A Beginner's Guide to Making Weed Edibles at Home

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Ingredients plus a tutorial for making edibles with weed

Co-authored by Riley Kirk, PhD and Maryana Lucia Vestic, MFA, M.Phil.

Last Updated: May 6, 2025 Fact Checked

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Making Cannabutter Edibles

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Cannabutter Alternatives

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Dosing Guidelines

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Storage

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Troubleshooting

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FAQs

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Warnings

Do you want to make weed edibles but are worried you’ll mess it up? Don’t let fear stand in your way—keep reading to learn everything you need to know to make weed edibles the right way. From preparing the weed to infusing the edibles, you’ll get all the details you need, plus troubleshooting tips if you run into any issues along the way.

How to Make Edibles With Weed: An Overview

Prepare your cannabis flower by grinding it and baking it in a low-heat oven. Cook the cannabutter or cannabis oil using a pot or crock pot. Strain and store the cannabutter or oil until you’re ready to use it. Make your weed edibles by replacing the butter or oil in the recipe with cannabutter or cannabis oil.

Section 1 of 6:

How to Make Weed Edibles with Cannabutter

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1
Prepare your cannabis flower. Lay parchment paper onto a baking sheet. Grind up your flower to a coarse grind and evenly sprinkle 7-10 grams (or ¼ to just over ⅓ oz) onto the sheet.^{[1]
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- Things You’ll Need: Cannabis flower, grinder, baking sheet, parchment paper.
2
Decarboxylate your ground flower. Place the baking sheet with ground cannabis flower into a heated oven set to 245 °F (118 °C). Bake the flower for 30-40 minutes.^{[2]
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Riley Kirk, PhD
Cannabis Research Scientist and Educator

Expert Interview} Be sure to check that it doesn’t overcook or appear too brown.^{[3]
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- Decarboxylation describes the process of using heat to activate the THC in cannabis.
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3
Make your cannabutter. Over low heat, melt 1 cup (250 grams) of butter, along with 1 cup (240 mL) of water. Once the butter is melted, add the decarboxylated flower to the pot and combine. Let the mixture boil and then simmer on low heat for 2-3 hours.^{[4]
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- Stirring regularly will keep the cannabis flower from burning and prevent it from sinking to the bottom of the pot. Keep the heat on a low setting, so the mixture doesn’t boil.
- Double Boiler Method: Simmer 1 cup (240 mL) of water in a large pot and add 1 cup (250 grams) of butter and your decarboxylated cannabis to a glass or metal bowl set as a double-boiler on top of the pot. Simmer on low heat for 3 hours while making sure the water doesn’t evaporate.^{[5]
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- Crockpot method: Add the decarboxylated cannabis, 1 cup (240 mL) of water, and 1 cup (250 grams) of butter to a crockpot or slow cooker. Allow the cannabutter to cook at 150 °F (66 °C) for 3 hours.^{[6]
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4
Strain and store the cannabutter. After 30 minutes of cooling time, place a fine mesh strainer (or multiple layers of cheesecloth) over a storage container. Secure it with a rubber band to prevent movement. Pour the cannabutter through the strainer slowly so it has time to seep into the container. Seal your storage container and refrigerate it for a few hours so it can firm up.^{[7]
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- Don’t press on the strainer or squeeze the cheesecloth to remove leftover liquid. It can end up releasing bitter tannins and chlorophyll which affects the flavor of your cannabutter.
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Prepare your weed edibles. When making baked goods like cookies or brownies, use a 1:1 ratio when replacing the butter in a recipe with cannabutter. If you’re concerned about making your weed edibles too strong, adjust your ratio with less cannabutter mixed with regular butter.^{[8]
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Research source} You can figure out the amount of THC per serving in the dosing guidelines section.
- Marijuana Brownies: You can use any brownie recipe you like. Just replace the butter or oil in the recipe with the cannabutter or cannabis oil you prepared.
- Marijuana Cookies: You can choose your favorite cookie recipe, as long as you replace the butter or oil in the recipe with your cannabutter or cannabis oil.
- Marijuana Gummies: Make cannabis oil instead of butter, then replace the oil in your gummy recipe with the cannabis oil.

