This cannabutter recipe infuses decarbed flower into ghee or butter in a sealed mason jar set in barely simmering water for 3 to 4 hours. Ghee has no milk solids to scorch or water to separate out, and THC dissolves into its fat, making a clean, versatile base. For other methods, see our cannabutter guide.
Dosing and safety: estimate before you taste
Strength depends on your flower's THC, the decarb and how much fat the plant keeps, so the worksheet below gives a ceiling to plan from. Taste a quarter teaspoon or less, then give it at least 2 hours; a slow start is normal with edibles, and the effects can stay with you for 4 to 12 hours. See our THC dosage guide.
What you need
- 1 cup ghee or unsalted butter
- 3.5 grams of flower, decarbed and coarsely ground, as in our decarb guide
- A pint mason jar, a deep pot, a rack or folded towel, a thermometer and cheesecloth
You can order flower ahead from your store's menu for in-store or curbside pickup.
The cannabutter recipe, step by step
Decarb first, around 240°F for 30 to 45 minutes, since THCA converts slowly below boiling. Then hold the sealed jar in water at a bare simmer, 180 to 200°F, for 3 to 4 hours. Water can't pass boiling, so the fat stays well below the temperatures where lab tests saw THC losses. Vent the jar once, halfway, and let the butter drip through cheesecloth without squeezing.
Potency worksheet
- Total THC: the label's figure, or THCA × 0.877 plus THC. 20% THCA and 0.5% THC is about 18%.
- Ceiling: grams × 1,000 × THC%, so 3.5 × 1,000 × 0.18 = 630 mg.
- Yield: measure what you strained, since the plant keeps some fat. Say 42 teaspoons.
- Per teaspoon: 630 ÷ 42 = 15 mg at most, or about 13 mg for a full 48-teaspoon cup.
The 0.877 covers the weight THCA loses as it becomes THC.
Storage and labeling
The CDC says homemade oils made with herbs belong in the fridge for no more than 4 days, and University of Georgia Extension suggests freezing instead. Do the same with infused butter, freezing tablespoon portions in an ice cube tray. Mark every side "infused," with the date and mg per teaspoon, and give it a shelf of its own, beyond the reach of kids and pets. In Michigan, you can share it with adults 21 and older only as a gift, never in exchange for anything, within the 2.5-ounce limit and without advertising it.
Using it
Swap it for part of the butter in a recipe and keep the rest plain to hit your dose; our cannabis cookie recipe shows the math. Bake it in or stir it in off the heat. For canna-coconut oil, use coconut oil in place of the ghee.
