How to make edibles: A beginner's guide

Potent with a long-lasting high, edibles are a popular way to consume cannabis since you can feel the effects without having to inhale smoke. They're also versatile, offering a wide range of food and drinks that can either be infused with weed in the comfort of your own home or purchased at your local dispensary.

Learn to make edibles with simple ingredients and dose them to your specifications. Soon, you'll be cooking up your own tasty infused treats in no time.

Different methods of making edibles

The nice thing about making edibles at home is the sheer number of available options. From infused baked goods to cannabis capsules to infused weed tea, there's bound to be something for everyone and for every skill level when it comes to cooking with cannabis.

Hands making weed shaped cookies from dough Photo by: Gina Coleman/Weedmaps

First,  decarboxylate — the process of using heat to convert the non-psychoactive THCA in raw cannabis into THC — your cannabis, then try some of the most popular ways to make homemade edibles:

Firecrackers 

Firecrackers are an essential stoner snack, easily made in 30 minutes without much prep work. They're made with three simple ingredients: weed, peanut butter, and graham crackers. 

Follow this recipe for step-by-step instructions.

Brownies 

Brownie edible Photo by: Gina Coleman/Weedmaps

Nothing says traditional edibles like weed-infused brownies. They were first made by Mary Jane Rathburn, known forever as "Brownie Mary," who snuck them into hospitals in the 1980s to provide much-needed relief for AIDS patients in the LBGTQ community. Rathburn was arrested for making these brownies, a historic bust that created a media frenzy around cannabis legalization.

Pot brownies contain either infused oil or butter. Follow this recipe for step-by-step instructions

Gummies

Typically made with a cannabis tincture, gummies offer an extra sweet option to homemade infused candies. Choose interesting molds and colors and make them unique to your taste and personality. 

Follow this recipe for step-by-step instructions.

Cookies 

weed cookies on light grey background Photo by: Gina Coleman/Weedmaps

Many cannabis enthusiasts love making infused cookies with their extra cannabis flower. The trick is to select your favorite cookie recipe and swap the regular butter with cannabis butter. 

Follow this recipe for step-by-step instructions.

Homemade capsules

Some people would rather skip the recipes and create consumable cannabis with a consistent dose. If this is you, homemade cannabis capsules allow you to convert your weed into pill form and seamlessly integrate cannabis into your daily routine. Depending on your desired effects, add other herbs, such as turmeric, maca, or valerian.

Keep in mind that homemade cannabis capsules require a bit more math than the average edible to determine the dose of each pill. 

Cannabis tea or coffee

Hands holding coffee mug Photo by: Gina Coleman/Weedmaps

You can create a potent cup of weed tea or coffee with leftover flower stems and a French press, or if you've already made infused oil or butter, simply add it to your mug of tea or coffee and let the cannabis dissolve into the liquid.

Tincture 

A cannabis tincture is a liquid extract made by soaking cannabis in high-proof alcohol or glycerin, which extracts the plant's active compounds. Tinctures are popular as they mix easily in various drinks and food. 

What do you need to make edibles at home?

There are two main ingredients you need to start making edibles at home:

  • Cannabis material: This can be cannabis flower, shake, or concentrates like hash, kief, or rosin. The most important thing to remember is to decarboxylate, or decarb, your weed or concentrate. You can even use already vaped weed or some older cannabis you may have squirreled away that may be beyond its prime smoking stage.
  • Soluble substance: This is essentially the ingredient you will infuse with the decarbed weed. The most common and easy-to-use ingredients include coconut, olive, and MCT oils and dairy products like milk due to their fat content. Food with high-fat content has been shown to enhance the absorption of THC  into the bloodstream. Many dairy-free cannabis chefs have also created alternatives with infused kefir or nut milk.

Some of the cooking materials you will need to make edibles include:

  • Cheesecloth or strainer
  • Parchment paper
  • Baking sheet or cookie sheet
  • Cooking oil or olive oil

How much weed do you need to make edibles at home?

