When you think of cooking with cannabis, the first thing that comes to mind might be the ultimate classic—pot brownies. However, with the help of cannabutter and cannabis-infused olive oil, you can pull off plenty of other recipes, too, spanning from breakfast to dinner. Try your hand at cannabis-infused brioche French toast for a relaxing (and decadent) start to your morning or a soothing mug of cannabis-infused tea. For dinner, cannabis-infused pasta with clams and green chiles is a fun way to experiment in the kitchen. And if you’re in the mood for brownies? Don’t worry, we have a recipe for those as well, plus blondies if you want to switch it up. Read on for all nine of our culinary cannabis recipes.
Note: As cannabis regulation continues to evolve across the United States and around the world, please consult your local laws.
Premium Cannabutter
Making cannabutter is a time-honored way of infusing cannabis into food, since so many recipes include butter as an ingredient. But not all cannabutters are created equal. Before cannabis can be used in a recipe, it must be “activated” or, decarboxylated, to maximize its benefits. Traditionally, decarbing meant heating the buds at a low temperature for two to three hours in the oven. But this method can destroy flavor and lead to bitterness. Thankfully, there’s a better (and more delicious) way. Decarbing using the sous-vide technique eliminates the uneven and often harsh heat of the old-school method and preserves the fragrant, floral compounds in cannabis known as terpenes. Here’s how to make this cannabutter step by step.
Cannabis-Infused Tea with Rose and Lavender
Easily infuse the benefits of cannabis into foods by making a homemade tincture. When stored in the fridge, the tincture will keep almost indefinitely, ready to be stirred into your favorite food before serving. It’s especially soothing in a warm mug of tea scented with rose, jasmine, and lavender.
Cannabis-Infused Citrus-Caramel Blondies
Cannabutter, orange zest, and caramel all go into these show-stopping blondies. The recipe is a modified version of one developed by Sarah Simmons, swapping cannabutter in for unsalted butter. Once they’re made, they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
Cannabis-Infused Olive Oil
After decarbing, you’ll gently infuse the cannabis in olive oil, creating an aromatic ingredient you’ll be able to use in both sweet and savory recipes, from aglio e olio pasta to chocolate pretzel cookies and a citrus-infused cake. You’ll need an immersion stick circulator, cannabis grinder, vacuum-sealable bag, and a vacuum sealer for this recipe.
Cannabis-Infused Pasta with Clams and Green Chiles
This dish is a modified version of a recipe developed by Andrew Brochu, swapping in cannabutter for some of the unsalted butter originally called for. (You’ll need 1 tablespoon of cannabutter, and 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter.) If you want to get a head start on the recipe, the chile mixture can be prepared the day beforehand and then refrigerated overnight—just make sure you bring it to room temperature before you use it.
Cannabis-Infused Olive Oil Citrus Cake
A touch of semolina flour gives this citrus- and cannabis-infused dessert a texture similar to a cornmeal cake, while a vibrant citrus glaze and fresh fruit add layers of tart sweetness. Enjoy for dessert, alone or with a dollop of crème fraiche or mascarpone.
Cannabis-Infused Chocolate Pretzel Cookies
These chewy, malty chocolate cookies are ideal for chocolate-covered pretzel fans. Since the recipe calls for olive oil instead of butter, the dough will be quite soft when it’s first mixed, but will firm up to the perfect scoopable consistency after a couple of hours in the fridge. If you’d like to skip the cannabis-infused olive oil, just swap in an additional amount of regular olive oil.
Cannabis-Infused Salted Caramel Fudge Brownies
If you want to make pot brownies, give these salted caramel fudge ones a shot. Made from a modified version of a recipe developed by Anya Von Bremzen, they’re packed with a layer of salted caramel and 2 tablespoons of cannabutter, and can be frozen for up to a month.
Cannabis-Infused Brioche French Toast
This recipe, an adaptation of Jessica Koslow’s jam-stuffed brioche French toast, gets an extra luxurious touch from cannabutter. Don’t forget to have a little crème fraîche, extra strawberry jam, lemon juice, and fleur de sel on hand for serving.