Cannabutter Candy: A Delicious, Easy-To-Make Edible Recipe
Looking for a discreet way to get your buzz on, or an easy-to-carry pain relief edible?
Look no further. What you’re really looking for is yummy cannabis hard candy. And it’s easy to make this confection, by using cannabutter (cannabis butter) and a few other ingredients that nearly everyone has in their pantry or on their kitchen shelves. The only things you may need to buy are a candy mold and a candy thermometer. (If you don’t want to buy a candy mold just to make a test batch, here’s a hack: spread a layer of confectioner’s sugar on a flat pan, and then use your fingers to create indentations the size of the candy you want to make.)
One note before going further: be aware of the danger associated with all edibles – the very real possibility that children may find them and unknowingly make themselves sick. As always, use responsibly.
Making Cannabutter
Cannabutter is the foundation of nearly all types of edibles. From brownies and fudge, to Krispie treats and – for our purposes – hard candy.
The process of making cannabutter starts with cannabis, of course. To make about a cup of butter, use 14 grams of buds, trim, or even stems, depending on how much you want to spend on your recipe and how baked you want to get. The weed should be decarboxylated before use since cannabinoids like THC aren’t activated unless they’re heated. Decarbing is easy to do; grind your herb (into small chunks, not powder), put it into a pan, and cook it in the oven for an hour at 225°.
Now grind the weed into a fine powder, and slowly stir it into one cup of butter that you’re melting over low heat on the stove. Don’t add more than a handful of pot at a time, and be sure to stir completely. When the powder has all been absorbed – poof! You have potent cannabutter.
If you’re vegan you can substitute coconut oil for the butter, since it will also absorb the cannabis completely. And if you haven’t had the time to make cannabutter but are jonesing for this candy (or if you don’t want the distinctive smell in your kitchen), you can use regular butter and a few drops of purchased weed tincture instead.
Time to make candy.
Cannabutter Hard Candy Recipe
This recipe has been circulated widely in stoner circles, but deservedly so. It’s that easy and that good.
Equipment:
- Small heavy saucepan
- Candy mold(s) – this recipe normally makes about 20 pieces of candy
- Candy thermometer
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup plus one tablespoon of cannabutter
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 3/4 cup of sugar
- 3-ounce box of flavored Jell-O, your choice of flavor
Directions:
- Grease your candy mold(s) using one tablespoon of cannabutter.
- Mix 1/4 cup of cannabutter, corn starch, and butter in the saucepan over low heat, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, insert the candy thermometer and continue boiling, until the candy thermometer reads 275°.
- Remove the thermometer, add the Jell-O and stir rapidly until the mixture has a smooth consistency.
- Move the pot off of the stove, and quickly spoon the mixture into the candy mold(s). This must be done with no delay, or the candy mixture will set in the pot instead of the mold(s).
- Cool the candy at room temperature – do not refrigerate until completely cool and hard.
- Remove the candy from the mold(s) and, if desired, coat the cooled candies lightly with confectioner’s sugar to prevent them from sticking to each other
It’s probably not necessary to warn you, but these candies (and all edibles) are slow-acting, so don’t overdo things. Wait a couple of hours before eating a second one, at least until you know how you’ll react.
Enjoy!
