What Is Cannabutter And How To Make It: Techniques, Recipes, And More

Butter is love. Yes, it has some downsides, but if you use it properly and in control, it is one of the best things in your kitchen that can elevate a dish. Don't even get us started on garlic butter! 

If you're a cannabis user, you can transform the butter you have in your kitchen. And, if you love butter as much as you love cannabis, it is time to combine the two and make weed butter at home. With this, you not only get the flavors of butter but also the high of cannabis. 

And don't worry, the process is very easy. In this article, learn how you can make cannabutter at home with a few basic ingredients and some high-quality cannabis. 

What is Cannabutter or Weed Butter?

Call it cannabutter or weed butter, it's the same thing — butter infused with cannabis. This is one of the simplest and easiest ways of making cannabis edibles at home, and butter is a terrific choice here because you can use it on virtually any dish — if you are brave enough. 

But that's not the only reason cannabutter is so popular. Cannabinoids, like THC, only bind to fat molecules, not water. So, you can use butter (or even coconut or olive oil), where these cannabinoids bind to the fat molecules much more easily.

If you follow the right steps, the induction process only lasts a couple of hours, as shown below. 

Generally, cannabutter is made in a 1:1 ratio of butter to cannabis, but depending on your preferences, you can tweak the ratio as you want. And always remember to decarb the cannabis before the infusion process for the best results. 

Once you have the butter ready, the opportunities are endless. You can add cannabutter to anything, including brownies, biscuits, toast, steak, instant noodles, and whatever floats your boat. Within an hour, the butter will start its magic and you'll feel the high kicking in. 

Factors To Keep In Mind When Making Weed Butter

Before we begin making weed butter, it is important to keep a few things in mind and get them right, such as the following:

1. Use High-Quality Cannabis

When making weed butter at home, always use high-quality cannabis buds. The quality of your cannabis dictates the quality of your weed butter. Additionally, when you purchase high-quality weed, you are sure of the THC content in it because it comes with third-party lab tests. This lets you dose your edibles correctly. More on this below. 

Choosing the right type of cannabis strain is essential for achieving the desired effects and flavors in your cannabutter.

Here are some things you should remember:

THC:CBD Ratio: The balance between THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol) plays a role in determining how your cannabutter will affect you. THC provides the high while CBD offers subtle effects where you feel like you're floating. If you're looking for just a recreational experience (although THC has many medicinal properties), go for high-THC strains. On the other hand, if you don't want the intoxicating effects of THC, go for CBD. It's best to go for strains that contain a balanced amount of CBD and THC as they offer the best of both worlds. These strains are versatile and cater to your preferences and needs.

Now, we won't get into the medicinal effects but you can keep that in mind when choosing a strain too. 

But, the most important factor is: where are you getting your buds from? Are you getting them from a dispensary? Or are you growing them yourself? Naturally, growing at home is the best option since you get to control everything from the nutrients and pesticides you use; however, not everyone has the luxury to grow cannabis at home. Plus, it takes some effort — no pain, no gain — which is why many people aren't inclined to grow at home. 

If you're unable to grow cannabis, the next best thing is to go for top-quality strains in the dispensary. After all, the outcome of your cannabutter will rest solely on the strain. You simply cannot expect great results if you use low-quality buds. 

So, the next time you walk into a dispensary, ask loads of questions. You should be able to learn a lot about the strains you're purchasing. From the amount of THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids to the terpene profile, the budtender should be able to tell you everything. You can also ask for a COA or Certificate of Analysis that tells you more about the presence of heavy metals, cannabinoids, etc. 

