Cannabutter, the cornerstone of countless cannabis-infused recipes, is a versatile ingredient that adds a delightful cannabinoid twist to your culinary creations. From delectable brownies to savory dishes, its rich and buttery texture blends seamlessly with various recipes. In this guide, we'll take you through the five simple steps to master the art of making cannabutter at home. So, don your apron, roll up your sleeves, and let's get into it.

Cannabutter, or cannabis-infused butter, is a fundamental ingredient for edibles enthusiasts. It's made by infusing regular butter with the active compounds found in cannabis flower. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a culinary novice, making your own cannabutter is easy and has endless possibilities in the kitchen.

The potency of your cannabutter hinges on the right amount of cannabis flower you use. In general, a 1:1 ratio of ground cannabis and butter is recommended. This means that if you plan to use a cup of butter, you should plan to use a cup of cannabis. For some culinary canna-connoisseurs, this is not going to be potent enough, and they’ll add more cannabis. For others, this might be too much, so they’ll add more butter and less cannabis. Ultimately, only you can decide what amount of cannabis is going to be appropriate for your tolerance levels.

A good cannabutter recipe, just like a good canna-oil recipe, will set you up for success in all your marijuana cooking and baking endeavors. Before getting started, you’ll need to gather your tools and ingredients.

Before you can turn your flower into cannabutter, you’ll need to decarboxylate it. Why? Because the cannabinoids (e.g. THC) have to be activated in order to provide intoxicating effects. This is accomplished by exposing the cannabis to heat, called decarboxylation. Once activated, you’ll be able to add it to the butter.

Check out our guide to decarboxylation to help make this step as smooth as...butter!

After decarbing your flower, break it apart with your fingers or use a cannabis grinder. Make sure you don’t grind too much, as you don’t want bits of flower to end up in your cannabutter.
 

Add equal parts butter and water to a saucepan (e.g. one cup of butter and one cup of water), and fully melt the butter. The water will keep your butter from burning, but you’ll still need to keep an eye on it.
 

Once the butter is completely melted, add your flower to the mixture of butter and water. If you are making one cup of butter, add one cup of flower to the saucepan. Let it simmer for two to three hours, stirring occasionally. 

When infusing oil or butter, you want to stay in a similar temperature range as when you’re decarbing the flower. Ideally, you should keep butter or oil at 160 - 200 degrees Fahrenheit when making cannabutter or cannaoil. A candy thermometer is a useful tool to test the temperature of the oil or butter every few minutes, maintaining a consistent temperature throughout the infusion process.

When your butter has been properly infused with cannabis, you need to get all the ground flower out of it. Pour the mixture through a cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer to get rid of all the chunks of flower and you’ve got DIY cannabutter that’s ready to use in your favorite marijuana brownies recipe.
 

While the stovetop method is a common way to make cannabutter, there are alternative methods you can explore—especially if you love a good set-it-and-forget-it method.

Using a slow cooker is a hands-off approach to making cannabutter. It offers precise temperature control and minimizes the risk of overheating. All you do is combine your decarbed flower and butter. Then, on low heat, let it sit for up to 6 hours, stirring it every so often. Strain it and let it cool.
 

Sous vide cooking provides unparalleled precision, making it ideal for precise and consistent cannabutter infusions. Put your decarbed flower and melted butter into a sealable bag. Then, set your sous vide to 185 degrees Fahrenheit and put the bag in the water. Leave just a small opening in the bag so air can go out. Once your bag is submerged almost to that opening,  seal it up completely and submerge it. After about four hours, remove the bag, dry it, and strain the mixture inside.
 

Determining the right amount of cannabutter for your recipes depends on various factors, including your tolerance and the desired effect. If you know about how many milligrams of THC you want in a serving, you can calculate how much cannabutter to use to get the desired effect, and typically, it’s less than you would expect. Ultimately, we recommend starting with small doses and gradually increasing until you find your ideal balance.
 

Adjusting the potency of your cannabutter is possible in two ways. First, look at your cannabis strain’s THC level. This will give you a good starting point. Then, decide if you want your cannabutter to be stronger or milder. If milder, you might want to have a ratio of 1:2—one serving of cannabis to two servings of butter. If you want it to be stronger, you might reverse that ratio.
 

Proper storage of THC butter is essential to maintain its freshness and potency. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Keep it away from heat, light, and moisture to prolong its shelf life. If you want to keep your cannabutter for the long term, you can opt to freeze some of it. Store it in the same way and then pop it into the back of your freezer. Just always give your cannabutter a sniff test once you open it. If it smells off, dump it.
 

The possibilities are nearly endless when it comes to recipes you can create with cannabutter. From classic marijuana brownies and cannabis cookies to savory dishes like cannabis-infused pasta or buttery seafood, cannabutter adds a rich and distinctive flavor to your favorite meals.
 

Got questions? Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about making cannabutter at home:

How long does cannabutter last?
Cannabutter typically lasts for a couple of weeks when stored correctly in the refrigerator. It can also be kept in the freezer for longer-term (up to six months) storage.

How long should you cook cannabutter?
The cooking time for cannabutter can vary depending on how you do the cooking. but usually takes between 2 to 3 hours for infusion. Be patient and maintain a low, consistent simmer for the best results.

Can I add raw cannabis flower to my butter?
Technically, yes, you can add raw cannabis, but it’s not going to be decarboxylated—meaning, the THC won’t be activated—and it is more prone to mold and pesticides. Ultimately, decarbed flower is the way to go.

Mastering cannabutter creation is the first step towards crafting delectable cannabis-infused dishes. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned cook, the art of making cannabutter allows you to personalize your recipes to match your unique preferences and elevate your culinary experiences.