How to Make Cannabutter: The Ultimate Guide
Quick answer: To make cannabutter, decarboxylate ground cannabis in a 240°F (115°C) oven for 30 to 40 minutes, then simmer it with butter and a little water at 160 to 200°F for 2 to 3 hours. Strain out the plant material and chill the butter until it sets. A standard home batch uses 7 to 14 grams of flower per cup of butter. Always work out the THC per serving before you cook with it.
Key takeaways
- Decarbing first is not optional. Raw flower is mostly THCA, which doesn’t get you high until heat converts it to THC.
- Low and slow wins. Boiling or scorching the butter wastes THC and makes it taste grassy.
- Strength depends on the flower’s THC percentage and how much you use, so do the math.
- Start with a quarter to half teaspoon of homemade butter and wait at least two hours before taking more.
- Label it clearly and store it where children and pets can’t reach it.
What is cannabutter?
Cannabutter, also called weed butter or canna butter, is butter infused with cannabinoids like THC and CBD. Cannabinoids dissolve in fat, so butter is one of the easiest ways to carry them into food. Once it’s made, you can use it in place of regular butter in most recipes. Making it yourself lets you choose the strain and control the strength.
What do you need to make cannabutter?
Ingredients
- 7 to 14 grams of cannabis flower or trim (a quarter to a half ounce)
- 1 cup (2 sticks, 227 g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup water
Equipment
- Oven, baking sheet and parchment paper
- Grinder or scissors for a coarse grind
- Saucepan, slow cooker or double boiler
- Kitchen thermometer
- Cheesecloth or a fine-mesh strainer
- Airtight, clearly labeled container
How do you decarb weed for cannabutter?
Decarboxylation uses heat to turn THCA, the non-intoxicating acid form in raw flower, into THC. Lab work on acidic cannabinoids tested temperatures from 176°F to 293°F (80°C to 145°C) and found that conversion speeds up as temperature rises, while heating too long starts to break THC down. That’s why home methods use a moderate oven for a limited time.
- Preheat the oven to 240°F (115°C).
- Break or coarsely grind the flower and spread it on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring halfway. It should look light golden brown and smell toasted.
- Let it cool before infusing.
How do you infuse the butter?
- Melt the butter with the water over low heat. The water helps keep the butter from scorching.
- Stir in the decarbed cannabis.
- Hold the mixture at a gentle simmer between 160°F and 200°F (71°C to 93°C) for 2 to 3 hours, stirring now and then. Use a thermometer. It should never reach a rolling boil.
- Take it off the heat and let it cool slightly.
- Strain it through cheesecloth or a fine-mesh strainer into a container. Press gently, but don’t squeeze hard, which pushes extra plant material and chlorophyll into the butter.
- Refrigerate until the butter sets on top. Lift it off and pour away the water underneath.
What is the best cannabutter ratio?
For most home cooks, 7 to 14 grams of flower per cup of butter is a sensible range. Older recipes often call for a full ounce per cup, which makes very strong butter that’s easy to overdo. The table below shows the maximum THC you could get from flower that tests at 15% total THC. Real batches come out lower because some THC is lost during decarbing, infusion and straining.
| Flower per cup of butter | Max THC in batch | Max THC per teaspoon (48 tsp per cup) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 g (quarter ounce) | 1,050 mg | about 22 mg |
| 14 g (half ounce) | 2,100 mg | about 44 mg |
| 28 g (ounce) | 4,200 mg | about 88 mg |
How do you calculate the THC in homemade cannabutter?
Use this formula: grams of flower × total THC % × 1,000 = maximum mg of THC in the batch. Then divide by the number of servings. Example: 7 g × 0.15 × 1,000 = 1,050 mg. Spread across 24 brownies, that’s at most about 44 mg each, which is far too strong for most people. Cut the butter with plain butter or make more servings to bring it down.
Edibles take longer to kick in and last longer than smoking or vaping. Start low, wait at least two hours, and read Edibles Dosage 101 for portion control tips.
How do you use cannabutter?
Swap it in for some or all of the butter in recipes that don’t need very high heat:
- Baking: brownies, cookies, muffins and cakes.
- Savory food: sauces, mashed potatoes, pasta and toast.
Mix it in thoroughly so every serving gets the same dose, and stick with oven temperatures you’d normally bake at. Avoid using it to fry or sear at high heat.
Why does my cannabutter taste bad or feel weak?
- Grassy or bitter taste: the heat was too high or you squeezed the plant material hard when straining. Keep it at a gentle simmer and press lightly.
- Burnt smell: the pan ran dry or got too hot. Add more water and use lower heat. A scorched batch is best thrown out.
- Weak effects: the flower wasn’t decarbed, or decarbing was too short or too cool. It may also have been low-THC flower or trim.
- Uneven strength: the butter wasn’t mixed well into the recipe. Stir the melted butter before measuring.
How long does cannabutter last?
Store it like regular butter, in an airtight container. It keeps for several weeks in the fridge and for months in the freezer. Label it with the date and estimated strength, and keep it out of reach of children and pets. If someone eats it by accident, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
FAQ
Do I have to decarb before making cannabutter?
Yes, if you want it to get you high. Raw cannabis is mostly THCA, and the gentle simmer alone doesn’t reliably convert it.
How much weed do I need for one stick of butter?
Half the amounts above: 3.5 to 7 grams per stick (half a cup) is a reasonable home range.
Can I make cannabutter in a slow cooker?
Yes. Use the low setting with butter, water and decarbed cannabis for 3 to 4 hours, and check that it stays below a boil.
Can I use trim or shake?
Yes. Trim works fine but is usually less potent than buds, so expect weaker butter or use more of it.
How much cannabutter should I eat?
With homemade butter, start with a quarter to half teaspoon in food and wait at least two hours. Strength varies a lot from batch to batch.
Sources
- Wang M, et al. Decarboxylation study of acidic cannabinoids: a novel approach using ultra-high-performance supercritical fluid chromatography/photodiode array-mass spectrometry. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, 2016. PMC5549281.
- Project CBD, Decarboxylating Cannabis.
The information contained in this blog post is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Read our full disclaimer.
