Cannabutter, also known as cannabis butter or canna butter, is a staple ingredient in cannabis-infused edibles. It provides a versatile way to enjoy the benefits of cannabis in baked goods, savory dishes, and snacks. Making cannabutter at home allows you to control the potency, quality, and flavor of your edibles. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about making cannabutter, from choosing the right cannabis to perfecting your recipe.

Why Make Cannabutter?

Cannabutter is a popular medium for infusing cannabis into food. It’s easy to make, stores well, and is incredibly versatile. Whether you want to bake a batch of classic pot brownies or elevate your dinner with a cannabis-infused sauce, cannabutter provides a reliable and delicious base.

Plus, making your own cannabis butter allows you to control the potency, strain, and ingredients, ensuring a tailored experience every time.

Step 1: Decarboxylation – Activating Your Cannabis

Before you can infuse cannabis into butter, you need to activate its psychoactive compounds through a process called decarboxylation. Raw cannabis contains THCA and CBDA, which are non-psychoactive. When heated, these compounds convert into THC and CBD, which provide the psychoactive and therapeutic effects cannabis is known for.

Here’s how to decarboxylate your cannabis:

1. Preheat your oven: Set the oven to 240°F (115°C). This is the ideal temperature to decarboxylate cannabis without burning it.
2. Break up the cannabis: Use your hands to break the buds into small pieces, or roughly grind it. Don’t grind it too fine, as this can result in too much plant matter in your butter.
3. Spread the cannabis on a baking sheet: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the cannabis evenly across the sheet.
4. Bake: Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring the cannabis halfway through to ensure even heating. The cannabis will turn a light brownish color and give off a slightly toasted aroma.

Step 2: Choosing Your Ingredients

For the best results, use high-quality ingredients. The two key components are the cannabis and the butter.

Cannabis: The strain you choose will impact the effects of your cannabutter. Sativa strains generally provide uplifting and energetic effects, while indica strains are more relaxing and sedative. Choose a strain based on the desired effects of your edibles. Additionally, consider the potency of the cannabis. You can adjust the amount used depending on how strong you want your cannabutter to be.

Butter: Use unsalted butter for your cannabutter. It provides a clean taste and allows for more control over the seasoning in your final product. Alternatively, you can substitute butter with coconut oil for a vegan option, which also works well in recipes.

Step 3: Infusing the Butter

Once your cannabis is decarboxylated, you’re ready to infuse it into the butter. The slow and steady process of simmering the butter and cannabis together allows the THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids to bind with the fat in the butter.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (about 7-10 grams) of decarboxylated cannabis
• 1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter
• 1 cup of water (optional, helps to prevent the butter from scorching)

Instructions:

1. Melt the butter: In a saucepan or double boiler, melt the butter over low heat. If you’re worried about burning the butter, add a cup of water to help regulate the temperature.
2. Add the cannabis: Once the butter has melted, add the decarboxylated cannabis. Stir the mixture well to ensure the cannabis is fully saturated with the butter.
3. Simmer: Allow the butter and cannabis mixture to simmer on low heat for 2-3 hours. Stir occasionally, ensuring the temperature doesn’t exceed 200°F (93°C). If the mixture starts to boil, reduce the heat. Low and slow is key to extracting the cannabinoids without destroying them.
4. Strain the mixture: After simmering, remove the pan from heat. Set a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth over a bowl or container. Carefully pour the cannabutter through the strainer to remove the plant material. Let the butter cool for a few minutes before squeezing out the last bits of liquid from the plant matter.
5. Cool and store: Allow the cannabutter to cool at room temperature before placing it in the fridge to solidify. If you used water in the process, you’ll notice the water will separate from the butter and sit at the bottom. Once the butter has solidified, remove it from the container and discard any remaining water. Store your cannabutter in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks, or in the freezer for up to six months.

Step 4: Using Your Cannabutter

Now that you have your cannabutter ready, it’s time to use it in your favorite recipes. From baked goods to savory dishes, cannabutter is incredibly versatile. Here are some popular ways to incorporate it:

1. Baking: Cannabutter is perfect for baking cookies, brownies, cakes, and other desserts. Simply substitute it for regular butter in your recipe.
2. Cooking: You can use cannabutter in savory recipes as well. Melt it over vegetables, stir it into mashed potatoes, or use it to sauté meats. Just be mindful of the temperature, as high heat can degrade the cannabinoids.
3. Spreads: Spread your cannabutter on toast, bagels, or pancakes for a quick and delicious way to enjoy your cannabis-infused creation.

