How to Make Cannabis Edibles: Tips for Lollies and Gummies

Of the many things that have been re-invented in the past decade, getting high is one of them. Starting with the wide acceptance of marijuana for medical and recreational purposes to invent different easy methods for using cannabis, weed lovers have never had it better.

For instance, every state in the US today agrees to the public use of cannabis, though with little variation in users’ dosage and age. In other words, the use of cannabis has gained massive popularity, not to mention the many exciting ways by which you can get your fill of it.

This article highlights how to make cannabis edibles. We humans have a thing for candies, and we already see how weed lovers infuse marijuana into gummies and lollipops.

Cannabis edibles are THC-rich food products – candies, baked foods, beverages, and chocolates that contain cannabis. The dominant cannabinoid in cannabis edibles is tetrahydrocannabinol. Many weed takers consider cannabis edibles to be safe, but it also comes with some risks, especially regarding dosage.

So how exactly can you make cannabis edibles?

If that question resonates with your curiosity, then you may as well know that you can cool off in your bed or couch while you let your weed work it’s way through your body. Either way, just sit tight and read on.

Before we get started, bear in mind that this is very easy and you can do it at home. To begin with, there are basic requirements you need to have on the ground.

What Do I Need To Make Cannabis Edibles?

The ingredients you need differ slightly considering whether you’re going for lollies or gummies. However, before we get down to actual recipes and other elements, here are some essential ingredients you need.

• Cannabis tincture
• Cannabutter
• Canna oil
• Chocolates
• unsalted butter
• vanilla extract or any flavor of your choice
• sugar
• baking powder
• kosher salt.

The equipment needed includes a weed grinder, food processor, candy mold candy sticks, cookie sheet that’s lined with parchment paper, and of course, and sizable pots.

Getting the Dosage Right

If you ask many people who have tried candy cannabis edibles before, they will quickly confirm the importance of getting the dosage of the cannabis right.

You see, there’s a difference between smoking or vaping pot and taking it as edibles. This is because your body metabolizes edibles differently. For starters, your body takes longer (about 40-45 mins) to start feeling the influence of the weed from edibles.

For this reason, you may be deceived into thinking that you need more of the substance to get the juice. Unfortunately, by the time it kicks in, it may hit you more challenging than you think. So, go easy on the dosage.

Typically, a beginner’s tolerance would differ from that of an expert. Hence, it’s important not to take more than you can handle. You may refer to this cannabis dosing guide if you’re unsure of the right amount to use.

But for smokers, they’ll instantly feel the weed effect because THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol), the substance responsible for the ‘high feeling,’ enters your bloodstream through the lungs. And because THC doesn’t metabolize well in the blood, it binds rather quickly to cannabinoid receptors.

The effect kicks in almost immediately, but it doesn’t last as long as it would if you take marijuana as edibles.

Three Important Prerequisites For Making Cannabis Edibles

Now that we’ve got some information about what we need and how much weed we need to make edibles, it’s about time we delved deeper into the heart of the discussion. So here are the essential prerequisites for getting the best out of your candy-making venture.

1.   Choose your strain

Choosing a marijuana strain is important because of the different types of available work best under different circumstances. But it depends mostly on you — the consumer. For instance, sativas will be good for driving your energy level notches higher, while indicas will do well for relaxation or sleep.

Also, you need to take care not to infuse too much, considering that THC is the dominant cannabinoid in the pot — unless, of course, you’re taking it for medical reasons. If that’s the case, be sure to pick medicinal marijuana that holds the right medicinal properties.

2.   Decarboxylating the marijuana

Your weed is non-psychoactive without heat. This is why you need to cook it for decarboxylating it. However, if you cook for too long, it also renders it impotent. The boiling temperature for THC is 314ºF. Needless to say, you need to get a firm grip on the process.

This is why most consumers prefer smoking and vaping to edibles. But no need to fret; the process is easy.

• First, preheat your oven to 240ºF
• Grind the leaves into little pieces and load them into a cookie sheet
• Now, place the cookie sheet in an oven and monitor it for 20-30 minutes.
• Heat for about 20 minutes, place the weed in a good processor to let it ground very well.

3.   Making cannabutter

This is a step closer to having your candy edibles ready. Making a cannabutter involves infusing the marijuana into a food that’s ideal for baking, hence the need for butter.

To a boiling quart of water, add some sticks of butter. After it melts completely, add your marijuana to it, and lower the heat to let it simmer. Allow the butter to cook for about three hours. This will get the mixture to thicken at the top. At this point, you’re nearly finished.

Now place the butter in a bowl lined with cheesecloth and squeeze it hard to let out any liquid butter left. Allow the liquid to cool for an hour, then place it in the fridge to get the spread’s texture.

How to Make Cannabis Lollipops

When making weed lollipops, it’s essential to keep an eye on the temperature not to overheat the cannabis. And by the way, the process is easy.

You’ll need:

• 230 ml of sugar
• 115 ml of corn syrup
• 60 ml of water
• 2-3 tablespoons of THC tincture
• One tablespoon of vanilla or any flavor of your choice

Directions

Mix the sugar and water in a pot over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Allow the ingredients to boil and mix until the temperature reaches 300°F. Use a thermometer to ascertain the temperature.

You may remove the pot from the stove at this temperature and allow it to cool down to 250°F. Add the THC tincture and flavor, then stir thoroughly. Finally, pour the mixture into candy molds, insert the candy sticks, and leave them to cool down for 15 minutes. Your lollipops are ready!

How to Make Cannabis Gummies

The ingredients needed for this recipe include:

• 235 ml of fresh fruit juice or fruit puree
• 55-60 ml of water, cold preferably
• One tablespoon of THC tincture
• Sugar for sweetening, and
• A spoonful of agar-agar powder

Directions

Pour the fruit juice into a pot or saucepan and place it over medium heat. Allow it to boil for a little while. In a separate dish, add one teaspoon of agar-agar and some water. Stir the mixture and pour it carefully into the boiling fruit juice. Stir again and add the sugar or any sweetener of your choice.

Finally, add the cannabis tincture, but be sure to remove the saucepan from the stove first. Next, you pour the mixture into the molds and allow it to cool down for 20 minutes. Please leave it in the fridge for another 20 minutes. Your gummies are ready. You can now remove them from the molds. You may spray a little agar-agar powder over the gummies to prevent them from sticking together.

Getting More Out of Cannabis

The scope of cannabis edibles extends well beyond the context discussed. The use of marijuana for relaxation and therapeutic purposes continues to grow. Hence we have created an avenue for inquisitive minds to explore and do more with cannabis.

Cannabis Training University (CTU) is an online institution where you can enroll for professional certifications in growing cannabis, cooking with cannabis, budtender training, cannabis extractions and more and enhance your understanding of its vast and growing applications today