Weed butter, also known as cannabutter, has been becoming more and more popular lately – and not just because it’s so delicious. You’ll want to make it the next time you’re craving a special kick with your favorite brownies, cookies, cakes, or sandwiches.
But, before you throw butter into a pan with whatever flower you have on hand, you’ll want to understand how to make weed butter that’s truly tasty, strong, and simple, thanks to our pro tips.
As your go-to Massachusetts cannabis dispensary, Garden Remedies brings you top-notch green and the educational resources you need to enjoy it to the fullest. Stop by our dispensaries in Newton, Melrose, and Marlborough, MA to learn more.
What Are the Benefits of Making Weed Butter?
The various benefits of weed butter will surely whet your appetite. You may have heard of some of them already; others might be newly enticing to you.
Of the many ways to combine cannabis with a delicious meal – like smoking before you eat or cooking with cannabis – weed butter stands out.
Connect With the Cannabis Plant With Novelty
For how long has cannabis been part of your life? One? Perhaps ten or more?
Once you’ve tried a bunch of forms of cannabis – from concentrates to vapes – and you know your go-to strains for flower, you may be wondering: What’s next? How can I ensure that my relationship with the plant stays beneficial and fresh?
When you know how to make weed butter, your perspective may expand, as a whole new world of culinary cannabis presents itself to you. Taking the time to make weed butter, touching the flower you’ve selected with your hands, sampling batches until you find your perfect mix… It’s the perfect recipe for reconnecting with cannabis.
Our Top-Notch Cannabutter Recipe
Jump to Simplified Instructions
Begin by assembling your ingredients, featuring the tried-and-true weed measurement of 1 cup cannabis per 1 cup water, which we recommend when you’re starting to learn how to make weed butter. This recipe will likely take about 4 hours from start to finish – and you’ll have ready-to-eat cannabutter just 8 or so hours after that.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (7-10 grams) cannabis flower
- 1 cup water
Equipment:
- Baking pan with parchment paper
- Saucepan, stock pot, or double boiler
- Mesh strainer or cheesecloth
- Cheese grater
- Large mason jar
- Cannabis grinder (optional)
Instructions:
Decarboxylate the cannabis. Though it might sound complicated, decarbing your cannabis can actually be a simple process – and it is an absolutely crucial step in creating weed butter that has the potency you desire. Preheat the oven to 240ºF. After loosely breaking up the cannabis into pieces and lining your baking sheet with parchment paper, place the pieces onto the sheet. Heat it in the oven for 30-40 minutes. While the cannabis is cooking, mix the buds every 10-15 minutes to make sure they’re evenly exposed to heat – which will activate their THC to give you the strong high sensation you’re looking for. Keeping the cannabis in the oven for this much time preserves all of the cannabinoids and terpenes that work together to produce its effects. Grind or break up the cannabis into smaller pieces by hand, keeping pieces too big to fit through a mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Infuse the butter: This is where the magic happens! Add the butter and water to your saucepan, stock pot, or double boiler. Let it melt over low heat, stirring every few minutes to prevent burning. When the butter is melted, add your decarboxylated cannabis, and stir well to combine. Let the mixture simmer on low heat for 2-3 hours. Keep the temperature between 160°F (71°C) to 200°F (93°C), and stir occasionally. If needed, add a bit more water to stop the mixture from drying out. Then let it cool briefly. To properly preserve your weed butter so you can use it for 3 or 4 weeks, we suggest keeping it in a tightly sealed mason jar. Or choose a dark or opaque jar to slightly extend its shelf life.[4] Strain the mixture and store it in the fridge.Place a mesh strainer or cheesecloth over a mason jar. Pour the mixture through it, and discard the leftover plant material. (You may be tempted to squeeze out every drop of goodness, but doing that will add chlorophyll to your weed butter and give it a funky taste. Just strain it without applying pressure.[5]) Place your new jar of cannabutter in the fridge to let it solidify. Store it there for one night or at least a few hours before enjoying your delicious, potent homemade weed butter. Especially when you make it according to our recipe and tips, weed butter can carry the benefits of the cannabis strain you use.[1] Choose a strain rich in CBD and anti-inflammatory cannabis-derived terpenes? You’re concocting a batch of cannabis butter that will likely be soothing mentally and relaxing physically. Decide to go for some flower with a high quantity of THC? Expect a strong and long-lasting high. Some folks in the cannabis community have reported pain relief from weed butter, as well as a reduction in anxiety and menopausal symptoms.[2] Of course, research on cannabis for pain is still emerging. Try weed butter yourself to see how it affects you, knowing that each batch and each time may bring you different effects. Over the years, you’ve probably been met with several different opinions from people who have found out about your affinity for cannabis. From surprise to judgement to agreement, these reactions often reveal the stigma that still surrounds cannabis usage. However, fresh-baked brownies infused with weed butter – or sandwiches that really brighten up the afternoon – may seem like more approachable varieties of cannabis.[3] If your family members or friends have expressed interest in trying your favorite plant, presenting it with food they already love may help open their minds to it. Before sharing any treats containing cannabutter, make sure you choose their doses wisely and speak to everyone about it with careful consideration.