Now that we got that out of the way, the next thing to look for is the terpene profile. The aroma and taste of a cannabis strain are greatly influenced by its terpene profile. Terpenes are compounds in cannabis and other plants that contribute to the distinct smell and flavor of each strain. However, there are so many flavors that you could get very confused. Here's a quick overview of the types of flavors you can look for when making cannabutter:

• Citrusy: Citrus blended with butter may not sound very appealing to you, but you gotta try it once to believe it. Moreover, the strain won't taste outright like a lemon. Instead, there will be hints of citrus with other flavors. Strains containing citrusy terpenes like limonene offer refreshing flavors reminiscent of lemon or orange. They can add a kick to your creations.
• Earthy: Earthy terpenes such as myrcene and humulene provide deep robust flavors that will remind you of soil, wood, or herbs. These strains complement a variety of dishes and bring a grounded natural flavor.
• Floral: Strains with floral terpenes like linalool and terpinolene offer subtle aromatic hints of flowers or herbs. They can elevate the aroma and taste of desserts and beverages, adding their unique touch to every dish. 

Next, think about how you tolerate cannabis. Remember, edibles hit you hard. Harder than smoking or vaping regular strains. This is because the cannabinoids enter the bloodstream directly after the liver processes them. Although it takes a bit longer for you to feel the effects compared to smoking, they last a long time. Sometimes, you could feel high even after 8 hours! 

And it's pretty easy to get carried away when eating baked goods made with cannabutter. There's butter and some delicious sugar — you simply couldn't ask for more. Most people get tempted with just the aroma of freshly baked cookies and it's even more heavenly if you use cannabutter in it. Since it takes a while for the effects to hit you, it's easy to consume much more than necessary. Therefore, it's super important to calculate the dosage beforehand by measuring everything accurately so you don't have a bad trip. If you do this right, you'll enjoy anything made with cannabutter. If not, you may have such a bad experience that you might stay away from weed. 

So, first, think about your tolerance level and experience with cannabis. Factors like how you use it, how sensitive you are to THC and the intensity of effects you desire should influence your choice. Beginners or those with a low tolerance might prefer strains with less THC to avoid strong psychoactive effects. On the other hand, if you have a lot of experience with edibles, you can choose strains with an intense high. In short, be aware of your tolerance levels and adjust your dosage accordingly to achieve the desired effects without discomfort or getting too high.

Coming to the strains, here are a few popular cannabis strains suitable for making cannabutter. Also, they are available almost anywhere and you can easily grow them at home. 

Blue Dream

Blue Dream is a strain that leans towards sativa dominance and has become widely popular for its balanced effects. It provides a euphoria that uplifts the mind while also offering relaxation, making it a great choice for both recreational and medicinal users looking for balanced effects.

One standout quality of Blue Dream is its fragrance and taste of freshly harvested blueberries. When mixed with cannabutter, it introduces a fruity hint that enhances the flavor of your dishes. Whether you're baking cookies, and brownies or savory meals, this strain infused with cannabutter can bring a calming touch to your creations.

OG Kush 

OG Kush stands out as a popular indica strain recognized for its strong effects and unique earthy pine scent. Its high THC levels and calming properties are quite amazing for individuals seeking relaxation and relief from stress or pain. When used in cannabutter recipes, OG Kush contributes a flavor profile with subtle notes of spice and woodiness. The earthy undertones complement dishes from sauces to indulgent desserts. Whipping up infused brownies? Or preparing a spicy dish? OG Kush-infused cannabutter can complement that. In short, OG Kush adds richness and complexity to your cooking ventures. 

Girl Scout Cookies

GSC is extremely popular, especially among those who love edibles. Aptly named, its sweet and spicy taste reminds you of cookies so you can use cannabutter infused with GSC in a variety of creations. 

Coming to the effects, the beauty of GSC lies in its balanced effects. You won't feel incredibly stoned but it's not a weak strain either. It starts with a sense of bliss and physical calmness — perfect for those days when you need some extra help to calm down after a long day. GSC is great for both medicinal and recreational users as it gives you a pleasant buzz along with therapeutic benefits. Infusing GSC into cannabutter will impart a sweetness with hints of vanilla and mint, enhancing the flavor of your treats and sweets. Infused cookies, chocolates, or choco bars — GSC will work for pretty much everything. 