What’re the Best Weed Strains for Cannabutter?

Choosing the best weed strains for your cannabutter recipe is important in more ways than one.

First, the weed you use needs to be some truly top-shelf stuff, high-grade weed. If you grow Premium Cultivars marijuana seeds then you can guarantee the weed you’re using is the very best. However, if you’re not then there are select dispensaries that will stock top-shelf cannabis.

Secondly, certain strains just work better for cooking. Below we are going to look at some of our top picks for cannabutter and why they work.

1. Gush Mints

• Why it’s good for cannabutter: Gush Mints is known for its strong indica effects and sweet, minty flavor with hints of earthiness. This strain is high in THC, making it perfect for edibles that provide potent relaxation and pain relief. Its dessert-like flavor complements baked goods and sweet treats, infusing a rich, indulgent taste into your cannabutter.
• Best for: Relaxing edibles like brownies, cookies, and ice cream.

2. Cadillac Rainbow

• Why it’s good for cannabutter: Cadillac Rainbow offers a balanced hybrid experience with a fruity, candy-like aroma and taste. Its uplifting, euphoric effects make it great for daytime edibles that provide a pleasant, mood-enhancing buzz. The fruity flavors of Cadillac Rainbow will add a bright, sweet twist to your cannabutter, making it a good match for both sweet and savory recipes.
• Best for: Fruity baked goods like muffins, fruit tarts, or sauces for savory dishes.

3. Lemon Cherry Gelato

• Why it’s good for cannabutter: Lemon Cherry Gelato combines a sweet cherry flavor with zesty lemon undertones, giving your cannabutter a citrusy, tangy twist. This hybrid strain offers a calming yet uplifting effect, making it ideal for edibles that can be enjoyed at any time of day. The flavor profile pairs well with desserts and drinks, infusing them with a refreshing citrus punch.
• Best for: Zesty desserts like lemon bars, cheesecakes, or fruit-flavored pastries.

4. Pink Certz

• Why it’s good for cannabutter: Pink Certz is a hybrid strain known for its balanced effects and sweet, candy-like flavor. It carries hints of berries, cream, and citrus, which can add a playful, sweet note to your edibles. The moderate THC content makes it suitable for those looking for a more balanced and mellow experience without overwhelming potency.
• Best for: Candy-like treats, cakes, and fruity snacks.

5. Jealousy

• Why it’s good for cannabutter: Jealousy offers a sweet and earthy flavor profile with hints of citrus and herbs. Its hybrid effects bring a blend of euphoria and relaxation, which translates well into edibles that can be consumed throughout the day. The balanced effects and pleasant flavors make Jealousy an excellent choice for both novice and experienced edible users.
• Best for: Herbal butters for cooking, savory dishes, or sweet-and-savory snacks like granola bars.

6. Permanent Marker

• Why it’s good for cannabutter: Permanent Marker is known for its intense high and bold flavor profile that mixes pungent, spicy, and herbal notes. This strain packs a punch, making it ideal for potent edibles intended to deliver strong effects. It’s best suited for individuals who prefer high-THC edibles with a unique and robust flavor.
• Best for: Heavier edibles like chocolate bars, or savory dishes like cannabis-infused sauces and dips.

7. Oreoz

• Why it’s good for cannabutter: Oreoz is famous for its sweet and creamy flavor, reminiscent of chocolate and cookies. Its high THC content and relaxing effects make it a favorite for edibles designed to deliver a long-lasting body high. The dessert-like flavor of Oreoz pairs perfectly with baked goods and sweets, making it an excellent choice for a decadent cannabutter.
• Best for: Cookies, cakes, and other rich desserts like brownies or fudge.

8. Wedding Cake

• Why it’s good for cannabutter: Wedding Cake is a popular strain for edibles thanks to its sweet, tangy, and vanilla-like flavor. It’s high in THC, making it perfect for those seeking a strong, relaxing experience. The rich flavor profile of Wedding Cake pairs well with a variety of desserts, giving your cannabutter a delicious, sugary finish.
• Best for: Cakes, cupcakes, cookies, or other rich, creamy desserts.

Each of these strains brings a unique flavor and effect to your cannabutter, making them suitable for different types of edibles. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing evening treat or an uplifting daytime snack, there’s a strain here that can enhance your culinary creations.