Section 2 of 6:

Alternatives to Using Cannabutter

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Cannabis Tinctures Grind and decarboxylate the cannabis flower as you would to make cannabutter. Once cooled, place the flower into an 8 fl oz (240 mL) mason jar and pour in high-proof alcohol (like vodka) so it reaches 1 inch (2.5 cm) above the level of the cannabis. Secure it tightly and leave it in a dark space (like a closet) for 4 to 6 weeks. Shake the mixture daily so the ingredients don’t stay separated for too long; strain it through a fine mesh strainer into a dropper bottle and add to your edibles (or make marijuana tea).^{[9]
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- You can also ingest cannabis oil sublingually, which means to take the desired dose under the tongue.^{[10]
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  Riley Kirk, PhD
  Cannabis Research Scientist and Educator
  
  Expert Interview} Let the liquid remain beneath your tongue for at least 1 minute. Swish the mixture before swallowing so the membranes in your cheeks and the tongue can absorb it. Effects usually begin within approximately 30 minutes and can last for up to 3 hours.^{[11]
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- A more complicated and expensive option is to diffuse edibles using a cannabis infusion machine, which extracts certain compounds from cannabis and infuses them into various ingredients, like butters and oils; some cannabis infusion machines can also decarboxylate the cannabis flower.^{[12]
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Section 3 of 6:

Dosing Guidelines When Making Weed Edibles

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1
Calculate the amount of THC in your weed edibles. Use the following formula to figure out the exact THC doses per serving in your weed edibles:
- 1 gram of cannabis = 1000 milligrams.
- The majority of cannabis contains 10% THC, which equals 100 milligrams of THC per gram.
- Therefore, 1 gram of cannabis typically contains 100 milligrams of THC.
- The amount of THC in your recipe depends on the amount of butter you include, along with the number of servings.
- For example, if your recipe calls for ½ cup of butter (115 grams), and you make 36 servings total, the batch contains 1,400 mg. Divide 1400 mg by the number of servings (36) to determine that each serving has 38.8 mg of THC.^{[14]
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Start with a low dose of 1-5 mg of THC per serving. It’s a good place to start to feel the desired effect. The majority of edibles contain between 5-10 mg of THC per serving.
- Factors that may affect how much cannabis you consume include the type and method of ingestion you use (flower, vape cartridge, edibles), how often you use it, and your level of tolerance.^{[15]
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Section 4 of 6:

How to Store Weed Edibles

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Chocolates Wrap leftover chocolate in foil and store it in a cool, dark place. Edibles containing dark chocolate have a shelf life of up to a year, while those made with milk and white chocolate last between 8 and 10 months. You can also refrigerate or freeze the chocolate edibles for an additional 2-4 months; it will develop a “sugar bloom,” or white film caused by refrigerator moisture, but is safe to consume.^{[16]
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- Keep chocolate edibles in an airtight container to prevent other smells from the fridge or freezer from seeping in.
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Baked Goods The shelf life of baked goods made with weed depends on the type of product it is (marijuana brownies vs. cookies). Most baked goods last a few days in the pantry, 1 or 2 weeks in the fridge, and a few months in the freezer. Keep the baked goods in an airtight container to keep them fresh and free from outside smells.^{[17]
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- Muffins: 3 days in the pantry, 1 week in the fridge, 2 months in the freezer.
- Cakes: 4 days in the pantry, 1 week in the fridge, 3 months in the freezer.
- Brownies: 2 weeks in the pantry, 1 month in the fridge, 3 months in the freezer.
Soft gummies and candies last for 6-9 months in a cool, dry place, because sugar acts as a natural preservative. Hard candies can last up to a year. Make sure to individually wrap anything sticky, like caramels, to prevent candies from sticking together.^{[18]
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Section 5 of 6:

Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

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You can end up wasting the cannabis flower if you use too much when making cannabutter or cannabis oil. Use the 1:1 ratio instead; this means 1 cup (240 mL) of cannabis to 1 cup (240 mL) of butter or oil. 1 cup (240 mL) of ground cannabis equals about 7 grams, so plan accordingly before you start.^{[19]
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Grinding your cannabis flower can result in a strong, grassy flavor. A hand grinder is a good option, whenever possible. If using a coffee or spice grinder, make sure your cannabis flower has the consistency of a coarse salt once ground.^{[20]
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Not stirring marijuana butter regularly while cooking can cause a very uneven distribution of weed (and potency). This means, you may not feel any effect after eating a few pieces, while someone else feels an extremely potent effect. Stir your cannabutter batter regularly throughout cooking, so the cannabinoids are distributed evenly throughout.^{[21]
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It’s tempting to want to press down on the cannabutter mixture when using a strainer or squeeze the cheesecloth during the straining process. Doing either causes plant matter to seep into the final mixture, which produces a bitter flavor you won’t enjoy in the final product. Allow the mixture to pass through the sieve or cloth naturally instead.^{[22]
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If you’re unsure of the effects, start small by adding .25 teaspoons (1.2 mL) to .50 teaspoons (2.5 mL) of cannabis-infused oil to your food. When using cannabutter, replace only part of the butter in the original recipe with cannabutter and continue to use regular butter for the remainder. Slowly increase the amount you use when making weed edibles until you reach the desired effect.^{[23]
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When you bake your weed edibles in the oven using cannabutter, keep the temperature under 400 °F (204 °C). Baking edibles at a higher temperature can result in the THC breaking down, which can burn the edible you’re baking. Keep the oven temperature under 375 °F (191 °C) when using cannabis oil; don’t use cannabis oil when you’re frying or sauteeing food.^{[24]
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Section 6 of 6:

Making Weed Edibles FAQs

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When you make weed edibles, it does produce a weed-like smell while baking. The strongest weed smell you’ll notice occurs when you make your own cannabutter or cannabis oil. When baking weed edibles, don’t overcrowd the oven. By baking less at a time, you can slightly reduce the scent of weed the edibles will create.
It’s not advisable to use raw cannabis flowers when making cannabutter or cannabis oil for weed edibles. Always begin by grinding and decarboxylating the cannabis flower beforehand. This process allows your body to absorb the cannabinoids in the weed, so you can feel the effects more directly.^{[25]
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While dosing can sometimes be challenging, making your own edibles with cannabutter or cannabis oil is a cheaper way to enjoy weed edibles. It also makes it possible for you to add weed to different kinds of recipes, from sweet baked goods and gummies to savory meals and condiments. If you follow a specialized diet (ex. vegan), you can ensure your edibles don’t include anything you don’t want them to.
Depending on the potency, edibles can last anywhere from 4-12 hours on average. Some edibles can even last up to 24 hours. The variation in time depends on certain factors, like the type of edible (baked good vs. gummy), the absorption method, and whether your stomach is full or empty. Your personal tolerance also comes into play in connection with how quickly you notice the effect of edibles.^{[26]
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Smoking cannabis means you’re orally ingesting Delta-9-THC into your bloodstream. When you consume cannabis in an edible, the THC breaks down in your stomach, where it transforms into 11-Hydroxy-THC, a more potent version of THC that lasts longer. Keep this in mind when you’re consuming weed edibles.^{[27]
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Warnings

Ensure that you follow local and state regulations whether or not you can legally grow and produce weed edibles. While most states allow growing and producing, unless you have a license with the state it is generally illegal to sell them to other consumers. Never sell or entice anyone under legal age to buy weed edible produce as it is illegal and you will face prison time. Also never travel with THC or weed edibles across state or country borders as you may be viewed as a drug trafficker and be subject to criminal prosecution.

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