What is Cannabutter?
Cannabutter, or cannabis-infused butter, is one of the most popular ways to make cannabis edibles. Butter is an excellent medium for THC infusion because of its high fat content, which allows the THC to bind effectively. This makes it easy to create versatile and delicious cannabis-infused treats.
The process of making cannabutter is straightforward, though it takes a few hours. Even beginners can master it with the right recipe. When consuming edibles, it’s important to follow the rule of “start low and go slow.” Try a small portion, wait 60-90 minutes for the effects, and then adjust if you need stronger effects.
How is Cannabutter Used in Edibles?
Once your butter is infused with cannabis, you can use it in any recipe that calls for regular butter. People commonly use cannabutter to make baked goods like brownies, cookies, and cakes, or simply spread it on toast. You can adjust the potency by mixing cannabutter with regular butter in your recipes for a milder effect.
Before using cannabis in butter, it must be decarboxylated—a process that activates the THC in the plant by heating it at a low temperature. This step is necessary to make the cannabis psychoactive in your edibles.
Basic Cannabutter Recipe
To make cannabutter, you'll need:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup ground, decarboxylated cannabis (7-10 grams)
Steps:
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Decarb the Cannabis: Preheat the oven to 245°F. Spread the cannabis on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and heat for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Melt the Butter: In a saucepan, melt 1 cup of butter on low heat and add 1 cup of water to help regulate the temperature.
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Infuse the Cannabis: Stir in the decarboxylated cannabis and simmer on low heat (160-200°F) for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. Avoid boiling.
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Strain the Mixture: Pour the mixture through a mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a container, discarding the plant material.
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Refrigerate: Let the cannabutter cool and solidify in the fridge. Once solid, it’s ready to use.
Why Decarboxylation is Important
Decarboxylation is the key to activating the THC in cannabis. Without this step, your cannabutter won’t deliver the desired effects. While some recipes may skip this step, decarbing in the oven first results in more effective butter and better-tasting edibles.
Dosing Cannabutter
Homemade edibles can be tricky to dose because their potency depends on several factors, including the strength of the cannabis used and how long the infusion process lasts. To test potency, try a small portion, wait an hour, and adjust accordingly. You can then scale this dose for larger recipes, such as brownies or cookies, ensuring consistent servings.
Adjusting Cannabutter Potency
If your cannabutter ends up being too strong, you can mix it with regular butter to mellow out the effects. Alternatively, if you want a stronger infusion, you can increase the cannabis-to-butter ratio. However, once cannabutter is made, you can’t increase its potency—only the amount you consume will alter the effects.
Cooking with Cannabutter
Once you’ve mastered cannabutter, the possibilities for creating edibles are endless. From classic brownies to savory dishes, you can infuse butter into almost anything. Just remember to enjoy your creations responsibly!
