This recipe makes perfect pot brownies and includes all the instructions you need from start to finish; including how to decarboxylate your cannabis flower, how to create cannabutter and how to bake pot brownies using the cannabutter. First time cannabis chefs may want to scroll down to read this full article prior to baking.

I spent a lot of time reading various blogs and articles before settling on all the components I needed to create the perfect pot brownie recipe. If you’re like me- rather impatient- then this comprehensive list of steps from start to finish is perfect for you. This brownie recipe is a tried and true recipe and can be used to make normal brownies using regular butter rather than cannabutter.

Before cooking with cannabis

I recommend having a designated set of cookware so that you aren’t leaving behind any THC residue on your everyday utensils. You don’t have to complete all of these steps in one day. If you would like to start by decarboxylating your flower, just store it in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dry place until you’re ready to make the butter. If you make the butter, same thing, store in a tightly sealed container in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.

Calculating Cannabutter Potency

The measurement of cannabis in this particular recipe is low and very conservative. Expect it to produce a very mild effect. With edibles, I think you’re best to play it on the safe side and ingest a smaller dose, wait, then eat more as needed. If you consume too many edibles, orange juice is said to help you come back down by raising your blood sugar and reducing the effects of THC. Here’s how I calculated my cannabutter potency:

1g of cannabis= 1,000 mg cannabis x .20 (assumed THC content %)= 200mg

Therefore my 1 C. of cannabutter has 200mg of THC. 

My brownie recipe calls for 1 C. of butter so the entire pan of brownies contains 200mg THC. I cut my brownies into 24 servings.

200mg / 24 servings = 8.333mg THC per brownie.

If you wanted stronger brownies, you could add more flower to the cannabutter.

How to decarboxylate your cannabis flower

To decarboxylate your cannabis flower, preheat your oven to 230 degrees Fahrenheit. Break up your cannabis flower and spread it evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. A baking sheet with edges is ideal so you don’t accidentally lose any of the cannabis. Place in the oven and bake for about 35 minutes. Check the cannabis flower often to ensure it isn’t burning. It should have a toasty light brown color once its ready.

The decarboxylation process creates a really strong cannabis odor so be prepared for that. I opened a few windows and lit some incense sticks to help with the smell. Once the time is up, take the cannabis flower out of the oven and let it cool completely. You can start on the cannabutter while it cools. I did grind my cannabis flower up more after I took this picture. I used a handheld coffee grinder, like you’d take camping.

How to create cannabutter

To make the cannabutter I took 2 sticks or 1 Cup of organic grass fed butter. I placed the sticks of butter inside a Pyrex dish, then placed the Pyrex dish inside the slow cooker. A mason jar would do the trick too.

Turn your slow cooker to high and fill it with enough water so that the butter inside the Pyrex would be equal height to the water outside of the Pyrex. I did this because my slow cooker is really big and cooking only one cup of butter in it seemed ineffective. I left the slow cooker on high and the temperature remained around 180.

Melt the Butter

Put the lid on the slow cooker and first melt the butter completely. Once melted, you could add in Sunflower or Soy Lecithin which would intensify the psychoactive effects of the THC. This is something I’ll try next time. You should be able to purchase the Lecithin at a Natural Grocers, Sprouts or other health food store.

Stir in the Cannabis Flower

Once the butter is completely melted, slowly stir in your ground up cooled cannabis flower that you decarboxylated earlier. I used a meat thermometer to check the temperature frequently, and left the slow cooker to do its thing for three hours. I occasionally stirred the butter and checked the temperature.

Don’t forget to strain your cannabutter

Part of what makes this recipe so tasty is that there isn’t a weird crunchy, leafy texture to it. That’s because we strain out the flower from the butter! After three hours, I turned off the crock pot and lined a metal mesh strainer with cheesecloth. I held the strainer over a clean Pyrex dish and transferred the cannabutter mixture into the strainer. I gave the cheesecloth a few squeezes to ensure I wasn’t leaving any butter behind.

How to make pot brownies

I like this particular brownie recipe because it’s so easy, all the ingredients can be thrown in one pot and stirred.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and greasing a 9 x 13″ dish. If you’re using a dark colored or glass dish, the brownies will cook faster. Keep an eye on them and adjust your baking time as needed.

You’ll start by taking your melted cannabutter. If it isn’t already melted, go ahead and melt it in a medium sauce pan on low heat. Careful not to burn the butter. Once melted, remove the butter from heat.

Stir in eggs, sugar, vanilla in the butter. Then beat in cocoa powder, flour, salt and baking powder. Stir really well so that the butter is incorporated evenly. You don’t want any flour or cocoa powder clumps.

Spread the batter into your greased pan. Bake for 25 minutes. Check on your brownies to ensure they don’t burn.

Allow the brownies to cool completely, slice and enjoy!

How the brownies turned out

Overall the brownies were cooked to perfection. They had a great texture and very mild hint of cannabis taste. For an even less-noticeable taste you could try frosting the brownies. The feedback was that the brownies had a very very mild effect. A mild effect is what I was going for this time. It’s a great pot brownie recipe to introduce new patients to edibles. Some things to boost the potency would be to use more cannabis flower in the butter, add sunflower lecithin and play around with lowering the baking temperature.