How to make cannabis butter (Cannabutter)

Difficulty: Medium

Preparation: 1 hour

Cooking: 3 hours

Serves: 4 people

Cost: Medium

Introduction

Cannabis butter, commonly known as cannabutter, is one of the basic ingredients used to prepare cannabis-infused edibles. This versatile preparation allows you to integrate the benefits of CBD into sweet or salty recipes, such as cannabis cookies, cakes, sauces or even side dishes.

The process of making cannabutter requires preliminary decarboxylation of the cannabis, a critical step in activating the plant’s psychoactive and therapeutic compounds.

Basically, heating cannabis at low temperatures turns CBDA into its active ingredient, which is CBD. Once decarboxylated, the cannabis is slowly cooked together with butter to allow the cannabinoids to bind to the fats, making the butter a powerful vehicle for the plant’s active ingredients.

Making cannabis butter is an excellent way for those who wish to enjoy the effects of cannabis in a discreet and lasting way, as oral intake offers a longer-lasting effect than inhalation.

However, it is important to dose cannabis properly to avoid an experience that is too intense. We will see together, step by step, how to make a perfect cannabutter at home, with suggestions on how to properly decarboxylate cannabis, the quantities to use, and how to store it safely to use in your favorite recipes.

What is cannabutter?

Cannabutter, as the word it-self suggests, is a fusion of butter and cannabis and is an essential ingredient to create cannabis-infused food.

The infusion process allows cannabinoids such as CBD to bind to the fats in butter, making it an effective vehicle for enjoying the properties of cannabis. Cannabutter can be used in a wide range of recipes, such as desserts, cakes, cookies, brownies and salty dishes such as sauces, risotto or even toasted bread.

To obtain a quality cannabutter, it is important to choose legal weed strains of controlled origin, with a THC content of less than 0,6%, respecting the current regulations.

The flowers we recommend for a more pleasant and aromatic taste are:

• Strawberry: for vibrant notes of strawberries and berries;
• Lemon Haze: for those who love the taste of lemon and lime, enriched with nuances of grapefruit;
• Purple Haze: for sweet and fruity flavours reminiscent of berries and grapes;
• Orange BUD: for a sweet and sour citric combination;
• Caramel Candy: for a caramel, vanilla and coffee flavour;
• For other types of flowers, consult Maria CBD Oil catalogue.

The versatility of cannabutter makes it ideal for those who wish to experience the properties of cannabis through oral intake, which produces longer-lasting effects than traditional inhalation.

However, it is important to carefully dose cannabutter in recipes, as the bioavailability of ingested cannabis is greater and the effects can be more intense and prolonged

Beneficial effects of cannabis butter

Cannabutter offers numerous benefits due to the infusion of the cannabinoids found in cannabis, according to the type of plant used. Here are some of its main properties:

• Relaxing effect: CBD-rich cannabutter helps reduce the cortisol levels, the stress hormone, promoting a general state of relaxation. This makes it useful for those suffering from chronic anxiety or are subjected to intense periods of stress. CBD acts on the receptors of the endocannabinoid system, helping to improve mood and ability to relax, without the psychoactive effects of THC.
  
• Analgesic properties: Due to its anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties, cannabutter may alleviate the pain derived from chronic inflammation, such as arthritis, fibromyalgia or other conditions involving musculoskeletal pain. The cannabinoids act on pain receptors, reducing inflammation and the perception of pain in a natural way, without the use of traditional drugs that could have severe side effects.
  
• Appetite stimulation: The CBD contained in cannabutter may stimulate appetite, an effect known as ‘chemical hunger’. This is especially useful for those suffering from chronic diseases or is undertaking treatments such as chemotherapy, which usually cause appetite and weight loss. With the effect of CBD, patients can regain the desire of eating and improve their overall nutrition.
  
• Improved mood: CBD has properties that positively influence brain receptors related to pleasure and well-being. This makes it an excellent ally for fighting depression and anxiety. Cannabutter, if dosed correctly, may help improve mood and reduce mental tension.
  
• Sleep benefits: Cannabutter may be particularly useful for those suffering from insomnia or sleep disorders. CBD helps relax the mind and body, while THC, in minimal controlled dosis, may promote deep relaxation and induce a restful sleep. This is particularly useful for those struggling with maintaining continuous and restorative sleep.

Basically, cannabutter is a versatile and tasty way to integrate the benefits of cannabis into your daily diet, offering natural relief for different disorders and improving general well-being.

Cannabutter: the steps

Now let’s see step by step how to prepare cannabutter, starting with the essential ingredients. Then, we will carefully follow each phase of the recipe, so as to obtain a butter infused with cannabis to use in a wide range of recipes, sweet or savory, in a simple and safe way.

