How to Make Cannabutter: Recipe and Uses

Every chef or avid consumer knows the quintessential secret behind potent marijuana edibles: the magic of cannabutter, a staple in the plant’s cuisine. From simple muffins to restaurant-worthy dishes, cannabis butter is a tasty and practical complement. Learn the step-by-step process to make this popular ingredient, how to use it, how to dose it, and also where to store it.

Cannabutter is short for “cannabis butter”, the intoxicating ingredient found in many edible marijuana recipes. Most of them, including the famous brownies, use cannabis butter to produce their effect, and it’s one of the best ways to enjoy the plant if you don’t want to smoke it.

Marijuana aficionados have been making their own cannabutter at home for decades, and, with a little patience, it’s pretty easy to do. While butter is, typically, the main ingredient, the process can also be replicated using other types of fat: coconut oil, olive oil, and many more.

Why mix cannabis with butter?

THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is fat-soluble; that is, a molecule that has a high affinity for fats and oils, which means that it easily dissolves in substances such as butter, then easily entering the digestive system. And THC’s fat solubility is crucial to understanding its behavior in the body.

When cannabis is consumed, either through smoke inhalation or the ingestion of edibles, THC is absorbed into the bloodstream and distributed through the circulatory system. Due to its fat-soluble nature, it has the ability to cross lipid-containing cell membranes, which facilitates its entry into cells, where it binds to specific receptors of the endocannabinoid system, producing the psychoactive effects characteristic of cannabis.

The decarboxylation of cannabis before cooking

When learning how to make marijuana butter, a crucial step in the process is to decarboxylate the marijuana, which involves heating the cannabis to activate the cannabinoids in the plant matter. This process converts the plant’s THCA into THC, activating its psychoactive potential in edibles.

Heat is needed for decarboxylation. In the case of cannabutter, decarboxylation is carried out by heating the herb to a low temperature in an oven before adding it to the butter.

Cannabinoids are decarboxylated at different rates and temperatures. A range of 115°C to 120°C allows efficient THC activation without compromising the quality of other cannabinoids and terpenes present in the plant. Alternatively, decarboxylate your cannabis at a lower temperature of around 90°C to 100°C for about half an hour to retain terpenes and prevent the decarboxylation of other cannabinoids.

How to correctly dose cannabutter

It is crucial to understand proper dosing when working with cannabis-based products. Potency can vary, but a general rule of thumb is to start with low amounts, especially if you’re new to marijuana use.

First, decide what kind of effect you want to make sure your cannabutter isn’t too strong or too mild relative to your tolerance. Looking for a serious high? Or are you more interested in a gentle, relaxing mood that enhances your glass of wine every night? If your answer is the former, decarboxylate your marijuana before infusing it. If your answer is the latter, skip the decarboxylation step.

When preparing cannabis butter, a 1:1 ratio of cannabis to butter is recommended. However, if your marijuana butter ends up being too strong, you can always mix it with regular butter. Also, if the 1:1 ratio of marijuana to butter seems too strong to you, you can use half a cannabis flower; try 1/2 cup of ground flower (3-4 grams) per 1 cup of butter.

 Also, using cannabis flowers with a CBD:THC ratio of 1:1 or higher (e.g., 2:1, 3:1, etc.) will lessened or even nullify any psychoactive effects. The variety of marijuana you use will affect which cannabinoids and terpenes end up in the butter. So, use a genetic with low amounts of THC if you want to prevent the butter from containing too much THC.

 Yes, once you have made it, you won’t be able to increase its potency; the only way to increase its effects would be to eat more of it, or more foods made with it.

A simple cannabutter recipe

Now, let’s move on to the practical part. Here’s a very easy recipe to make marijuana butter in the comfort of your own home. Materials

• Baking tray
• Parchment paper
• Oven
• Pot, saucepan, bain-marie or slow cooker
• Mesh or gauze strainer
• Cannabutter receptacle
• Cannabis grinder (optional)

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 bars)
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup ground cannabis (7-10 grams), decarboxylated

When preparing this cannabis butter we’re going to follow the 1:1 ratio of cannabis to butter. If you want milder effects, use less marijuana.

Instructions

Decarboxylation of cannabis: 

• Preheat the oven to 115°C.
• Spread the ground cannabis on a tray and bake for 30 minutes to activate the cannabinoids.

Butter infusion: 

• Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat.
• Add the decarboxylated cannabis and mix well.
• Add enough water to cover the cannabis, which will help regulate the temperature and prevent the butter from burning.
• Simmer for 3 hours. The mixture should never come to a full boil.

Filtering and cooling: 

• Strain the mixture to separate the plant matter. Don’t overdo it, as you don’t want plant matter getting into the mix.
• Allow the butter to cool and solidify in the refrigerator.

Where to store homemade cannabutter

Store your marijuana butter in an opaque, airtight container, preferably glass. It will stay fresh in the fridge for about three weeks. Freezing extends its shelf life to approximately six months. Avoid keeping the butter at room temperature for more than an hour.

The best cannabis options to make butter

The best marijuana strains to use with butter depend on your goals. If you’re looking for a major high to extend a dinner with friends until dawn, you can use an ultra-powerful strain like Colombian Jack. Do you want to treat pain? Super OG Kush is a potent indica known to induce deep relaxation. Don’t want to overwhelm your guests, but want them to enjoy themselves? Try a CBD-rich strain like Swiss Dream CBD.

Other varieties are ideal if you want to add a touch of flavor to your cannabutter. For example, Lemon Haze Auto will give you a sour, citrus flavor. GSC, meanwhile, will give your cannabutter a refreshing winter burst. And Gelato-K is an obvious choice for candy lovers to use cannabutter in a brownie or sponge cake recipe.

Other uses of cannabutter

While this ingredient is great for baking, you can also use it for cooking, as the possibilities for preparing infused dishes are endless – anywhere you use butter or fat in a recipe, you can swap it for some cannabutter. Also, use a tablespoon of this ingredient in a pan the next time you make an omelet or vegetable sauté, and see what difference it makes. Cannabutter has endless applications for a creative cook like you!