Calculating Potency

The potency of your cannabutter depends on several factors, including the strain of cannabis, its THC percentage, and how much you used. Calculating the exact potency can be tricky, but here’s a rough guide:

1. Determine the THC percentage: Check the THC percentage of the strain you used. For example, if your cannabis has 20% THC, that means each gram contains 200 milligrams of THC (since 1 gram = 1000 milligrams, and 20% of that is 200 milligrams).
2. Multiply by the number of grams used: Multiply the THC per gram by the total grams of cannabis used. For example, if you used 10 grams of cannabis, you would have 2000 milligrams of THC in your entire batch of cannabutter.
3. Divide by the number of servings: Once you know the total amount of THC in your batch, divide it by the number of servings you’re making. For instance, if your cannabutter yields 20 servings, you would divide 2000 milligrams by 20, resulting in 100 milligrams of THC per serving.

Keep in mind that this is a rough estimate, and the actual potency of your cannabutter may vary. It’s always a good idea to start with a small amount and wait for the effects before consuming more, especially if you’re new to edibles or using a particularly potent strain.

Cannabutter Recipe Variations

There are several variations of cannabutter recipes you can try depending on your dietary preferences and desired potency.

1. Vegan Cannabutter: Replace butter with coconut oil or another plant-based fat. Coconut oil works especially well as it has a high-fat content and can extract cannabinoids efficiently.
2. Herb-Infused Cannabutter: Add herbs like rosemary, thyme, or garlic to your butter during the simmering process for a flavorful twist.
3. Cannabis Ghee: Ghee, a form of clarified butter, can be used in place of regular butter for a longer shelf life and richer flavor. The process is the same, but the ghee won’t spoil as quickly as traditional butter.

Storing Cannabutter

Proper storage is crucial to maintaining the potency and freshness of your cannabutter. Keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where it will last for up to two weeks. If you made a large batch or want to store it longer, place it in the freezer. Cannabutter can last for up to six months in the freezer without losing its potency.

Tips for Success

• Use high-quality cannabis: The better the cannabis, the better your cannabutter will be. Choose strains that fit your desired effects and ensure the cannabis is fresh and free of mold or pests.
• Low and slow: Be patient with the infusion process. Cooking at too high a temperature can degrade the cannabinoids, resulting in less potent butter.
• Strain carefully: Use a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove as much plant material as possible from your butter. This ensures a smoother texture and prevents any unwanted plant matter from affecting the taste.
• Label clearly: Always label your cannabutter clearly, especially if you live with others. Make sure it’s stored safely and out of reach of children or pets.

Common Questions About Cannabutter

How strong is cannabutter?

The strength of cannabutter depends on the potency of the cannabis used and the amount of butter you infused it into. You can calculate a rough estimate using the THC percentage of your cannabis and the amount used in the recipe.

Can I make cannabutter without decarboxylating the cannabis?

Decarboxylation is necessary to activate the THC and CBD in your cannabis. Skipping this step will result in butter that doesn’t have the desired psychoactive effects.

How long does it take for edibles made with cannabutter to kick in?

Edibles typically take between 30 minutes to 2 hours to take effect, depending on your metabolism, what you’ve eaten, and your tolerance to cannabis. Start with a small dose and wait at least an hour before consuming more.

How should I store cannabutter?

Cannabutter can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or in the freezer for up to six months.

Can I use trimmings and leaves to make cannabutter?

Yes, you can use cannabis trimmings and leaves to make cannabutter, though the potency will be lower than if you use buds. Trimmings still contain cannabinoids and can be a great way to use every part of the plant.

What is the best ratio of butter to cannabis?

A common ratio is 1 cup of butter to 7-10 grams of cannabis. You can adjust this based on how strong you want your cannabutter to be.

Can I make cannabutter in a slow cooker?

Yes, a slow cooker is a great option for making cannabutter. Just set it to low heat and let the cannabis and butter simmer for several hours.

What’s the difference between cannabutter and cannabis oil?

Cannabutter uses butter as the fat base, while cannabis oil uses a cooking oil like coconut or olive oil. Both can be used in similar ways, but oil may be more versatile for certain recipes.

Can I reuse the plant material after making cannabutter?

The plant material left after straining has little to no THC remaining, but some people use it in smoothies or teas for its fiber content.

How do I know if my cannabutter is ready?

Your cannabutter is ready when it has simmered for 2-3 hours and has a rich green color. Strain out the plant material and let it cool before use.

Cannabutter Conclusion

Making cannabutter at home is a rewarding and straightforward process that allows you to create your own cannabis-infused treats. By following this guide, you can craft high-quality, potent cannabutter that can be used in a variety of recipes. Whether you’re a seasoned cannabis enthusiast or new to edibles, cannabutter opens the door to a world of delicious possibilities. Happy cooking!

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