It’s easy to learn how to roll a joint or pack a bowl, but how do you make pot infused edibles?
Edibles are still a bit of a mystery even to experienced cannabis users.
Everyone has heard a story about “space cakes” or “hash brownies.” The field is opening up to include candy and sweets, infused oil and pastry. The most renowned and varied recipes for cannabis-infused edibles are for pot cookies.
Why Marijuana Edibles?
Marijuana edibles shouldn’t be confused with hemp products, which are not psychoactive. Hemp is part of the cannabis plant family but is an industrial product used for textiles, food, even building materials.
People choose to consume their cannabis in edible form for a wide variety of reasons. Edibles present a healthier alternative to smoking, and they have a different effect than other types of consumption.
Now that we can buy legally, it’s easier to do research and use exact measurements – of both product and the THC level, when it comes to cooking with cannabis. How strong was the marijuana, and how much of it had been used? You can also determine the dosage from the strength of the “cannabutter” that was used in the ingredients.
DIY Pot Cookies
There are several reasons that consumers of marijuana edibles would choose pot cookies. The “baked goods” category of marijuana treats contains some of the easiest and dependable recipes for fun snacks and deserts we all recognize.
- There’s plenty of variety for anyone who gets bored with one type of cookie or has specific dietary needs that are difficult to buy or find commercially.
- For cooks or bakers, it’s a fun and easy way to infuse cannabis into your career or hobby.
- Cookie recipes are simple, with ingredients that are easy to find and mistakes that are easy to cover up or correct.
- Marijuana treats in cookie form are commonly one dose per cookie. The phrase, “take half and see how you feel” is usually associated with pot cookie consumption.
Pot Cookies and “Cannabutter”
“Budder” or “cannabutter” are the nicknames you’ll hear associated with the product that comes from infusing butter with marijuana. This is the classic combination of butter and cannabis.
The marijuana concentrate that started the modern “dabs” trend was also given the name “budder” but the two are nothing alike and shouldn’t be used interchangeably. That “budder” that you see on the menu at your local “Compassion Club” isn’t the same thing you use to make pot cookies.
If you’re going to learn how to make pot cookies, it is essential that you get to know this indispensable ingredient. Budder is easy to make. It can be made from the leaves and stem of the plant but is much more potent if the flowers are used. It’s also the base ingredient for several other marijuana treats.
Cooking with budder has several advantages. Those who regularly bake or cook with cannabis often use cannabutter for the sake of convenience. You can substitute it for regular butter in virtually any recipe.
Any oil or lipid can be infused with cannabis if you use the right technique. Butter is one of the most common household lipids. Not everyone has a bottle of olive or coconut oil on their shelf, but you can find all the butter you need at corner store.
The Art of Decarboxylation
Also shortened to “decarbing” The process is fairly straightforward. Butter is melted, infused with some cannabis, then cooled into a solid state to be used later.
The stovetop method requires more vigilance than the more popular oven method. Beginners should cook with strains of less than 10% THC, not only so they waste less valuable bud if they make mistakes but because novices often misjudge potency and dosage. Understanding what sort of sativa strains or indica strains you’re dealing with is also key.
Every recipe for cannabutter is exactly the same and requires only two ingredients, unsalted or salted butter (this depends entirely on preference) and dried, ground cannabis flowers. Vegans can use alternatives such as margarine or coconut oil and get the same result.
Melt the butter in a saucepan once it simmers, add the portion of cannabis. The ratio of one cup butter, to half a cup of cannabis is the general rule of thumb, and the mixture needs to be stirred at least every ten minutes on a medium-to-low heat. It’s a fairly labor-intensive activity that requires your strict attention. (Note: try not to sample the base product before making pot cookies.)
When it’s ready depends on how much you’re making. You need patience, as the process takes at least 40 minutes in most cases. A good guideline is to wait until the budder turns a dense, waxy, green color. The mixture needs to be strained of plant matter before being used, but at that point you can use it in melted form or put it in a mold and return it to the fridge for later.
If you want stronger, more concentrated budder, use more cannabis and less butter. For a less potent mixture, use more butter and less marijuana. Strength varies depending on the strain of cannabis you use, too.
What Kind of Pot Cookies Should You Make?
The crowd pleasers like sugar cookies, chocolate chip, peanut butter all require regular butter that you can substitute with cannabutter.
There are some rare entries or more complex cookie recipes for more ambitious bakers if you want to push the limits when it comes to marijuana cuisine. Make infused oils or drinks, or learn how to cook with cannabis extracts like hash.
This niche category of the vast and delicious universe of baked goods has a myriad of variations. Even if you’re not into edibles, it’s good to know how to make pot cookies and their base component, cannabutter.
Great with coffee, a healthy snack or with colorful icing, there’s a pot cookie out there for everyone. Once you know how to make the secret ingredient, cannabutter, you can make virtually any kind you want.
People have been making marijuana treats for as long as they have smoked and grown the kind herb. Recipes and ideas for infusing food with cannabis are ancient and still used throughout the world. That includes the colorful and varied world of pot cookies.
