Cooking With Cannabis: Delicious Recipes And Tips

When it comes to cooking with cannabis, most people think about the trusted and true delicious pot brownies that always seem to hit the spot. However, with some cannabis-infused olive oil and cannabutter, you can make a bunch of other recipes that include additional dessert options and meals for any time of the day. Try your hand at some decadent and scrumptious cannabis-infused recipes for any meal of the day with our top selection of the best cannabis cuisine options.

Premium Cannabutter

Before you can use cannabis in any recipe, it must be activated through a process known as decarboxylation. Although oven-decarboxylation is one of the most popular methods, using the sous-vide technique can better preserve the terpenes of your flower and keep all that flavour and aroma contained. Additionally, cannabutter can be used in a variety of other recipes as a supplement for normal butter to add a cannabis spin to your favourite meals.

Necessary Equipment And Ingredients

• Immersion stick circulator
• Herb grinder
• 3.5 grams of cannabis flower
• 1 vacuum-sealable bag
• Vacuum sealer
• 2 sticks of unsalted butter

Directions For Making Premium Cannabutter

1. Set the immersion circulator to 95 °C and place it in a medium saucepan filled with tap water
2. Grind your buds finely
3. Pour the ground up cannabis into a vacuum sealable bag and add 3 tablespoons of distilled water
4. Seal the bag completely with a vacuum sealer
5. Once the circulator reaches 95 °C, place the sealed bag into the water-filled saucepan and let it decarb for 30 minutes (make sure to turn the bag every 5-10 minutes so the cannabis remains submerged in water)
6. Move the bag to a bowl of ice water for 10 minutes in order to stop the cooking process and preserve the terpenes
7. Heat two sticks of butter in a small saucepan and add the cannabis – let it simmer for 20 minutes and stir often
8. Remove the saucepan from the heat source and let the mixture steep as is for 30 minutes
9. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a shallow container, pressing on the solids to make sure you extract all the cannabutter
10. You will end up with about 3/4 cup of cannabutter – if you used a 20% THC strain, that correlates to about 43 mg of THC per tablespoon

Keep the cannabutter refrigerated and be sure to use it within 30 days.

Cannabis-Infused Lavender And Rose Tea

Cannabis-infused tea is a popular consumption method that brings additional relaxation to your cannabis experience. With dried lavender, rose petals, jasmine green tea leaves, and Ceylon black tea leaves, you will get a slightly sweet and floral tea with hints of bitter umami grassines. This is mixed with a homemade cannabis tincture you can make ahead of time, which can be stored for up to a year.

When making your homemade cannabis tincture, it is important to consider which cannabis strain you will be using. The flavours and aromatic profiles of different strains vary, and you will need to find one that complements your tea and produces the effects you desire. 

Necessary Equipment

• 250 ml glass jar with a lid
• Large measuring cup with spout
• Paper coffee filter
• Small funnel
• Some dark glass dropper bottles

Ingredients: Cannabis Tincture

• 250 ml of spirit, like vodka or rum (at least 80 proof)
• 1 to 3 grams of cannabis flower 

Directions For Making The Cannabis Tincture

1. Preheat the oven to 105 °C
2. Spread the cannabis onto a small baking sheet
3. Bake the cannabis for 45 minutes, transfer it to a bowl, and let it cool down
4. Pour alcohol into a 250 ml glass jar and secure the lid
5. Place both the bowl of cannabis and the jar of alcohol in the freezer for an hour
6. Remove both from the freezer and add the cannabis to the alcohol jar
7. Seal the jar tightly and shake the tincture vigorously for a few minutes
8. Place the jar back in the freezer for another 24 hours and shake it at least 3-4 times during this period
9. Place a fine mesh strainer over a measuring cup and line the strainer with a paper coffee filter
10. Pour the tincture through the filter and discard the filter
11. Pour the tincture into the dark-glass dropper bottles using a small funnel

The tincture will be ready to use immediately, but it will become more potent over time. You can store it in the refrigerator for up to a year. 

Ingredients: Tea Blend

• 3/4 cup Ceylon black tea leaves
• 3/4 cup jasmine green tea leaves
• 1 tablespoon food-safe dried lavender
• 1 tablespoon food-safe dried rose petals

Directions For Making The Tea Blend

• Combine the tea ingredients in an airtight container until you are ready to use it
• Steep 1 teaspoon of the tea blend in 1.5 cups of boiling water for at least 5 minutes
• Add the cannabis tincture and sweeten to taste

Cannabis-Infused Citrus Caramel Blondies

Taking a spin on the classic pot brownie, you can use cannabutter to make some delicious caramel blondies with a citrusy undertone. These moist and chewy blondies with an orange zest are sure to impress, especially if you are having some cannabis-enthused company. 

