Best Cannabis Recipes to Cook on 4/20

April 20th marks a highly anticipated occasion within the cannabis community, where enthusiasts worldwide gather to celebrate all things cannabis. From attending cannabis-themed events and parties to cozying up with friends for 4/20 movie classics and communal joint-passing, the day is filled with camaraderie. But what about those who don’t partake in smoking pot?

Contrary to common perception, there are a variety of ways to revel in 4/20 beyond rolling a joint. Did you know you can craft your own cannabis-infused treats? Whether catering to a sweet tooth or concocting a savory delight to share, delving into cannabis-infused cooking can offer a wonderful and cost-effective way of indulging in the festivities.

In this article, we’ll explore some of the finest cannabis-infused recipes perfect for April 20th, delve into the fundamentals of decarboxylation, and examine top-notch infusers for your culinary adventures.

The Basics of Making Cannbis-Infused Treats

Creating your own edibles presents an excellent opportunity to enjoy the benefits of cannabis without straining your budget. Cannabis-infused treats often offer a more enduring and potent high compared to smoking, making them a beloved choice for 4/20 festivities.

However, before you don your apron, it’s important to understand the fundamentals of decarboxylating cannabis. Decarboxylation, commonly known as “decarbing,” serves as a vital step in crafting edibles, tinctures, and various cannabis-infused products. Unlike the immediate effects of THC and CBD from smoking or vaporizing, consuming raw cannabis in its natural state doesn’t induce a high.

Decarbing involves chemically altering the compounds in marijuana by eliminating a carbon atom from the carbon chain, resulting in the release of carbon dioxide (CO2). This transformation converts THC-A and CBD-A into their active forms, THC and CBD, respectively.

The decarboxylation process occurs when cannabis undergoes heating, whether in an oven, on a stovetop, or even in a crockpot. Understanding this process is essential for maximizing the potency and effects of your homemade cannabis creations.

How to Make Cannabis-Infused Oil

Were you aware that you can substitute regular cooking oil with cannabis-infused oil in various sweet and savory recipes? Once you’ve decarboxylated your cannabis flower, you’re ready to create cannabis-infused oil for all your cooking and baking needs. Commonly used oil bases include canola, vegetable, coconut, olive, avocado, sesame, and peanut. Your choice of base oil should align with how you plan to use it and the types of dishes you intend to prepare, tailored to your personal taste preferences.

Here’s a simple method for making cannabis-infused oil at home:

• Heat your chosen oil and the decarboxylated cannabis in a double-boiler, slow cooker, or saucepan over low heat for 2-3 hours.
• Maintain the oil temperature between 160°F (71°C) and 200°F (93°C) throughout the infusion process.
• Strain the mixture through a mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a container for storage, discarding any leftover plant material.
• Infused oil typically has a shelf life of two months, which can be prolonged by refrigeration.
• But hold off on storing that oil just yet! Here are some delightful sweet and savory recipes for you to experiment with.

Cannabis-Infused Chocolate Pretzel Cookies

Ingredients: 

 2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) of all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup (2 3/4 ounces) unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ cup cannabis-infused olive oil
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• 1 cup (3 1/2 ounces) powdered sugar
• 30 mini chocolate-covered pretzels (about 2 1/2 ounces)
• Cooking spray

Directions:

Step 1

1. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Set this bowl aside. 
2. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix sugar, cocoa powder and both types of oil until the mixture resembles wet sand. 
3. Add eggs to the mixture, one at a time. Be sure to mix them in well after each addition. 
4. Stir in vanilla bean paste. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients with the mixer on low speed. Mix until well combined, which should take about 30 to 45 seconds. 
5. Cover the dough and let it chill for at least 2 hours.

Step 2 

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F (176°C). Meanwhile, place parchment paper on 3 baking sheets. 
2. Put powdered sugar in a small bowl. Spray a cookie scoop with cooking oil and form 1 3/4-inch dough balls. Drop the dough ball into the powdered sugar and roll it around until generously coated. 
3. Place the dough ball on a baking sheet. Press a pretzel into the center of the dough ball, gently flattening it to form a 2-inch disc. 
4. Repeat with remaining dough, powdered sugar and pretzels, spraying the scoop with cooking spray as needed and spacing dough discs at least 1 ½ inches apart. 
5. Freeze dough discs, uncovered, on baking sheets for at least 10 minutes (or up to 1 hour).

Step 3 

1. Bake cookies for about 12 minutes for soft and fudgy cookies or 14 minutes for a firmer, cake-like texture. 
2. Allow 30 minutes for cookies to cool completely. Cookies can be kept at room temperature for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
3. Enjoy!

Cannabis Quesadilla

Ingredients:

• 8 flour or spelt 6-inch tortillas 
• 3 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 3 tbsp. cannabis oil 
• 8 slices sandwich-cut dill pickle 
• 4 oz. ham
• 4 oz. thinly sliced roast pork 
• 4 oz. Swiss cheese

Directions: 

1. Prepare an outdoor grill for medium-high direct grilling. You can also use an indoor quesadilla press.
2. Brush one side of four tortillas with mustard and the other with cannabis oil.
3. Evenly layer the ham, pickles, pork, and cheese on all four tortillas. Then, place the remaining tortillas on top and press down firmly. 
4. Place quesadillas on a hot grill grate (or in the indoor press) and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, carefully turning. You’ll know they are ready when tortillas are browned on both sides, and the Swiss cheese melts.
5. Place the quesadillas onto a big cutting board, and cool for one 1 minute. To serve, cut each quesadilla into four wedges.