In case you need another reason why learning how to make weed butter will benefit you, consider the cost. How much is a package of your most prized edibles from your local dispensary? $16 for 20 gummies? For the same amount of money, you could get enough flower to produce about 32 servings of cannabutter (plus butter, which is typically pretty cheap). How much weed butter you’ll want to make depends on its potency. If you’re aiming to give your mother a mild introduction to cannabis, that calls for one amount; when you’re looking to kick back with friends who love cannabis as much as you do, you’ll gravitate toward a stronger dosage and serving size. You’ll soon discover that the potency of each batch of weed butter comes, in large part, from the recipe you use. Stick to ours to get a good baseline understanding of how to make weed butter – and then allow yourself to experiment with different variations over time. Your friends will be asking for the recipe in no time at all!Savor All of the Medicinal Properties of Cannabis
Give an Approachable Introduction to Cannabis to Those You Love
Save Money Without Compromising on Quality
How Do I Make Weed Butter That’s Affordable, Delicious, and Widely Beneficial?: Your New Recipe
Expert Answers to Your Weed Butter Questions
Just like any great recipe, this one requires practice. Over time and many tries, you’ll refine it according to your unique preferences and tastes. Would you like to use a higher ratio of weed to butter? Or select strains with higher THC content for more of a kick? What is the ideal process for making some for your mom?
Only one way to find out: practice… informed by these tips from Garden Remedies.
Oh, no, my brother and I are vegan… Can we use anything else besides traditional butter?
It’s definitely possible to use oil in place of butter in this recipe. Full-fat butter is the most common choice since THC easily binds to its abundant fat molecules. But if your diet requires other options, ghee, olive oil, and coconut oil can make satisfying substitutes.[6]
My friend likes to use a crock pot to make weed butter. Is it a good idea for me to try it too?
A: Yes, possibly! When using a crock pot to make cannabutter, set the temperature to low and allow it to cook slowly for 4-6 hours (or more, if you’re looking for even more potency), stirring it occasionally. Although this method takes longer, it also is more hands-off and ensures that the butter will be heated evenly.[7]
Could I flavor the butter to make it even more delectable?
For sure. Adding herbs and spices to your weed butter will kick its flavor up a notch, making it an even easier addition to several recipes. Consider adding some of these ingredients: garlic, rosemary, thyme, basil, lemon zest, orange zest, vanilla extract, honey, maple syrup, jalapeño, vanilla beans, mint, espresso.
Simply add about a tablespoon of your chosen spice or herb to the weed butter mixture when it’s almost finished brewing on the stove (or in a crock pot). You may discover some rare and mouth-watering combinations when you experiment with these options.
Is there any way to enjoy my weed butter after 4 weeks?
You’re right that cannabutter stored in the fridge typically expires after 4 weeks (even when you’re using a seal-tight mason jar or opaque container). But you can absolutely freeze cannabutter to make it last for up to 6 months after you make it.[8]
The Best Cannabis from Garden Remedies for Your Homemade Cannabutter
When picking out the perfect ingredients for weed butter, you’ll want to focus on quality – since the potency, taste, and effects you get from it come, in large part, from the cannabis you choose. Be picky and select only premium cannabis flower from regulated dispensaries.
If you’re a resident of Massachusetts, pick up these products from Garden Remedies – either at our dispensaries in Newton, Melrose, and Marlborough, MA or by ordering online.
Top Flower Picks by Flavor and Potency
Want to try using flower with high THC content? This lemony strain from REALM may provide the strong, full-bodied experience you seek. It contains 29.27% THC and 32.14% TAC (total active cannabinoids) – plus a variety of terpenes, especially limonene and beta myrcene, which enhances the soothing properties of cannabis and may activate cannabinoids for extra potency.
