When most people think about cannabis, they picture smoking or vaping. But did you know there’s another way to enjoy its effects? Cannabutter is a versatile, simple way to infuse cannabis into your cooking, whether you’re craving sweet treats or something savory. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to make your own batch of weed butter at home. If you’re ready to try something new, let’s get started!
What You’ll Need to Make Cannabutter:
To make cannabutter, you don’t need much—just the basics:
- 8 to 10 grams of cannabis (depending on how strong you want your butter)
- 1 cup of unsalted butter
- 1 cup of water (to prevent the butter from burning)
- Baking dish or tray
- Scissors or grinder (to break down the cannabis)
- Cheesecloth or filter paper (for straining)
- Stove and a pan for simmering
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Cannabutter:
1. Decarboxylation: Activate Your THC
Before you can infuse cannabis into your butter, the THC needs to be activated through heat. This process is called decarboxylation. Here’s how to do it:
- Preheat your oven to 240°F (115°C).
- Spread your 8 to 10 grams of cannabis evenly on a baking sheet.
- Bake the cannabis for 30–40 minutes. Stir gently every 10 minutes to ensure even heating and prevent burning. The cannabis should turn slightly brown and become fragrant.
2. Infuse the Butter

- While the cannabis is cooling, melt 1 cup of unsalted butter and 1 cup of water in a pan over low heat.
- Add your decarboxylated cannabis to the melted butter and water mixture.
- Simmer the mixture on low heat for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Be sure the temperature stays below boiling to avoid burning. If you want a stronger infusion, you can let it simmer for an additional 30 minutes.
3. Strain the Cannabutter
- After simmering, remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool slightly.
- Using a cheesecloth or filter paper, strain the butter into a clean container. Squeeze out as much butter as you can to ensure you get all of it.
- Discard the plant material, which is no longer needed.
4. Refrigerate and Store
- Once strained, place the cannabutter in the fridge to cool and solidify.
- Store your cannabutter in an airtight container, ideally in the fridge or freezer for longer shelf life.
Now that you’ve got your homemade cannabutter, you can use it in a variety of recipes! Whether you’re baking cookies, making brownies, or preparing a savory dish like garlic bread or pasta, the possibilities are endless. Just remember to use it in moderation, as the potency can vary depending on the strain and infusion process.
Important note :
- Test the Potency: Before using your cannabutter in a big batch, try a small amount to test the potency. Edibles can take longer to kick in, so be patient before consuming more.
- Storage: Keep your cannabutter in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. If frozen, it can last for months.
- Experiment with Fats: While we’ve used butter here, you can also infuse other fats like coconut oil or olive oil using the same process. These oils can be used in a variety of recipes, from stir-fries to smoothies.
Types of Weed to Avoid When Making Cannabutter
When making cannabutter (cannabis-infused butter), it’s important to choose the right type of weed to ensure the best quality and potency. While technically any cannabis can be used to make cannabutter, certain types are not ideal because of their quality, flavor, or cannabinoid profile. Here are the types of weed to avoid:
- Low-Quality or Old Weed: Old, dry, or poorly cured cannabis can result in weak, ineffective, and less flavorful cannabutter. Over time, cannabis loses its potency, and stale weed may not deliver the desired effects. Look for weed that is fresh, properly cured, and dense in appearance.
- Weeds with High Levels of Seeds or Stems: Seeds and stems contain little to no THC or CBD and can affect the potency and smoothness of your cannabutter. Excessive stems and seeds will dilute the overall cannabinoid concentration, making your final product less potent.
- Excessively Fluffy or Airy Weed: Airy buds (often the result of poor cultivation practices) have a low density, meaning the weight won’t equate to a high cannabinoid content. You’d need to use more of this weed to get the same potency, which isn’t efficient or cost-effective.
- Weed with Low THC/CBD Content: If your weed has low THC or CBD, your cannabutter will lack potency, and you may need to use more to achieve the desired effects. Always aim for cannabis strains with higher THC content for a more effective infusion.
- Weeds with Strong, Unpleasant Smells: While cannabis naturally has a variety of smells, overly pungent, harsh, or moldy-smelling weed should be avoided. This can impart undesirable flavors to your cannabutter, making it taste bitter or chemical-like.
- Weed Contaminated with Pesticides or Chemicals: Cannabis grown with pesticides or non-food-safe chemicals should never be used for edibles. Ingesting these chemicals can be harmful, especially when concentrated in the form of cannabutter. Always choose organic, lab-tested cannabis to avoid this issue.
- Shake Weed (Low-Grade Trim): Shake refers to small pieces of cannabis that fall off during handling, usually from lower-quality buds. While it does contain cannabinoids, it’s typically less potent and more plant-heavy than full buds, which could affect both the potency and flavor of your butter.
FAQsÂ
Q: What is Cannabutter?
A: Cannabutter, in essence, is butter infused with cannabis, commonly used as a base ingredient for various cannabis-infused edibles. By combining cannabis with butter, the psychoactive compounds, primarily THC and CBD, bind to the fat in the butter, allowing you to create a wide range of delicious and potent treats.
Q: What Can I Make with Cannabutter?
A: With cannabutter, you can create a vast array of edibles. For example, popular choices include brownies, cookies, and cakes. Moreover, you can use cannabutter in savory recipes like sauces, pasta, or mashed potatoes. Essentially, you can substitute cannabutter in any recipe that requires regular butter, giving you endless possibilities in the kitchen.
Q: Where Can I Use Cannabutter?
A: Cannabutter can be used in any dish that calls for butter or oil, making it an incredibly versatile ingredient. Therefore, whether you’re baking desserts or preparing savory meals, you can incorporate cannabutter to add a cannabis-infused twist to your favorite recipes.
Q: What Can I Do with Cannabutter?
A: Besides cooking, you can also use cannabutter in homemade cannabis-infused topicals and skincare products. For instance, many people create lotions, balms, or salves with cannabutter to benefit from the therapeutic properties of cannabis when applied to the skin.
Q: Can Cannabutter Be Consume by Anyone?
A: No, cannabutter is intended for adult use only and should not be consumed by everyone. Hence, it’s crucial to consult with a healthcare provider before using cannabutter, especially if you have underlying health conditions, are pregnant, nursing, or are taking medications. Always consume cannabis-infused products responsibly and be mindful of dosage.
Q: How Do I Store Cannabutter?
A: To maintain its potency and freshness, you should store cannabutter in an airtight container. If you plan to use it soon, keep it in the refrigerator. Otherwise, for longer-term storage, the freezer is the best option. Proper storage not only helps prevent the cannabutter from going rancid but also preserves its quality.
Q: How long does the effect of cannabutter last?
A: The effects of cannabutter can last anywhere from 4 to 12 hours, depending on the individual’s metabolism, the dosage consumed, and the potency of the cannabis used.
Q: How do I dose cannabutter correctly?
A: It’s important to start with a small amount of cannabutter and wait at least an hour to gauge its effects before consuming more. Proper dosing helps avoid overconsumption and ensures a pleasant experience.
Q: Can I use cannabutter in place of regular butter in any recipe?
A: Yes, you can use cannabutter in place of regular butter in most recipes, but be mindful of the dosage to ensure the final product isn’t too potent.