Cooking with Cannabis: How to make Canna Butter

Contrary to popular belief, you cannot merely throw cannabis flower into a brownie batter, bake it, and call it good! Who knew? That said, cannabis-infused butter (cannabutter) is the simplest and best way to make cannabis edibles and create an endless variety of cannabis recipes in a few simple steps.

Step one in making cannabutter is to activate the cannabinoids (chemical compounds) within the cannabis, a process called decarboxylation or “decarb” for short. The amount of cannabis used will vary depending on how much butter you would like to make. Typically, 1 ounce of flower to 6 sticks of butter (3 cups) will yield approximately 4 cannabutter sticks. (Some publications will tell you that 1 ounce to 1 pound is the appropriate ratio but some butter will be lost in the process, so this recipe calls for 6 sticks versus 4.)

If you are using fresh flower, First, preheat the oven to 220 degrees Fahrenheit. Second, lightly break up the cannabis and place it on an ungreased cookie sheet. Third, place the cookie sheet with cannabis on it in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until cannabis turns light brown. Check and agitate cannabis every 5 - 7 minutes to ensure that all cannabis is activated. Once the cannabis is brown, you can remove it from the oven and start the butter process!

Did you know you can use your already-vaped cannabis to make cannabutter? If you vape flower, save it after your sessions! Once you have a decent amount saved, you can add this to your butter without having to decarb it!

Now to infuse the butter. First, place 6 sticks of butter in a crockpot set to low or 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Second, add cannabis to the butter.  Stir every half hour to prevent the butter from burning. Strain the cannabutter by placing a cheesecloth lined funnel on a jar and pour slowly. Place in the refrigerator until the butter has congealed. Once butter is cooled, any leftover vegetation and water will separate to the bottom; remove any excess and viola! Cannabutter.

How will you know how potent the butter is? You won’t, that is, not until you try it. The butter’s potency is determined by a variety of factors, including the strain and potency of the flower. Start low and slow with your butter. Try a teaspoon either in your coffee or on toast and see how you feel. When baking or cooking with butter, substitute oil in the recipe with cannabutter, but remember, go LOW and SLOW as to not go beyond your therapeutic window.

Want to skip these steps? For an expedited infusing process, consider the Magical Butter Machine or Ardent Decarboxylator - sold at your local Temescal Wellness ATC.

Vegan? Easily substitute vegan butter to make a friendly cannabutter for all your favorite recipes.

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How to make Cannabutter from cannabis flower

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You will need:

• ½ ounce of cannabis flower
• 3 cups (or 6 sticks) of butter
• Crockpot or double boiler
• Cheesecloth for straining

Decarboxylation of the cannabis (or the process in which the chemical compounds of the plant are activated)

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How to “decarb” the cannabis:

1. Preheat oven to 220 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Place approximately ½ ounce of non-ground cannabis on an ungreased cookie sheet
3. Place cookie sheet in the oven
4. Check cannabis every 5-7 minutes; agitate cannabis to ensure all cannabis is activate
5. Remove from oven after 35-40 minutes or until cannabis is brown

Making the butter

1. Roughly break up decarboxylated cannabis
2. Place decarboxylated cannabis in the crockpot
3. Add 3 cups or 6 sticks of butter
4. Place on low for 4 hours, stirring every half hour
5. Strain the cannabis out of the butter with a cheesecloth

Note: do not squeeze the bag of strained cannabis as this will result in vegetation in the butter

Cool butter in the refrigerator.

Once butter is cold, any leftover vegetation will separate to the bottom; remove any excess vegetation on the bottom of the butter.

Bake or cook with cannabutter!