Sour Diesel

Sour Diesel is a sativa strain known for its uplifting effects and strong diesel-like scent. Its energizing qualities make it popular for use offering a boost in creativity and focus. When mixed with cannabutter, Sour Diesel gives your dishes a citrusy taste that pairs well with almost any dish whether it's a pasta or a salad dressing. 

Granddaddy Purple 

Granddaddy Purple is a strain that has a beautiful sweet grape aroma. It's popular for its medicinal effects as it's reported to help with sleep issues, pain, and stress, making it a go-to option for medical users looking to manage health issues. When mixed into cannabutter, Granddaddy Purple brings out a delightful fruity taste, with notes of berries and grapes which complements both treats and sweets. Or, you can use it in any dish that requires butter like buttered vegetables. If you're looking to up your game of making edibles, this strain should be one of the first choices as it elevates the taste of your dishes to an indulgent level.

You can also experiment with various strains and stick to the ones that suit you best. 

2. Use the Right Type of Butter

The second most important ingredient of your weed butter is the type of butter you use. If you use good butter, you get good cannabutter. Here, you can pick any kind of butter as per your taste palette, whether salted, unsalted, vegan, or otherwise. Just make sure it is of good quality. 

If you're choosing vegan butter, make sure it at least contains monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats, as that is what your cannabis will infuse with. 

3. Always Grind Your Weed

Another aspect that you should always keep in mind before decarbing your cannabis is to grind it well. We'll go over the decarbing process later in the article, but be prepared with consistently ground cannabis. 

This allows your cannabis to get toasty and decarbed evenly; otherwise, there's always a chance of some parts of the buds not being decarbed properly. 

Various Ways to Make Cannabutter

There are several ways to make a cannabutter. And, some of them involve machines as they can simplify the process and also ensure a perfect result. Don't we use high-tech appliances that make life a bit easier these days? The same applies to making cannabutter. Not only will this extra help reduce some work for you, but it also enhances the result, so you have the best cannabutter that you can use to make various dishes every single time. 

Below are some appliances used for creating cannabutter:

1. Infusion Machines

These machines have transformed the way cannabis-infused products like cannabutter are made. Specifically designed for infusing oils, butter, and other ingredients with cannabis, these innovative appliances offer an easy-to-use experience for beginners and seasoned users alike.

Infusion machines are crafted for simplicity featuring user controls and preset programs that eliminate the guesswork from the infusion process. For instance, you have to decarboxylate the herb (heat it to activate the cannabinoids) to feel any effects. With these machines, you just have to fill the herb into the pods and set it to decarb. Once that's done, you can pour your oil or butter or any other liquid to let it infuse with cannabis. It's as simple as that. 

This easy approach makes it perfect for newcomers venturing into products made with cannabis infusions. All you have to do is press a few buttons and set the desired temperature and duration, and the machine will take care of the rest.

One major benefit of infusion machines is their ability to produce similar results across each batch. Just like you work for years to perfect a recipe, infusion machines give you the same result every time, provided you use the same materials. By controlling several variables including agitating the plant material and temperature, these devices extract all the goodies like the cannabinoids and terpenes, and incorporate them seamlessly into butter or oil.

Infusion devices use sophisticated extraction methods to enhance the potency and flavor of the end product. They effectively break down the herb and also help in emulsifying the butter or oil with the cannabinoids and terpenes. Needless to say, the result is quite superior compared to traditional methods that involve cooking the butter over a stovetop or double boiler. 

Another advantage is that you don't have to stick to one particular ingredient or recipe as these machines are versatile enough to work with various ingredients. Whether you need to infuse butter, oils, or tinctures with cannabis, they are designed to create most of them. Most importantly, you save time and won't be hovering around your stove top wondering if you're burning the buds. 

Once you've loaded the ingredients into the machine and adjusted the settings, let the machine do its job and you can come back to butter, oil, or any liquid infused with cannabis. 

2. Crock Pot

Chefs love using crock pots simply because of their versatility and convenience. If you're a cannabis user who's also into edibles, you've probably used a crock pot to make cannabutter since it's so easy to make them. 

