DIY, or ‘do-it-yourself’ methods for common everyday projects, and self-care routines are rising in popularity. For cannabis, too. From growing your own crops, to learning how to make THC oil at home - there are many DIY options for saving money, and customizing cannabis goods to suit your own personal needs. So, here we’re teaching you the ultimate ways to make cannabis oil recipes from home. Keep reading to find out the easiest ways to DIY cannabis oil, and the benefits of doing so.

The Basics & Benefits of Cannabis Oil

Cannabis oil in the most basic description is the simple act of extracting THC into oil. Typically, for cooking purposes. When you learn how to extract THC into oil, you can essentially transform any everyday recipe into one that’s cannabis infused. Which is just one of the benefits of making DIY cannabis oil, from home.

Another benefit is repurposing and recycling the use of trim from harvesting your own cannabis crops. While you can make cannabis oil with whole buds, too, using shake from the process of trimming those buds works just as well. This gives home growers an additional cannabis product from the labor it takes to home grow crops.

The most common oils used for cannabis oil are coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, or regular olive oil - which all serve the same purpose as the infamous canna-butter. In fact, the process to make cannabis oil is just as simple as making cannabutter. But cannabis oil can be more versatile in recipes, and more health-conscious, too.

The Best Cannabis Oil Recipe

Marijuana buds and a grinder on black wood background.

Before making your own DIY cannabis oil, first you must decarboxylate the flower you’ll be using. Which is a fancy word for ‘heating up’ or activating the cannabinoids, and terpenes in the flower. The same way you would with a lighter, torch or vape coils when consuming it normally. Since you can’t eat the flower raw and feel the same effects, this step is crucial in making successful cannabis oil for THC (or CBD) benefits.

 

The easiest way to decarboxylate cannabis flower is using any standard kitchen oven. You’ll heat the flower on low, slow heat, to activate its unique combination of cannabinoids and terpenes. Set your oven on the lowest temperature (typically around 220℉) and heat up the flower you plan on using for infusing on a baking sheet, for around 20-30 minutes. You’ll know the flower is ready, when it’s reached a light golden brown. Some recommend grinding up the flower before baking to expose more of the flower to heat. While others argue just lighting breaking it up, to keep the entire flower more in-tact. Regardless, either way will work. But, as a tip, keep in mind the decarboxylation process will be quite pungent.

Cooking with marijuana. Backing cannabis buds to activate psychoactive effect and cook with it later.

Before you get decarboxylate in preparation to make the easy cannabis oil recipe we’re about to share - you’ll have to decide how much weed you’ll want to use. As a rule of thumb, or in general, most cannabis oil DIY’ers tend to stick to a ratio of 1:1 cups of flower to oil. Meaning, you’ll need 1 cup of flower or trim to every 1 cup of oil you plan on making.

Now, without further adieu - let’s get to the best cannabis oil recipe that’s easy for any level of skill in the kitchen.

Cannabis oil recipe

Ingredients & materials you’ll need: 

  • Decarboxylated flower, at least 1 cup
  • Your oil of choice, at least 1 cup - coconut oil is most popular, olive oil, extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, etc.
  • Slow cooker (preferred, or saucepan for stove top method)
  • Strainer
  • Cheesecloth
  • Jar

Now that you’ve got everything, the next steps are as follows:

  1. Pour the oil into the slow cooker, or the saucepan if using the stovetop. If using coconut oil, melt the oil before measuring.
  2. Add the decarboxylated flower, and stir. Feel free to add splashes of water, if the mixture seems tight.
  3. Set the slow cooker to warm, and allow it to infuse overnight (anywhere from 4-12 hours). Or, on the low setting for 4-6 hours, stirring frequently to ensure the mixture doesn’t burn. On the stovetop, set the heat to low and stir frequently for approximately 3 hours.
  4. After infusing, place cheesecloth over the strainer and place over a large glass measuring glass, or directly over the jar/container you’ll be storing the oil in. Pour the mixture into the strainer, wrap the cheesecloth around it and squeeze lightly to release the oil from the flower. Avoid squeezing too hard, as you’ll add extra chlorophyll to your oil. Let drip, until all the oil has been extracted.
  5. Pour the final strained oil into your storage container, and store for up to 2 months or longer with refrigeration.

The Final Word on DIY Cannabis Oil

Once you’ve become a master of making your own cannabis oil for cooking - the sky’s the limit for infused possibilities. Any recipe or meal you make, with the type of oil you infused, can be easily replaced with your cannabis version. So, go on and try your hand at your first batch of cannabis oil. Just another reason to keep home growing, for cost-effective edibles to celebrate each harvest. Shop the 420-Seeds collection of strains now, to decide what goody effects you’ll be enjoying next.