait patiently for effects.
Label Your Edibles: Clearly label THC content per serving to guide consumption and store them safely away from children and pets.
Following these steps ensures you can enjoy your cannabis-infused creations responsibly and with confidence.
Skip the Kitchen: Try Hemp THC Edibles Instead
If you aren’t up for the task or live in an area where marijuana is out of reach, you can opt for hemp-derived THC edibles instead. Delta-8-THC edibles offer a smooth, mild euphoria. Or, choose Hemp Delta-9 edibles for a more classic experience. The best part–you can have hemp THC products shipped right to your door. No need to leave the house.
To learn more, check out our
Cannabutter Recipes FAQ’s
1. Is it 2 or 3 hours for cannabutter?
The recommended infusion time for cannabutter typically ranges from 2 to 3 hours. However, longer infusion times can result in a more potent product. It's essential to monitor the process closely and adjust the duration based on personal preference and desired potency.
2. What's the minimum cooking time for cannabutter?
While there isn't a strict minimum cooking time for cannabutter, most recipes suggest a minimum of 1 to 2 hours to ensure proper infusion of cannabinoids into the butter. However, longer cooking times may yield more potent results and a richer flavor profile.
3. How do I know when my cannabutter is done boiling?
Cannabutter is typically done boiling when it has a rich, golden color and a nutty aroma. Additionally, the butter will begin to separate from any remaining plant material, indicating that the infusion process is complete. It's essential to strain the mixture promptly once these signs are observed to prevent overcooking and potential degradation of cannabinoids.
4. How long should cannabutter sit for?
After the infusion process is complete, the cannabutter should be allowed to cool and solidify at room temperature or in the refrigerator before use. This cooling period typically takes 1 to 2 hours, depending on the ambient temperature and the quantity of cannabutter produced.
5. How much cannabutter to use in a recipe?
The amount of cannabutter to use in a recipe depends on various factors, including personal tolerance, desired potency, and the number of servings.
As a general guideline, start with a conservative amount of cannabutter and adjust based on experience and desired effects. It's recommended to calculate the approximate THC content per serving to ensure responsible dosing.
If needed, you can add regular butter to make up the rest of the needed butter for your recipe.
6. How long does cannabutter last?
The shelf life of cannabutter closely resembles the shelf life of the butter itself. Edibles made from cannabutter have varying shelf lives depending on the type of edible. Read “Do edibles go bad?” to learn more.