The amount of weed you will need will vary based on the type of edibles you're making and your desired potency. For example, a simple FireCracker can be made using a cracker, peanut butter, and as little as 0.1 grams of cannabis. Or, you can make a mega batch of cannabutter that's infused with a half ounce of the finest buds you can find. 

How to dose edibles

The potency of cannabis edibles is measured differently from that of flower or concentrate. In edibles, cannabinoid concentration is expressed in milligrams rather than as a percentage. THC and CBD concentrations, along with the total cannabinoid content, are typically identified on manufactured products. 

Cookie surrounded by cannabis products to infuse it Photo by: Gina Coleman/Weedmaps

Before you pull out the recipe for your favorite homemade edible, first familiarize yourself with the potency of your chosen cannabis material. Confirm the percentage of THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids in that sampling of cannabis. THC potency can vary dramatically across different varieties, and weed products are generally much stronger today than they were 40 years ago. If you don't know the starting material you're working with, you cannot calculate the edible dose accurately.

How to calculate THC dosage for edibles

A recommended starting dose for those new to edibles is 1 to 5 milligrams of THC. That's a very small amount, considering the edible itself could weigh up to 20 grams. For context, there are 1,000 milligrams in 1 gram.

After you've established your desired target dose, take these steps to calculate it:

Be conservative with your estimations

Pouring nugs from weed jar into hand Photo by: Gina Coleman/Weedmaps

When estimating the decarb rate, some estimates put the total conversion efficiency between 75% and 88%, depending on the temperature and time used. But err on the side of caution and assume you will decarb 90% of the THCA into THC from your cannabis flower.

After you've calculated the decarb rate, calculate the extraction efficiency. Not all the THC present in the plant will infuse into the butter or cannabis oil. Assume you will extract at least 60% of the THC from the plant, even if extraction efficiency is usually closer to 30 - 40%. Being cautious will save you from any unwanted surprises.

Do the math, then do it again

Suppose you start with 10 grams of flower containing 20% THC. That would leave you with 2,000 mg of THC in total. After decarbing the flower (2,000 x 0.9), you will have 1,800 milligrams of THC. 

Following the extraction in oil or butter (1,800 x 0.6), you will have 1,080 mg of THC in that oil, which is sufficient for 216 standard portions containing 5 milligrams each. 

"When making edibles, the math is important,” said Bonni Goldstein, MD, owner and medical director of Canna Centers and medical advisor to Weedmaps. “The most common way to have an uncomfortable experience with cannabis is to overdo edibles. To minimize this, using half the amount of cannabis called for in the recipe can often result in the perfect dose. Just be sure to calculate the dosing math to account for the lower amount."

Ensure even mixing and portioning

Making baked weed edibles Photo by: Gina Coleman/Weedmaps

Thorough mixing is absolutely crucial to ensure an even distribution of cannabutter or oil. "It can be challenging to achieve uniform distribution of cannabinoids when making edibles, so take the time to mix your batter well to minimize large variations in dosing," advised Dr. Goldstein. With this in mind, take every precaution possible to standardize the dose across servings.

Here are some guidelines:

  • If you're working with cannabutter, don't scoop from the top. Cannabinoids will settle in butter according to their weight, so when measuring out cannabutter, slice a vertical section. 
  • When mixing, blend your batter or mix thoroughly, and continually scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. 
  • Consider using a dropper to apply an exact amount of cannabutter or oil to individual servings of non-infused food.
  • When cutting portions, measure each piece to ensure consistency.

Effects of different CBD to THC ratios

Clinical literature suggests that CBD can counteract some of THC's less desirable effects. However, while this has been shown for inhalation methods of delivery, it has not been proven for edibles. Both CBD and THC have low oral bioavailability (the amount that reaches your bloodstream), documented to be only about 6% - 9% — this can be enhanced if taken with food with high-fat content. Orally consumed THC is converted into 11-hydroxy-THC, which is significantly more potent than THC.

