Recipe Note

What's cannabutter?

Cannabutter is the base to many of your favorite edibles and infused baked goods like brownies, spacecakes, cookies, and caramels. Actually, if you substitute the butter in ANY recipe for Magical Cannabutter, sweet or savory, you are now making it an “edible”. There are a few tips and tricks laid out here that will help you make Magical Cannabutter with success at home… the first time! Learn about decarbing your herb, picking the best butter, choosing the butter to weed ratio, how to extend the shelf life and what to do with the leftover used plant material. 

What’s the best type of butter to use when making cannabutter? 

The best butter for making cannabutter is one free of milk fat, like clarified butter or ghee butter. You can buy these butter varieties at your local grocery store or Amazon, but you can also make them at home. It’s a few extra steps but it makes a big difference in your final taste, for texture and consistency. For optimal extractions and maximum potency, based on extensive kitchen trials, our chef now recommends clarifying your butter before adding it to the pitcher of your machine. To clarify, gently melt and simmer the butter on low heat, and scrape off and discard the milk solids and foam that comes to the surface. Thus retaining the clear golden liquified butterfat!

Don’t have time to clarify? You can buy it pre clarified from brands like KerryGold, though it’s a bit more expensive. You can also skip clarifying and simply use melted or softened butter. Either way, you want to be sure you DO NOT use cold, firm butter, whether clarified or not.   

Choosing the right herb to butter ratio 

We went ahead and wrote the recipe above for a standard dosage, but many people and patients ask us how to make it stronger and more potent? One way is to add higher THC herb, and to add more of it in your recipe ratio for higher concentration.  

What is lecithin and why do I need it? 

Sunflower lecithin helps emulsify and distribute your herb in butter or oil for a more consistent final recipe. It helps to increase the bioavailability of plant compounds in your infusions, intensifying the potency.

Lecithin is optional but highly recommended. Liquid and powdered lecithin will immediately incorporate into your extractions, which is why we recommend them over the granule or capsule forms you may find in your local store. And speaking of local stores, you may also see soy, rice, or even egg yolk lecithin at yours. Those are also fine to use! We like sunflower lecithin the most though for it's sustainability and health benefits.

NOTE: Because liquid lecithin is three times as potent as powder or granules (it’s also three times as messy), use only 1 teaspoon per cup of butter or oil for your extractions.  

How to store your cannabutter 

How long does it last in the refrigerator or freezer? As with most homemade edibles, they have a shelf life that can be increased by storing them in the freezer, with an air tight lids and in a tinted container.

What to do with your used plant material?  

Don’t discard your plant material when you’re done with it! A common creation to make with your leftover sludge is to make a lightly infused tea, like chai tea! Simply add your used herb to a piece of cheesecloth, tie it up, soak it in a mason jar of purified water for a few days in the fridge, and boom, a nice herbal tea! 

It’s wonderful to get a second use out of the remainder of your herb from your butter making. Some magical community members simply mix the used herb into a marinara sauce or pesto for a lighter dose pasta sauce. The texture of the finely ground herb is masked nicely by the thick texture of pesto or meat marinara. Other members like to add the leftovers to their homemade lotions to get that little extra oomph!