How to Make Edibles with CBD: The Best CBD-Infused Olive Oil Recipe

Much like cannabis, olive oil (and, of course, the olive itself) has been revered through the ages. An essential part of the Mediterranean diet, olive oil is high in omega fatty acids as well as “good” fats; namely, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.

Olive oil is also known as a source of polyphenols, which are a class of micronutrients found naturally in certain plants. Studies have shown that diets rich in polyphenols can help mediate blood sugar levels, help reduce chronic inflammation, and promote the growth of good bacteria in the gut.

As if that wasn’t enough reason to infuse your olive oil with cannabinoid-rich hemp, add to that the fact that olive oil is also very efficient when it comes to absorbing cannabinoids. And because it’s so easy to digest, it has a high rate of bioavailability for the user.

A Note About Decarboxylation

Much like in our cannabutter recipe, we suggest that before you infuse the olive oil, you decarboxylate your flower. Unlike coconut oil and MCT oil, both of which can handle relatively high temperatures, olive oil does best at a lower temperature. So, while you can put your flower directly in the olive oil without first decarboxylating it, the whole process will take quite a bit longer and you’ll run the risk of burning the oil.

CBD Infused Olive Oil Ingredients

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

Materials Needed

• Cheesecloth
• Grinder (preferably a hand grinder; coffee grinders and blenders can make the material too fine)
• Double-boiler, slow cooker, or simply 1 pot and 1 pan
• Rubberband
• A mason jar or airtight container for storage
• Baking sheet or cookie sheet (if you choose to decarboxylate your flower in the oven first)

Directions

Step 1: Decarboxylate the Flower

Preheat the oven to 245˚F. Cover the baking tray with a sheet of parchment paper and spread your hemp flower in an even layer across the tray. Once the oven is preheated, place the flower into the oven and set a time for 40 minutes.

Step 2: Grind the Flower

Friendly reminder - don’t over-grind it! If it’s too fine, it may filter through the cheesecloth and end up in your olive oil. Also, you’ll want to wait for it to cool first. We know it sounds obvious, but still…

Step 3: Combine CBD Oil and Flower

Using your double boiler, slow cooker, or 1 pot/1 pan combo, combine your oil and flower.

Step 4: Add Heat

Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cook for 30-40 minutes. Then, remove from heat and let steep for 30-40 minutes more.

Since you’ll be using decarbed hemp, you do not need to heat it up to the normal decarboxylation temperature of 240˚F. Shoot for about 160˚F.

Pro tip: use a meat thermometer to measure temperature.

If you are using hemp that has not been decarboxylated, you’ll need to heat your mixture up to 240˚F and keep it there for 2-3+ hours.

Step 5: Strain and Store the CBD Infused Olive Oil

Once the infusion is complete and the mixture has cooled, place your cheesecloth over your jar. Then, fit the rubber band around the mouth of the jar, securing the cheesecloth in place. Pour the mixture through the cheesecloth.

Pro tip: do not squeeze the ball of oily hemp after pouring the mixture through! This will lead to bitter olive oil filled with chlorophyll.

...and that’s that! Thank you for checking out our newest edition of Cooking With Hemp. Check back soon for a delicious recipe where we’ll put your newly CBD infused olive oil to good use!

How to Calculate Potency in Your Cannabutter Recipe

Now, let’s talk about how to calculate the potency of your homemade cannabutter. 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 hemp 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 cannabutter. 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 hope you enjoyed this CBD cannabutter recipe. If you’re interested in exploring other ways to use hemp flower and CBD products in your food, check out other CBD recipes to bake with CBD effectively. Find other CBD infusions like CBD MCT oil.

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