As a cannabis enthusiast who has spent the last two years creating plant-based edibles for clients, I have realized that certain ingredients make all the difference in making delicious, healthy products. One such ingredient is cannabis-infused coconut oil (also referred to as cannaoil).
While this may sound like something you would find only at your local dispensary, it turns out that there are many ways to get access to cannabis-infused coconut oil without having to leave home. This includes buying some high-quality cannabis flowers and infusing them into your coconut oil using one of these methods – but before we dive into how to do that, let’s first take a look at what cannabis-infused coconut oil is.
What Is Cannabis-Infused Coconut Oil?
Cannabis-infused coconut oil is coconut oil that has been infused with small amounts of THC, CBD, CBN, or THCA. The most common method of infusing cannabis into coconut oil involves soaking the cannabis flowers in coconut oil until they become saturated.
Then, after the cannabis flowers have absorbed enough of the oil, the mixture is placed into a blender or food processor and blended until the desired consistency is reached. Depending on the potency level required by each recipe, this process can take anywhere from 5 minutes to several hours.
The resulting product will contain approximately 3% to 10% THC depending on the strength of the cannabis strain. While this percentage may seem low compared to the amount found in concentrates such as shatter, waxes, and dabs, remember that this is the maximum concentration attainable when using fresh cannabis flowers. When using dried cannabis flowers, the final product will usually contain around 1%-3%.
It is important to note that since THC levels vary significantly between strains, the exact THC content of the infused coconut oil will also vary from batch to batch. As long as the overall THC percentage remains within the legal limit, there shouldn’t be much cause for concern.
How Does Cannabis-Infused Coconut Oil Differ From Regular Coconut Oil?
There are quite a few differences between regular coconut oil and cannabis-infused coconut oil. Here are just a handful of the main ones:
• Because cannabis-infused coconut oil contains tiny bits of THC, it cannot be used for cooking or frying foods. You won’t want to use it to sauté vegetables, cook meat, or fry fish. Instead, it is better suited for baking desserts, coating popcorn, or adding flavor to baked goods.
• If you plan on consuming your cannabis-infused coconut oil orally, you should store it away from heat and light because doing so could potentially degrade its quality over time. However, keeping it in the dark glass jars or containers should work just fine if you intend to apply it topically instead.
• Unlike regular coconut oil, cannabis-infused coconut oil does not solidify at room temperature, making it extremely easy to spread onto other foods while maintaining its consistency.
Why Should I Use Cannabis-Infused Coconut Oil In My Edibles?
I mentioned above that cannabis-infused coconut oil is excellent for making plant-based edibles. But why exactly should anyone bother? Well, here are just a few reasons why I think it’s worthwhile:
1. It tastes incredible!
One of my favorite parts about making plant-based edibles is coming up with new recipes incorporating different herbs and spices. My favorites include cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, turmeric, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme, coriander, cardamom, black pepper, white pepper, and paprika.
These flavors add a lot of variety to otherwise bland-tasting treats. And now that I know I can easily create tasty cannabis-infused coconut oil-flavored treats, I will surely put those flavors to good use.
2. It is super easy to make!
If you already have access to a blender or food processor, starting with cannabis-infused coconut oil couldn’t be easier. All you need to do is buy some high-quality cannabis flowers and follow the instructions below. That’s it!
3. You don’t need a ton of cannabis to make a big impact!
Unlike many other cannabis-infused edibles, cannabis-infused coconut oil doesn’t require much cannabis to produce noticeable results. Even someone with little experience working with cannabis can quickly learn how to make cannabis-infused coconut oil.
4. It is super inexpensive!
When it comes to cannabis-infused coconut oil, the cost is rarely an issue. Even though it requires more effort than purchasing pre-made cannabis-infused coconut oil, making your own always saves you money in the long run. Plus, since it takes roughly 30 grams of cannabis flowers to make one liter of cannabis-infused coconut oil, it isn’t too hard to stretch your budget.
5. It lasts longer than regular coconut oil!
Since cannabis-infused coconut oil doesn’t go rancid like regular coconut oil, it tends to stay fresh for longer. This means you won’t need to worry about throwing out old batches of cannabis-infused coconut oil every month or so. Instead, you can save and use it whenever you feel like whipping up a treat.
