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A huge portion of the cannabis consuming community doesn’t need a lighter for their smoke sessions. With today’s range in cannabinoid ratios of THC and CBD; the strain specific and gourmet ingredients—it’s possible to experience any flower high via edible, and then some. There’s one hangup though: the process. With flower, there’s the handling of the sticky buds; the grinding; the careful rolling into a paper or packing into a clean bowl. Ripping open a plastic package of gummies just does not carry the same ritualistic quality. But that doesn’t have to be the extent of your edible experience. Instead, why not make your own edibles?
We’ve created the ultimate guide to making your own edibles, regardless of culinary prowess. Whether you want to invest in an infusion machine to bring your edible dreams to life with ease, or take the purist, more economic approach and make your own infusions from scratch, you’ll find our favorite machines and recipes below. Bon appétit!
One Button Wonders
Technology has really changed the homemade edible game. The latest class of automatic machines make accurate dosing and successful cannabis infusions a breeze, with a set-it-and-forget-it style that lets you multitask without risking the whole dish.
Levo II
Price: $299.99
This popular device is designed almost like a drip coffee pot, with three settings to prepare your herb, decarboxylate, and infuse it into up to 16 oz of oil or butter. It’s also built to reduce any aromatic vapors, and notably features an app that you can use to set, start, and monitor infusions from wherever.
Ardent Nova
Price: $260
If containing smell is a priority, Ardent’s compact machine holds extra allure. It works the same way, with settings that decarboxylate and infuse butter or oil with up to an ounce of flower or 5 oz. of kief. Bonus—Ardent’s website is regularly updated with really fantastic recipes, many composed by some of the greatest cannabis-savvy chefs out there.
MB2e MagicalButter Machine
Price: $199.95
This was the first home infusion machine on the market, and the jumbo Thermos-sized device essentially does the same thing as the others. The biggest difference however is the size of the chamber itself, which requires a minimum of two cups of butter/oil/tincture to run one round. This one’s for macro bakers.
The Old Fashioned Way
THC needs something fatty to stick to under high heat—that’s how we separate the good stuff from the plant material. That’s why canna-butter has traditionally been the go-to method for homemade edibles for decades. The simple slow-cook method works to infuse coconut oil or olive oil, too, allowing you to create your own versatile infused element for most recipes. Big caveat here though: Dosage with this DIY method is…tricky. It’s honestly not really possible to be 100% sure on the dose of your final product unless you go get it tested. Definitely give your body two hours to really assess effects before reaching for a second portion of whatever you prepare. The upside is, you probably have everything you need to do this already in your kitchen. Just remember—your kitchen is going to smell like weed. So if you are a renter, turn on that air purifier, light a candle and crack that window!
What you’ll need:
- 1 cup olive oil or coconut oil (pick one)
- 7 grams ground hemp or cannabis flower
- A kitchen thermometer
- Cheesecloth
- A colander or strainer
- A metal or glass bowl (to strain the oil into)
- A double boiler (No double boiler? You can make one using a saucepan with a metal bowl on top)
- An air-tight container for storing finished product
How to do it:
Step 1: Set up your double boiler by adding water to the bottom pan and placing your metal bowl or smaller pan on top. As the water in the lower portion of the double boiler heats up, the steam from the water will gently heat the ingredients in the top portion.
Step 2: Turn the heat on your stovetop burner to low.
Step 3: Add your chopped or ground nugs and olive/coconut oil to the top section of your double boiler.
Step 4: Monitor the temp to be sure it does not get above 220 degrees. Keep an eye on the water level in the bottom of your double boiler, adding more as needed. Setting a recurring alarm on your phone to remind you is not a bad idea. Once you exceed 240 degrees, you’re destroying cannabinoids.
Step 5: Remove from heat after about 4-6 hours. The mixture should be thick and glossy.
Step 6: Line your strainer with the cheesecloth (we think 4 single sheet layers is perfect) and place it in a larger bowl. (Photos here for reference.)
Step 7: Pour your oil into the strainer. Once it has strained through, you can gather the edges of the cheesecloth and twist them down to squeeze out the remaining oil.
Step 8: Store in an airtight container and expect a shelf-life of about two months, longer if refrigerated.
Working with butter? Here’s a simpler one pot method for strictly infusing butter.
Delicious Treats to Make
Now that you’ve got your own homemade oil/butter—via device or from scratch—it’s time to get cooking. Here are some basic, delicious suggestions written by pros to get you started.
Vegan Monkey Bread with Infused Icing
What makes a cinnamon roll-inspired monkey bread extra irresistible? Make it vegan. Chef Livvie Vasquez is known for changing the way people think about flavor and form in vegan food, and this dessert-y breakfast bread is no exception.
Doodle Art Sugar Cookies
Cookies are an easy way to help ensure the final, individual portions are more equally dosed. These cookies are more than just an edible, though—the decoration part serves as an additionally satisfying stoned activity.
Olive Oil Cake
Forget brownies. You want an extremely potent, more grown-up dessert? Opt for this Olive Oil Cake, in which you can easily amp up the cannabis infusion with the degree of olive oil you drizzle on top at the end.
Infused Stuffed Baked Potato
Celebrate a savory edible experience with crispy homemade bacon bits, scallion spears, and a melty throne for your canna-butter.
Chinese Stir-Fry Longevity Noodles
This mouthwatering Sous Weed recipe composed by Monica Lo was first commissioned by Ardent, but you can follow the steps above to infuse sesame oil and follow her directions from there.
Grilled Pizza Bianca
Who doesn’t have a pizza dough from Trader Joe’s gathering icicles in the back of their freezer? This artisanal recipe from Kitchen Toke features the infused element in the bechamel sauce, which you’ll make from scratch with your infused olive oil.
Hot Chocolate Bombs
It’s delicious; it’s TikTokable—it’s a hot chocolate bomb. This one’s a bonus recipe you can make using just pieces of infused chocolate bought at a dispensary or hemp-infused chocolates ordered online, no oil/butter required.