Ingredients

The ingredients are few and simple:

• 7-10g of decarboxylated legal cannabis (see CBD shop)
• 250g of butter
• 1-2 cups of water

Now that we have the ingredients, we can finally get our hands dirty!

Procedure

Now that you have the ingredients ready, we can proceed with the steps to make the perfect cannabutter. Each phase is essential to obtain a final product rich in cannabinoids and well-balanced, ideal for cooking your favorite recipes. Follow each step carefully to maximize the effects and preserve the quality of the butter.

• Decarboxylation: This is essential to activate the compounds in cannabis. Preheat the oven to 230-250°F. Finely chop the cannabis and spread it evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure it is heated evenly. Decarboxylation turns CBDA into CBD, the active compound needed to achieve the desired effect.

• Making the butter: In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat, being careful not to burn it. Add a small amount of water (1-2 cups) to prevent the butter from burning or separating too much during the cooking process. The water helps regulate the temperature, keeping the butter at the right consistency and preventing excessive evaporation of the cannabinoids.

• Cannabis infusion: Once the butter has melted, add the decarboxylated cannabis. Let the mixture simmer for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. It is important to keep the temperature low, avoiding boiling the butter, to preserve the potency of the cannabinoids. The lid on the pot helps to avoid the dispersion of the active ingredients and other volatile substances.

• Straining: Once the cooking time is complete, strain the butter through cheesecloth or a fine sieve into a clean container to separate the cannabis residue from the infused butter. This step ensures that the butter is smooth and free of plant bits.

• Cooling and Storage: Allow the butter to cool to room temperature and then transfer it to the refrigerator to solidify completely. Cannabutter can be stored in an airtight container for several weeks in the refrigerator or even frozen for future use.

Once you have completed all the steps, you will have created your own homemade cannabutter, ready to be used in a wide range of recipes, even the most unpredictable ones.

Let’s discover one in the next paragraph!

Cannabutter in hot drinks

Cannabis butter is perfect for use in hot beverages such as herbal teas or teas. The fats in butter help absorb cannabinoids, making this an effective and relaxing option. Here are some tips for using cannabutter in beverages:

• Adjustable dosage: Add a small amount to your favorite herbal tea and stir well.
• Optimal absorption: The fat in butter allows cannabinoids to bind and be absorbed by the body.
• Relaxing effect: Ideal for moments of relaxation or to combat muscle pain and stress.
• Easy preparation: Just add it to the hot beverage and let it melt completely.

This solution is ideal for those looking for a discreet and tasty way to enjoy the benefits of cannabutter.
Here are the ingredients you will need:

• 1 gr of ground cannabis
• 1 tea bag of your choice (or a hemp herbal tea mix)
• 1 tablespoon of cannabis butter
• ½ pot of water
• A tea strainer
• Honey or sugar

And this is the procedure you will have to follow:

• Crush the cannabis flowers using a grinder or a blender.
• Bring some water to a boil in a pot, making sure there is enough water.
• Add the butter and stir until it melts.
• Add the cannabis and lower the heat to cook the mixture slowly for about 15 minutes, covering the pot.
• Strain the mixture and pour it into a cup.
• Add the tea bag and, if desired, sweeten with honey or sugar to taste.

Alternatively, if you don’t have the time or desire to make cannabutter from scratch, you can always buy a ready-made hemp tea. These teas offer a quick and easy way to enjoy the benefits of cannabis without having to go through the entire infusion process, ensuring a pleasant and relaxing experience in just a few minutes.

How to store cannabutter

To properly store cannabutter, it is important to store it in an airtight container to maintain its freshness and preserve the active cannabinoids.

Once prepared and filtered, let the butter cool and then transfer it to the refrigerator, where it can last up to several weeks. If you want to store it longer, you can freeze it, making sure it is well sealed to prevent it from absorbing external odors. Frozen cannabutter can last even several months, maintaining its benefits and flavor intact.

Conclusion

Whether it’s to promote relaxation, relieve chronic pain, stimulate appetite or improve sleep quality, cannabutter can easily be incorporated into your favorite recipes, both sweet and savory. It is essential to prepare it by carefully following the steps to obtain a safe product rich in active cannabinoids, thus ensuring an optimal effect.

To prepare your cannabutter, we strongly recommend using legal and high-quality cannabis inflorescences. These inflorescences, with THC less than 0.6%, can be purchased on the Maria CBD Oil store, where you will find a wide selection of controlled-origin cannabis products.

Remember that when using cannabutter in your recipes, it is important to dose carefully to avoid an experience that is too intense, especially if you are new to cannabis products.

Visit the Maria CBD Oil store to discover the best inflorescences and start preparing your cannabutter now, taking advantage of the full potential of cannabis to improve your quality of life!