Ingredients: Caramel Finish

• 1/4 cup of granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon of cold unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons of heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon of Maldon sea salt

Directions For Making The Caramel Finish

1. Combine the granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon of water in a small saucepan
2. Use a wet pastry brush to wash down any crystals that accumulate on the sides of the pan
3. Boil the syrup over moderately high heat for about 5 minutes until you see a deep amber caramel starting to form
4. Remove the syrup from the heat and immediately whisk in the butter, cream, and Maldon sea salt
5. Let the mixture cool down to room temperature

Ingredients: Blondies

• 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 4 tablespoons of melted premium cannabutter
• 1/2 stick of melted unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon of finely grated orange zest

Directions For Making The Blondies

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C
2. Spray a 20 cm square metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and line it with parchment paper – let a small piece hang over 2 opposite sides and spray the paper as well
3. Whisk the flour with the baking powder and kosher salt in a small bowl
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the premium cannabutter, unsalted butter, and brown sugar until it is combined – then add the eggs and orange zest
5. Add the flour mixture and stir it until just combined
6. Spread the batter evenly in your prepared pan
7. Drizzle the caramel over – you can use a toothpick to make it more decorative
8. Bake the blondies for 25-30 minutes until they are golden brown on top – it is ready when you can insert a toothpick in the centre and only a few moist crumbs are attached
9. Let the blondies cool completely
10. Lift the blondies by pulling out the overhanging parchment paper, cut them into bars, and they are ready to serve!

Cannabis-Infused Brioche French Toast

French toast is a classic breakfast option, and you add some cannabutter for some wake and bake time. Additionally this recipe is quick and easy to make, so it is sure to be a new favourite if you are into this type of meal.

Necessary Ingredients

• 1/4 cup of strawberry jam (and extra for serving)
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup of heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon of premium cannabutter
• Four slices of brioche
• 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 1.5 teaspoons of granulated sugar
• Confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 lemon
• Fleur de sel
• Crème fraîche (for serving)

Directions For Making The Cannabis-Infused Brioche French Toast

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C
2. Stir together the jam and premium cannabutter in a small bowl
3. Cut a 5 cm pocket in the side of each brioche slice and spoon a full tablespoon of the jam mixture into each one
4. Whisk the eggs, cream, granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of fleur de sel in a bowl
5. Melt two tablespoons of butter in a large skillet
6. Dip 2 slices of the stuffed brioche in the egg mix and let it soak until it is saturated well
7. Add the brioche to the skillet over medium heat and cook it for about 2 minutes until it is nicely browned on both sides 
8. Move the french toast to a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining slices
9. Bake the french toast for 5 minutes until it is cooked through
10. Once it is all done, transfer your toast to plates and sift confectioners’ sugar on top along with a dollop of crème fraîche and strawberry jam – you can also add a little lemon juice and sprinkle it with fleur de sel

Cannabis-Infused Pasta With Clams And Green Chiles

A classic clam sauce pasta with a twist can only get better when adding premium cannabutter. Enjoy the combination of spicy green chile ragout, crème fraîche, fresh herbs, and lime juice enhanced with a taste of cannabis.

Necessary Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of lightly packed parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup of snipped chives
• 1/2 cup and 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup of lightly packed mint leaves (and extra for garnish)
• 1 Cubanelle pepper (stemmed, seeded, and diced)
• 50 g of shishito peppers (stemmed and thinly sliced)
• 2 small poblano chiles (stemmed, seeded, and diced)
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• 4 garlic cloves (2 minced; 2 crushed)
• 3 shallots (2 thinly sliced; 1 minced)
• 2 tablespoons of drained capers
• 2 teaspoons each of black peppercorns, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and mustard seeds
• 1 cup of dry white wine
• 2 cups of bottled clam juice
• 3.5 dozen mixed clams (like Manila, razor and littleneck) – scrubbed
• 12 ounces of mezze rigatoni or pipe rigate pasta
• 1 tablespoon of premium cannabutter
• 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 4 tablespoons of crème fraîche
• 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice
• Wasabi caviar (for garnish)

Directions For Making The Cannabis-Infused Pasta With Clams And Green Chiles

1. Combine 1/2 a cup of the olive oil with the 1/4 cup of mint, parsley, and chives in a blender and puree it until smooth
2. Strain the oil through a fine mesh sieve into a small bowl while pressing on the solids – discard the solids in the sieve
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet until it is nearly smoking
4. Cook it over high heat while stirring occasionally for about three minutes until it is blistered in spots and just starts to soften
5. Add the minced garlic, minced shallot, and capers and cook it over moderate heat for about 1-2 minutes until it just softens
6. Let the mixture cool slightly before stirring in the herb oil
7. Toast the mixed spices over moderate heat in a large pot for about 2 minutes until they are fragrant
8. Add the crushed garlic, sliced shallots, and wine – let it simmer for about 3-5 minutes until it is reduced by half
9. Add the clam juice and bring it to a boil
10. Add the clams, cover it, and steam it over high heat for 10 minutes
11. Transfer the clams to a large rimmed baking sheet using tongs and let them cool slightly 
12. Remove the meat from the shells and discard any clams that do not open
13. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and discard the solids
14. Cook the pasta until al dente in a large pot with boiling salted water
15. Drain the pasta and wipe out the pot
16. Add 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter and cook until it has melted
17. Add the clams, pasta, crème fraîche, chile mixture, and 1/2 cup of the strained clam cooking liquid – cook over moderately high heat for about 3 minutes while tossing 
18. Stir in the premium cannabutter, 1/2 cup of mint, and lime juice, and season it with salt and pepper
19. Transfer it to bowls, garnish it with wasabi masago and more mint

If you have cannabutter at your disposal, you can make a wide range of delicious recipes. Pretty much any meal can be made with a cannabutter substitute, so you have a lot of free reign! Try out some of these recipes to get the feel of cooking with cannabutter and upgrade to some of your own creations when you get comfortable – and enjoy cooking with cannabis.