When harnessed as the active ingredient in your weed butter, Limosa will add a subtle sweetness along with its psychoactive strength. It can be a wonderful complement to almost any dish – especially flavorful desserts that would benefit from a little lift.
Try it to decide what you think. Would you prefer a gentler strain? Or one that tastes and smells more like the skunkiness that many associate with cannabis?
If so, you’re in luck. The Fiber Optic flower from REALM carries a decidedly skunky flavor and aroma. Fans of diesel and loud notes in cannabis are likely to obsess over this strain.
It also has a smaller THC and TAC concentration, ideal for calming, slightly milder dosages of weed butter. With a large amount of the terpene beta caryophyllene, this strain may ease any inflammation and restlessness when included in the right cannabutter-enhanced dish.
Get a Good Baseline for Cannabis-Infused Oils & Butters
Before you begin making your own weed butter, you might like to try this special olive oil to get a sense of how cannabis-infused oils can taste and feel. From there, you’ll be able to make your own infused oil or butter with ease.
This infused olive oil from Second Act Cannabis is a Garden Remedies Staff Pick thanks to its deliciousness. Made from high-quality, award-winning cold-pressed olive oil, it makes cooking with cannabis easy and fun. Sample it with sauces, pastas, dressings, or homemade baked goods to start your culinary explorations with cannabis.
Curious About More Ways to Cook with Cannabis?
We actually recommend cooking with distillate before you start making homemade cannabutter – since adding distillate to recipes you already know and love can be more approachable than whipping up a new one from scratch.
Whatever your first choice may be, both distillate-enhanced dishes and weed butter can be fantastic options. Maybe you’ll add them both to your repertoire over time.
Learn more about cooking with cannabis
Homemade cannabutter not your style right now? Pick up some of our edibles. They’re out-of-this-world delicious and made for you with care, with dosages you can rely on every time. Enjoying them will also help you understand (and expand) your tolerance and preferences.
How to Make Weed Butter Optimally: Focus on Dosing
Now you have plenty of information about how to make weed butter – and hopefully lots of inspiration too! But before you start your first batch, learn how to properly dose it.
It’s best to consume a small serving of your cannabutter (perhaps on a cracker, piece of toast, or just by itself), and then wait for about two hours to see its effect on you. It may be stronger or more subtle than you expect.
Of course, if you’re making cannabutter – or delicious desserts featuring cannabutter – for other people, be even more cautious with the doses. Remember, as is the case with all edibles, you can always have more.
When you follow this recipe and tips from Garden Remedies, you and your friends will surely want more weed butter, making it again and again.
Garden Remedies is proud to be your trusted source for cannabis and cannabis education in Massachusetts. Great people. Great weed. Great prices. Guaranteed.
WEED BUTTER RECIPE
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (7-10 grams) cannabis flower
- 1 cup water
Equipment:
- Baking pan with parchment paper
- Saucepan, stock pot, or double boiler
- Mesh strainer or cheesecloth
- Cheese grater or cannabis grinder
- Large mason jar
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 240ºF.
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread cannabis pieces on sheet.
- Heat for 30-40 minutes. For best results, rotate pieces every 15 minutes.
- Grind heated cannabis into smaller pieces, keeping them large enough for strainer.
- Melt butter and mix in cannabis pieces.
- Simmer on low heat for 2-3 hours. Stir occasionally.
- Strain mixture into container.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Enjoy.
[1] https://www.growbarato.net/blog/en/how-to-make-cannabutter/
[2] https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/how-to-make-cannabutter/
[3] https://missgrass.com/blogs/culture/how-to-make-weed-butter
[4] https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/kitchen/how-to-make-cannabutter
[5] https://www.leafly.com/learn/consume/edibles/how-to-make-cannabutter
[6] https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/kitchen/how-to-make-cannabutter
[7] https://westwoodfarmacy.com/blog/2024/2/18/how-to-make-cannabutter-in-a-crock-pot
[8] https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/kitchen/how-to-make-cannabutter
As a freelance writer, Emma McTague runs a marketing agency for spiritual & eco-friendly businesses. She is also the Managing Director of As We Wake, a non-profit & psychedelic church based in San Diego, where she lives in community by the beach. She is wildly passionate about plants.