If you don't want to spend extra money on infusion machines (although they deliver a superior, consistent product) you can go for crock pots. Unlike infusion machines that are automated, you will have to decarboxylate the herb first to activate its cannabinoids. After decarboxylating your cannabis, you're all set to start making cannabutter in the cooker. 

First, mix the cannabis with an appropriate amount of butter in the crock pot/slow cooker. The ratio of cannabis to butter can vary based on how strong you want it. We have included a recipe below, but you can make adjustments according to your preferences. Stir the mixture thoroughly to ensure even distribution.

Next, set your crock pot on low heat and let it cook for several hours to infuse the butter with cannabinoids without risking burning or overheating. Do not be tempted to increase the heat as this low and slow heating helps extract all the cannabinoids from the herb, resulting in a cannabutter that's not only tasty but smells fantastic as well. 

Stir everything well to prevent the butter from sticking to the sides of the pot. During the infusion process, make sure to check on the cannabutter frequently to ensure it is cooking properly and not burning. If you suspect that it might burn, turn the heat to the lowest temperature. Remember, you can increase the heat at any point, but you can't save the herb if it burns. In addition, cooking at high heat will break down the cannabinoids and affect the quality of the product, so avoid it as much as possible. 

Once the infusion is done, use a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth to remove any remaining plant material. Let it cool, and transfer it into a container, and then store it in the freezer or refrigerator. Proper storage is key to preserving the potency and freshness of your cannabutter for use in recipes.

3. Double Boiler

A bain marie or double boiler provides indirect heat for melting, cooking, and infusing ingredients. It's a traditional way to cook ingredients that cannot take high heat without using fancy appliances like the infusion machines. 

A double boiler comprises a very simple setup. Anyone can do this at home. And, not just for cannabis, you can also melt chocolates, cream cheese, butter, or any ingredient that tends to burn with direct heat. All you need to do is stack two pots on top of each other. The lower pot is filled with water while the upper pot holds the ingredients you want to heat or cook gently. The pots should fit snugly together and the pot at the bottom generates heat in the form of steam to cook the ingredients slowly. 

To make cannabutter in a double boiler, start by decarboxylating your cannabis after grinding it or breaking the buds into smaller pieces. Once they are adequately decarboxylated, measure out your desired amount of butter and decarboxylated cannabis. Again, the ratios will depend on the recipe you're using, and, of course, the potency you want. 

Next, fill one pot with water while making sure that it doesn't touch the bottom of the upper pot you will place on top. Naturally, if you use a lot of water, the top pot will be wobbly and will begin to float or overflow. 

Place the upper pot on the lower pot. Add the cannabis and butter and mix everything thoroughly. Now, turn on the heat to a medium setting and let the water in the lower pot gently simmer. The steam produced will gradually heat the pot along with its contents. Again, don't overheat anything as you'll risk burning the cannabinoids. 

Let the herbs get infused in the butter and stir the mixture occasionally. Let the mixture simmer for several hours. The duration can vary based on preference and desired potency level, but it's typically done within 3-4 hours. 

It's time to serve the mixture to remove the plant material and store your butter. Use it in any recipe that calls for butter or make various treats from them!

4. Stovetop

Yes, you can make cannabutter on a stovetop although it's not recommended since you can't control the heat. Sure, you can turn the heat to its lowest setting but there's a high risk of the buds and butter getting burnt. Remember that movie Smiley Face where she burns everything and throws her phone into it? No, you don't want that. Instead, choose other methods listed above and you'll end up with a fantastic cannabutter. 

However, if you don't have access to any of the methods listed here, you can go with a stovetop. First, add the butter and your decarboxylated cannabis into the pot and set it on the lowest heat possible. Mix everything well and stir repeatedly to ensure that the butter doesn't get burnt. You can remove the pot from heat occasionally when you sense it could burn. 

Since the butter is subjected to direct heat, the cooking time is much less. It will usually be done within an hour or two. Once the herbs are infused with butter, remove it, strain it, and store it. That's it!

