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Cannabis Cooking: The Basics

From decarboxylation to cannabutter: learn the fundamentals of cooking with cannabis at home.

By WeedCentral Editorial · 4 min read · Reviewed 2026-Q2

Key takeaways

  1. Raw cannabis is not psychoactive until you decarb it: bake the flower at 240°F (115°C) for 30 to 40 minutes first.
  2. Cannabutter is the foundation: simmer 7 to 10 grams of decarbed flower in butter and water on low for 2 to 3 hours.
  3. Estimate the dose per serving from your flower's THC percentage, assume 70 to 80 percent extraction, and err weaker.

Why You Can't Just Eat Raw Cannabis

Raw cannabis contains THC-A, which isn't psychoactive. To convert THC-A into active THC, you need heat: a process called decarboxylation ("decarbing"). This happens automatically when you smoke, but for cooking, you need to do it as a separate step first.

How to Decarb

Break your flower into small pieces (don't grind too fine). Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 240°F (115°C) for 30-40 minutes. The flower should turn golden brown and smell toasty. This activates the THC while preserving terpenes.

Making Cannabutter

The foundation of cannabis cooking. Melt 1 cup of butter with 1 cup of water in a saucepan. Add 7-10 grams of decarbed flower. Simmer on low (160-180°F) for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. Strain through cheesecloth. Refrigerate: the butter solidifies on top of the water. Discard the water.

Dosing Your Recipes

This is the hardest part. A rough formula: if your flower is 20% THC and you use 7g, that's ~1,400mg THC total. Divide by the number of servings to get per-serving dose. Account for ~70-80% extraction efficiency. When in doubt, make it weaker: you can always eat more.

Tips for Success

THC binds to fat, so always infuse into butter, oil, or another fat. Don't overheat: high temperatures destroy THC and terpenes. Test a small portion first before committing to a large batch. Label all cannabis-infused products clearly and store away from children.

Frequently asked questions

Why do I need to decarboxylate cannabis before cooking?
Raw cannabis contains THC-A, which is not psychoactive. Heat converts THC-A into active THC through decarboxylation. This happens automatically when you smoke, but for cooking you must do it first: bake broken-up flower at 240°F for 30-40 minutes until it is golden brown and toasty.
How do I estimate the dose in homemade edibles?
Use a rough formula: 7 grams of 20% THC flower contains about 1,400mg of THC total. Divide by the number of servings for a per-serving dose, and account for roughly 70-80% extraction efficiency. When in doubt, make it weaker; you can always eat more.

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