How to Make Cannabutter - Fast & Easy Recipe

Cannabutter is a versatile and delicious ingredient that functions as a key component of homemade edibles. Knowing how to make cannabutter is a feather in the cap of any medical marijuana patient looking for alternative ways to consume MMJ.

Introducing weed butter into your everyday recipes offers a different consumption method from smoking or vaping. Cannabis edibles also offer long-lasting and effective results for patients with a range of qualifying conditions.

Making Cannabutter at Home Step-by-Step

Here's how you can make your own cannabis-infused butter at home:

Tools

Baking tray
Parchment paper
Saucepan
Mesh strainer or cheesecloth
Cannabis grinder (optional) or another grinding tool

Ingredients

2 sticks of unsalted butter
1 cup water
1 cup decarboxylated cannabis flower (7-10 grams)
- Tip: Weigh your cannabis flower at the beginning to help you calculate the potency of your cannabutter later on.

Method

Decarboxylating Your Cannabis

Preheat Your Oven: Set your oven to a low temperature, around 245°F (115°C).
Prepare Your Cannabis: Break up your cannabis into small, even nuggets.
Decarboxylation: Decarb your cannabis by spreading the buds evenly on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Stir occasionally. This process activates the cannabinoids, making them psychoactive and ready for infusion.

Infusing Your Butter

Melt the Butter: Gently melt your butter in a double boiler or in a saucepan over low heat.
Add Decarbed Cannabis: Add your decarboxylated cannabis to the melted butter.
Heat: Simmer the butter mixture on low heat for 2-3 hours. Stir the mixture occasionally. Avoid boiling the mixture, as high heat can degrade the cannabinoids and terpenes.
Strain: Strain the mixture through a cheesecloth or fine-mesh strainer to remove the plant matter.
Cool and Store: Let the infused butter cool completely before storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Pour off any separated water.

Top Tip

Avoid using finely ground cannabis in cannabutter as it can lead to a bitter taste. When cannabis is ground too finely, bitter-tasting chlorophyll from the plant material can seep into the butter during the infusion process.

Instead, use larger pieces of cannabis. This allows for easier straining and minimizes the amount of chlorophyll that ends up in the final product.

Which Cannabis Strain to Use When Making Cannabutter

The strain you use when making weed butter is entirely up to you. One of the main advantages of making your own edibles is the freedom to use your favorite strains. Many MMJ patients will choose strains that relieve their qualifying condition. For example, patients suffering from appetite loss due to nausea from chemotherapy or HIV/AIDS could use the best strains for appetite stimulation to make cannabis butter and bake their favorite sweet treats.

Marijuana purchased in a licensed Arizona MMJ dispensary with a valid medical marijuana card will be reliably labeled with each product's cannabinoid and terpene profiles to help you identify the best product for your condition. Staff in your local dispensary will be happy to recommend different strains and products that could help to relieve your symptoms.

Cannabutter Recipe Variations

Consider these alternative cannabutter recipes if you don’t eat butter or if you wish to use a slow cooker.

Dairy-Free Alternatives to Butter

Regular butter isn't an option for everyone. The good news is that other fats like coconut oil and olive oil offer alternatives for lactose-intolerant or vegan MMJ patients. You could even make a cannabis infusion from vegetable oil if it's a product you frequently use in your recipes at home.

To make cannabis-infused oils, follow exactly the same procedure as with cannabutter. Place your decarbed cannabis and chosen oil into a saucepan or double boiler and simmer at a low temperature for 2-3 hours. Ensure your oil doesn't boil, to retain all the cannabis compounds possible in your final product.

Slow Cooker Cannabutter

Some patients prefer to make cannabutter in a slow cooker or Crock-Pot. Slow-cooker infusion follows much the same method as using a saucepan:

Combine the decarboxylated cannabis, butter (or oil), and water in your slow cooker.
Set the slow cooker to low heat (around 200°F or 93°C).
Simmer for 8-12 hours, stirring occasionally. The longer you simmer, the more potent and full of cannabis flavor your cannabutter will be.
Strain the final product.

Calculating THC Levels in Cannabutter

Calculating THC levels in your cannabutter is possible if you know the concentration of THC in your cannabis flower, the weight of your bud, and how much butter or oil you used.

Follow these steps to calculate the total number of milligrams of THC in your batch of cannabutter:

Locate the number of grams of cannabis flower you used in your cannabutter recipe.
Multiply this by 1000 to convert the measurement to milligrams (mg).
Multiply this number by the flower’s THC percentage.

You can then divide the total THC content of the butter/oil batch by the number of grams of butter or oil you used in the recipe. This will give you the number of THC (in mg) per gram of cannabutter, which you can use to calculate the potency of your edibles when baking with cannabutter.

Be Aware of Onset Times When Consuming Edibles

If you’re new to edibles, you may not be aware of the differences between edibles and smoking. Many patients love edibles as they offer potent and long-lasting results. However, the onset time can vary and is significantly longer than inhaling.

Be patient when consuming edibles and don’t consume more than one serving until you’re sure the edibles have kicked in (health professionals recommend waiting for 24 hours before consuming more). This will help you avoid the unpleasant effects of overconsumption.

FAQs

Can You Make Cannabutter with Raw Cannabis?

Yes—you can make cannabutter with raw cannabis. However, your end product won’t offer psychoactive effects. This is because decarbing your weed converts the acidic forms of THC and CBD (THCA and CBDA) into their active forms. The decarbed weed will then offer the psychoactive and therapeutic effects we associate with different cannabis strains.

Can I Use Cannabutter in Any Recipe?

Yes, cannabutter can be used in a variety of recipes, including brownies, cookies, cakes, and sauces. However, it's important to start with a low dose and gradually increase it as needed, as the effects of edibles can take some time to kick in.

Get Creative in the Kitchen with Cannabutter

Making your own cannabutter at home is a fun and delicious way to enjoy MMJ. With a little patience and practice, you'll be able to create delicious and potent cannabis-infused treats.

Edibles are an accessible and health-conscious way to consume cannabis, especially for patients keen to avoid smoking or vaping. Remember to go slowly with your cannabutter-infused edibles until you nail your recipe for the best and most delicious experience!