How to Make Weed Butter at Home?

One of the best things about this edible is that it is ridiculously easy to make. Even someone who only has experience cooking instant ramen can whip up lip-smacking cannabutter in the afternoon. Here's the recipe. 

• Things You Need

Before you start, make sure you have all the materials and ingredients at hand, such as the following:

• A cup of butter of your choice
• A cup of water
• A cup of ground weed — around 10 grams 
• Parchment paper and baking sheet
• An oven
• A saucepan or a stock pot 
• A cheesecloth 
• Containers 

• Decarb Your Weed

The first step in creating cannabutter is decarbing weed, and do not ever skip this step. Otherwise, you'll end up with butter that only tastes like leaves without any high or effects. 

But why is this step important? This is because, in its natural form, weed contains THCA, not THC — the former is an acidic analog of the latter. This THCA does not affect you in any way, so for it to turn into THC, you need to heat it. When you smoke cannabis, this process happens when you light the joint, but here, you need to manually do it beforehand. 

Follow these steps to decarb your cannabis:

1. Preheat your oven to 245°F or 118°C
2. Place parchment paper on the baking sheet
3. Place ground cannabis on the paper 
4. Let it heat for 30 to 40 minutes and remember to gently turn the buds around occasionally 

Some people even prefer keeping the oven to 300°F (149°C) and heating only for 15 minutes, but a slower approach is usually recommended unless you are short on time. Additionally, others might recommend putting cannabis directly in hot butter to decarb it, but this is not an efficient process at all. Avoid it. 

• Melt the Butter

Now, you need to melt a cup of butter on low flame. Then, add a cup of water to the same container, which will keep the butter from scorching or burning. If you skip this step, your butter may overheat or get burnt. That doesn't taste so good, does it? 

• Add Cannabis 

Then, you need to add decarbed cannabis to the hot butter once it is fully melted. Let the mixture simmer on low flame for a couple of hours and keep stirring occasionally. 

Here, make sure you don't exceed 200°F (93°C) as that will degrade the cannabinoids. If you plan on making edibles in the future, consider investing in a cooking thermometer. 

• Strain the Mixture 

After a couple of hours, strain the mixture with a mesh strainer and collect the mixture into a glass jar. Avoid squeezing out butter as that will bring a slightly harsh flavor to it. When you squeeze the plant material, the chlorophyll can seep out and end up in your weed butter, giving it a leafy taste. 

Once you've collected it, toss the leftover plant matter in the bin and refrigerate the butter to allow it to solidify. Give it a few hours and the butter will solidify. After that, store it like you would store regular butter. 

Congratulations, your weed butter is ready. 

How to Use Weed Butter?

Now that you've made cannabutter, it's time to use it. So, how do you use it? Here are some of the ways you can use it:

• Add it to your brownies or cookies instead of actual butter 
• Plaster it on a toast 
• Add it to your sandwich 
• Make canna-fetti cake 
• Add it to the salad 
• Drizzle it over a steak 
• Add it to rice 
• Make an omelet with it
• Heck, you can even add it to your favorite soup!

The options are endless. 

But don't just go adding it to anything randomly. It's a cannabis edible, and edibles kick in hard, as mentioned already. It is recommended that you use less cannabis for infusion if this is your first experiment.

Or, if you use a lot of cannabis, start with a low dose. Be patient and start low. Once you get an idea of how your body reacts to it, you can adjust the dosage accordingly. There is no right or wrong here. 

Summary: What Is Cannabutter And How To Make It: Techniques, Recipes, And More

We're not going to bore you with a life story on how the recipe of this cannabutter was passed down to us like an inheritance from our forefathers. This recipe is like folklore in the cannabis world — it has grown with the culture. 

But it's okay if you have been missing out on it till now. Now's your time to hear the story of cannabutter or at least the various ways to make it, and make it at home for yourself and your friends. You will not be disappointed. 

If you've ever wondered what it would be like to have a hamburger that gets you high, this is your chance.