How to Make Edibles with CBD: CBD-Infused Coconut Oil

We’re regularly asked about how to make infusions with hemp flower, so we thought it was time to highlight one of our favorite ingredients to infuse and use - coconut oil! Check out our CBD-infused coconut oil, plus some information about why it makes for an excellent CBD infusion.

Why use coconut oil for CBD infusions?

Coconut oil contains over 80% saturated fats, making it a near-perfect carrier for cannabinoids. In case you didn’t know, cannabinoids are fat-soluble, meaning they bind with fats. That’s why you want to use high-fat oils when making infusions with your cannabis flowers or extracts. Because coconut oil has such a high concentration of fat, it’s remarkably efficient at retaining cannabinoids during infusion.

There are many other reasons to use coconut oil as a carrier for your cannabinoids besides its fat content. It can be used as a 1:1 replacement for butter in many recipes, including those most commonly associated with cannabis edibles like CBD brownies, CBD cookies, and CBD banana bread! It will also remain solid at room temperature, making it easy to store your CBD coconut oil.

Perhaps most importantly, coconut oil contains healthy fatty acids, and that alone is a great reason to work it into your routine. So here it is, how to make CBD coconut oil:

Ingredients:

• 14g of ground hemp flower (use full flower, small buds, or shake)
• 1 cup of coconut oil

Materials needed:

• Cheesecloth
• Grinder (preferably a hand grinder; coffee grinders and blenders grind the material too fine)
• Double-boiler, slow cooker, or simply 1 pot and 1 pan
• Rubberband
• A jar for storage

CBD Coconut Oil Directions:

Step 1: Grind the flower

Reminder - you don’t need to grind too much. If it’s too fine, it may filter through the cheesecloth and end up in your oil.

Step 2: Combine

Combine the flower and oil in your double boiler, slow cooker, or saucepan.

Step 3: Add Heat

Heat on low for a few hours, stirring occasionally. Be sure not to let the mixture burn! The ideal temperature for decarboxylation (i.e., “activation) is at or just above 240° Fahrenheit.

Pro Tip: use a meat thermometer to measure the temperature.

Recommended Cooking Times for CBD coconut Oil Based on Method:

• Slow Cooker - heat mixture for 4-6 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Saucepan - heat mixture for at least 3-4 hours, stirring often. This method is most likely to lead to burned oil, so keep an eye on it!
• Double boiler - heat mixture for 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally.

Step 4: Strain and Store the Oil

Once the CBD infusion is complete, place your cheesecloth over your jar and fit your rubberband around the mouth of the jar, securing the cheesecloth in place. Pour the mixture through the cheesecloth.

Pro Tip: Do not squeeze the cheesecloth after pouring the mixture through! That will lead to an unnecessary amount of chlorophyll in the oil.

And that’s that! Because coconut oil is solid at room temperature, you can leave it out on your counter. For long-term storage, your oil can be stored in the refrigerator or the freezer.

How to calculate potency:

Now, we’re going to tell you how to calculate the potency of your coconut oil. If you purchased your hemp flower from us, you'll have test results handy. If you can't find them, don't stress! You can always visit the product page of the flower you purchased and look at a digital version.

Let's start with a manageable number and say that your flower contains 10% CBDa.

• When cannabinoids are decarboxylated, about 87.7% are activated. To be conservative, let's say that 80% are activated in your CBD oil. If the flower contains 10% CBDa, each gram will yield about 80mg of CBD.
• In this recipe, we used 14 grams, so 14 x 80 = 1120mg.

We hoped you enjoyed this CBD coconut oil recipe. If you’re interested in exploring other ways to use hemp flower and CBD products in your food, check out other CBD recipes and how to bake with CBD effectively. Find other CBD infusions like CBD MCT oil.

If you have any questions, you can contact us here.