How to Make Cannabis Cooking Oil

by Chris Husong

How to Make Cannabis Cooking Oil

Cannabis cooking oil is easy to make and turns your snacks and meals into a completely new experience. Of course, we’ve all heard of special brownies, and while these classics should never be forgotten, there is so much more you can do with cannabis cooking oil. 

First, you have to know which base oil to use (we help you decide), and then, you have to be willing to engage in some awesome recipes (with that THC twist). But, it’s simpler than you think, and the end results are always worth sharing with your 420-friendly friends and loved ones!

How to Make Cannabis Cooking Oil

First things first: you must understand that you can use different types of oils to make cannabis-infused cooking oil. Take your pick from the following:

  • Avocado
  • Sesame
  • Coconut
  • Olive
  • Peanut

To help you better decide which base cooking oil to use, you need to think ahead and consider the types of foods you are going to use your cannabis cooking oil with. Certain oils have a specific flavor, like coconut, peanut, and sesame. Olive and avocado oils tend to be more neutral, although they do have their nuanced flavors as well. 

Consider which types of foods you’ll be infusing with your cannabis cooking oil to make the best determination.

What You’ll Need

  • Cannabis grinder (totally optional but oh-so-helpful)
  • Baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Saucepan (or other comparable product)
  • Mesh strainer
  • Clean container for your new canna-creation!

The ingredients are so simple. You just need one cup of the cooking oil you decide to use, and one cup (which equates to 7 to 10 grams) of ground decarboxylated cannabis. A 1:1 ratio works perfectly here, but if you are more into a milder effect, go ahead and adjust the cannabis content.

Step by Step Instructions

Step One: Decarboxylate your cannabis. This process is what turns THCA into THC, which is the psychoactive compound that makes you feel all floaty and worry-less. To do this, set your oven to 245°F, lay your bud down on parchment paper (on top of a baking pan), and heat those yummy buds for 35 minutes.

Step Two: Take your heated buds out of the oven and break them up. Since they’ll be nice and toasty, this process should be relatively easy. However, if you have a good grinder on hand, go ahead and use it. 

One important thing to remember is that you will eventually be using a mesh strainer, so don’t grind your weed up so much that it turns into powder. Instead, ensure that those pieces remain big enough to get caught in the strainer.

Step Three: Add your preferred cooking oil and your decarbed cannabis to your saucepan or other comparable product and simmer it on low for two to three hours. Keep checking the oil temperature every so often to make sure that it stays between 160° to 200°F.

Step Four: Get that mesh strainer out (or if you have a cheesecloth, use that) and place it over the container where you will be storing your cannabis-infused cooking oil. This process should go slow and easy. Next, pour the cannabis cooking oil into your container, making sure to avoid spillage. 

Although you may be tempted to squeeze out any remaining oil, refrain from doing so. This will make it taste different. Instead, just go ahead and discard the cannabis flower you used and store your newly created cannabis-infused cooking oil. The shelf life of cannabis cooking oil is about two months, but you can definitely make it last longer if you refrigerate it.

How to Use Cannabis Cooking Oil

Honestly, there is no limit to what you can make when using cannabis cooking oil. You can infuse it into your favorite latte, granola, and even your guacamole dip alongside chips and salsa. You’ve heard of THC gummies, and now, you can make your own using unflavored gelatin and coconut oil. Perhaps one of the most popular cannabis-infused treats are brownies. Sometimes, all you need is some cocoa butter, eggs, a few whole food ingredients, and your favorite cannabis cooking oil.

If it’s a special occasion or during the holidays, you can infuse your favorite apple pie with cannabis oil or sauté it into one of your favorite dishes. Try using a dash of it in your smoothies, or shake it up into one of your favorite cocktails. 

Make a cannabis-infused egg breakfast sandwich or take some of it to infuse into a salve or facial moisturizer. The only limits here are your imagination, and when you’re getting high, your imagination expands. So take a toke, take it slow, and draw up all your favorite recipes so you know how to use your cannabis-infused cooking oil.

How to Properly Measure Cannabis Cooking Oil

The 1:1 ratio is your best bet. One cup of your preferred cooking oil alongside one cup of your favorite cannabis strain is a great starting point. However, if you know you’re more of a lightweight, then go ahead and reduce the amount of cannabis you use with this recipe. If you feel like the 1:1 ratio just won’t cut it, you can go a little harder with it. Just be sure you know your limits.

With that 1:1 ratio, you can get a good sense of how your cannabis-infused foods and other products feel. Once you create a baseline, you’ll know how to adjust your next cannabis cooking oil batch. If you’re feeling uncertain, just take a sample of what you’ve created and let the effects come through. If they’re too strong, you know to use less, and if you’re not feeling the effects you were going for, you know to use more. This is very much a personal preference process so give yourself some time for trial and error.

Can You Buy Cannabis Cooking Oil?

Absolutely! However, these purchases are limited to only a few locations where it’s completely legal and where some amazing companies have created cannabis-infused cooking oils.

For example, in San Francisco, there is olive oil produced in the Sierra foothills, and that is also locally sourced. They sell a couple of different bottles containing 1 mg of THC per 1 mL. This is designed so that you can properly dose.

Other cannabis oils are strictly made with CBD. If you’re trying to get high, these are not the ones for you. The best place to purchase your cannabis cooking oil (that actually gets you high) is to search in your local area, where it’s legal.


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