Cannabis oil is the foundation of cooking with cannabis. While you can sprinkle some kief over a dish or whip up a raw cannabis smoothie, canna oil is the secret ingredient for an endless menu of flavorful dishes, snacks, and baked goods with euphoric results and plant-powered wellness benefits.
My favorite thing about cannabis oil is that you can make it at home with some basic supplies, giving you full control over the process and ingredients. Whether you want to host an elevated dinner party or turn your favorite strain into a potent batch of baked goods for recreational or therapeutic purposes, you can make weed-infused oil tailored to your needs using the high-quality oil of your choice. Is it any wonder cannabis cooking oil is loved by chefs and home cooks alike?
Once you master the basic techniques of decarboxylating weed and infusing oil, you’ll be off to the bake-off ready to create a variety of delicious cannabis-infused treats and dishes.
Canna oil (cannabis-infused oil), is oil that has been infused with cannabinoids extracted from the cannabis plant.
Canna oil is made using a carrier oil such as olive oil or coconut oil. Other cooking oils such as hemp oil, avocado oil, and butter can also be used.
Cannabis-infused oil is more than just a vehicle for cannabinoids like THC and CBD. It also contains a range of other beneficial compounds from the cannabis plant, such as terpenes and flavonoids, which enhance the oil’s aroma, flavor, and therapeutic properties.(1) These compounds are infused into the oil with an extraction process, which can be done commercially or in your home kitchen.
Cannabis oil can be used in place of regular oil or butter in all kinds of sweet and savory food, adding both flavor and wellness-supporting properties to your meals.
Making cannabis oil at home involves a few steps to ensure you extract the cannabinoids and other beneficial plant compounds properly and infuse them into the carrier oil of your choice.
To make weed-infused oil, you’ll need:
Ingredients
Equipment
When choosing a carrier oil for cannabis oil, consider how you’ll be using it.
For example, cannabis-infused olive oil will remain liquid, which can be used in salad dressings and savory cooking. Meanwhile, cannabis coconut oil made with unrefined coconut oil will become solid once it cools, which is ideal for baking and sautéing.
The best flower-to-oil ratio for making cannabis oil depends on your desired potency and use. The standard ratio is 1 ounce (28 grams) of cannabis flower to 2 cups (16 fluid ounces) of oil.
If your weed has 15% THC, this ratio will yield a batch of oil that contains approximately 4,200 milligrams of THC with around 263 milligrams of THC per ounce. The same principle applies to high-CBD strains.
For a stronger oil, use more cannabis. If you want a mellow oil, use less.
The first step to making cannabis oil is to activate the cannabinoids in your weed through a process called decarboxylation. While “decarboxylation” is a mouthful, it just means heating your weed.
After decarboxylation, infuse the oil with the cannabinoids by gently heating the oil and cannabis together, allowing the cannabinoids to transfer into the oil.
According to one of my favorite chefs, JeffThe420Chef, the oil should be heated to 165°F-212°F, and the temperature should be adjusted based on the type of oil.(2) These low temperatures extract the cannabinoids efficiently but aren’t high enough to cause them to cook off.(3)
If you’re using a double boiler, you can use a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature of the oil. If you don’t have one, keep the heat low and make sure the oil never reaches a full boil.
To create your infusion, prepare your double boiler, slow cooker, or herbal butter and oil maker, and add your oil and weed. Here are the cooking times for each of these methods:
| TYPE OF OIL | TEMPERATURE | TIME |
| EVOO/OLIVE OIL | 165°F | 2:00 |
| GRAPESEED OIL | 165°F | 2:30 |
| SESAME OIL | 165°F | 2:30 |
| AVOCADO OIL | 175°F | 2:00 |
| COCONUT OIL | 175°F | 2:00 |
| PEANUT OIL | 175°F | 2:00 |
| BUTTER | 210°F-212°F | 2:00 |
Oil infusion temperatures and times as recommended by JeffThe420Chef
Now that your oil has been infused, it’s time to strain out the cannabis.
You can use your warm canna oil immediately if you need warm oil for your recipe, or store it. Allow the oil to cool completely at room temperature before putting a lid on it.
If you use shelf-stable oil, the oil can be stored in a cool, dark place for several weeks, or it can be refrigerated for a longer shelf life.
If you use butter, store your cannabutter in the refrigerator or freezer.
Cannabis coconut oil made with unrefined coconut oil will solidify once it reaches around 78°F, so choose a container that makes it easy to scoop the oil out. Wide-mouth jars and glass food storage containers are great options.
Like cannabutter, cannabis coconut oil can be refrigerated or frozen to help it last longer.
Cannabis infused-olive oil can last two months or longer when stored at room temperature. However, infused olive oils spoil faster than regular olive oil, so use your best judgment if you notice any funky odors (other than the weed, of course). (4)
Follow these best practices when storing your cannabis olive oil:
Coconut oil and olive oil are popular choices, but you can also use hemp oil, sesame oil, avocado oil, and butter. If you use an oil for cooking, you can use it to make canna oil.
Yes, decarboxylation is necessary to activate the THC and CBD in cannabis, which ensures the oil is effective. The exception would be if you don’t want the oil to cause a high or you only want the benefits of raw cannabis.
A temperature of 160-215°F is recommended for infusing cannabis into coconut oil or any carrier oil you may be using.
The process typically takes about 4-6 hours, including decarboxylation (30-40 minutes) and infusion (2-3 hours). If you’re using an herb oil maker, it can cut this time by as much as half.
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