CBD is, therefore, limited in its ability to offset THC when consumed in edible form. The presence of CBD is not a reliable way to control the potency of THC. “Many are under the impression that ingesting CBD and THC together in edibles may block the unwanted effects of THC,” said Dr. Goldstein, “but often this is not the case. Correct dosing of THC is more important when it comes to avoiding unwanted effects from edibles.” 

How strong is my dose?

A diverse range of factors affect the way the body responds to cannabinoids. For this reason, dosing recommendations are expressed as ranges rather than definitive quantities. 

Here are some guidelines:

DosagePotency
1 - 5 mg THCUsers with no tolerance for THC should begin with an edible containing 1 - 2.5 mg. This introductory quantity will be enough THC to provide a solid experience of feeling high. However, some may not feel high but experience pain relief, a sense of well-being, or achieve a good night's sleep. Users with some tolerance will likely experience feeling high from 2 - 5 mg.
5 - 10 mg THCThis potency is suitable for those who use cannabis several times a week. Newcomers to weed are likely to experience anxiety or even panic at this dosage.
10 - 20 mg THCThis potency is suitable for those who regularly consume edibles and have built up a tolerance. For those who are not regular users, this dosage could lead to severe anxiety, panic attacks, or in some, excessive sedation. 

How to make weed edibles

Before making edibles at home, you must perform an essential part of any edibles recipe: decarboxylating the weed. There are lots of possibilities for decarbing weed, so choose what works best for you or experiment with different methods. Baking is simple, but other techniques include sous vide cookers, slow cookers, or simply cooking weed in a high-fat material such as butter. Remember: a lower temp and a shorter time frame ensure better cannabinoid preservation.

Once the weed is decarboxylated, it's time to start cooking.

Cannabutter

The reason butter is primarily used to infuse cannabis into edibles is that when heated, a high-fat material (such as butter) more easily extracts cannabinoids from decarboxylated plant matter and enhances absorption. However, butter isn't the only fat in the kitchen, and many dairy-free cannabis chefs have created alternatives.

It's pretty simple to make cannabis-infused butter, and Weedmaps has an existing recipe for making your own. Your finished cannabutter will last up to two months in the fridge and six months frozen.

Kief

kiefy pink grinder on white background Photo by: Gina Coleman/Weedmaps

Decarboxylated kief can be added to several homemade components of other dishes, like a no-salt seasoning blend, gluten-free flour, and coconut “milk.” Check out this list of kief-centered edibles that serve as an alternative to cannabutter.

Coconut oil

You'll need a slow cooker for this recipe, but it makes a delicious, dairy-free alternative to butter. Coconut oil may also have other health benefits, including promoting weight loss, boosting immune system function, and regulating metabolism.

Bottom line

No matter what type of treat you may be craving, there's probably a way you can infuse it with cannabis using a few simple ingredients. The main challenge for home cooks will be dialing in the right dosage, but with our handy guide, you'll earn high praise from your friends and family in no time. Bon appetite! 

FAQ

Why is it vital to calculate edible dosage correctly?

It can be challenging to determine how much cannabis you are consuming when using edibles, so it is important to understand how much THC is in each bite or piece.

What do I do if I eat too many edibles?

While there is no known lethal dose of cannabis, it's possible to experience unwanted anxiety or paranoia by consuming too much — also known as greening out. If you find yourself in a situation where you've consumed too much, follow these steps to help you sober up from weed.

How long does it take to make edibles?

This can vary based on your infusion method and the recipe you're using. Some edibles, like Firecrackers, require only 30 minutes to prepare. 


This article was reviewed by Bonni Goldstein, MD, a physician specializing in cannabis medicine in Los Angeles, California, owner and medical director of Canna Centers, and medical advisor to Weedmaps.

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The information contained in this site is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as medical or legal advice. This page was last updated on December 5, 2023.