You can make a cannabis tincture without alcohol by using vegetable glycerin or MCT oil as your base solvent. Both extract cannabinoids effectively, though each has trade-offs in potency, taste, and versatility. A third option is making a traditional alcohol tincture first, then evaporating the alcohol off before use. All three methods start with the same critical step: decarboxylation.
Why Decarboxylation Comes First
Raw cannabis contains inactive acidic forms of its cannabinoids (THCA and CBDA). Without heat, your tincture won’t produce the effects you’re looking for. Decarboxylation converts these compounds into active THC and CBD, and it’s a non-negotiable first step for any non-alcoholic method since glycerin and oil don’t extract as aggressively as alcohol does.
Preheat your oven to 220°F (105°C). Spread your cannabis in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, break up any large buds, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Stir every 10 minutes so it heats evenly. The flower should turn a light golden brown and smell toasty. Let it cool completely before moving to infusion. If you’re working with a CBD-dominant strain, give it a full 45 minutes at 230°F, since CBDA takes longer to convert than THCA.
Choosing Your Base: Glycerin vs. MCT Oil
The two most common alcohol-free carriers are vegetable glycerin (VG) and MCT oil (fractionated coconut oil). Your choice depends on how you plan to use the tincture.
Vegetable glycerin is partially water-soluble, which means it blends into coffee, tea, juice, or other beverages without separating. It has a naturally sweet taste that makes it pleasant to take under the tongue. This versatility makes it the more popular choice for sublingual use and mixing into drinks.
MCT oil is strictly fat-soluble and won’t mix into water-based liquids. It will float on top of your tea. However, fats are excellent at dissolving cannabinoids, so MCT oil tinctures tend to be more potent drop-for-drop than glycerin versions. If you plan to take your tincture straight from a dropper or add it to fatty foods like smoothies, MCT oil is the stronger option.
Glycerin Tincture Method
Glycerin is a gentler solvent than alcohol, so it needs more time or more heat to pull cannabinoids out of plant material. You have two approaches: a slow cold infusion or a faster heated method.
Cold Infusion (90 to 120 Days)
Place your decarboxylated cannabis into a mason jar and cover it completely with vegetable glycerin. Seal the jar tightly and store it in a cool, dark place. Shake the jar vigorously once a day. After 90 to 120 days, strain the mixture through cheesecloth into a clean bottle. This method preserves terpenes and avoids any risk of heat degradation, but it requires patience.
Heated Infusion (3 to 8 Hours)
For faster results, combine your decarbed flower with glycerin in a mason jar, leaving the lid loosely on. Place the jar in a slow cooker filled with a few inches of water (a water bath protects the glycerin from direct heat). Set the slow cooker to low and let it infuse for at least 3 hours, ideally up to 8. Stir or shake the jar every hour. Keep the temperature below 200°F to avoid breaking down cannabinoids. When finished, strain through cheesecloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
A good starting ratio is roughly 1 ounce of flower to 2 cups of glycerin. You can adjust this based on how potent you want the final product. Less glycerin means a stronger tincture but also a thicker, harder-to-strain result.
MCT Oil Tincture Method
MCT oil infusions follow a similar low-and-slow heat process but tend to produce a more potent end product. Combine 1 ounce of decarboxylated flower with 2.5 cups of MCT oil in a slow cooker. Set the heat to low (around 190°F) with the lid slightly vented, and let the mixture simmer for 2 to 6 hours. Check the temperature periodically and don’t let it exceed 200°F. Longer infusion times at lower heat generally produce better results than shorter, hotter sessions.
You can also do this on a stovetop using the lowest burner setting. If you have a gas stove, use a flame diffuser between the pot and the burner to prevent hot spots. Stir occasionally and monitor the temperature with a kitchen thermometer. Once done, strain through cheesecloth into a glass bottle and store in a cool, dark place.
Converting an Alcohol Tincture
If you already have an alcohol-based tincture, or you want alcohol’s superior extraction power without the alcohol in your final product, you can evaporate the alcohol after extraction. This is the most effective way to get a potent non-alcoholic tincture, because alcohol pulls out more cannabinoids than glycerin or oil alone.
The simplest method is a water bath (bain-marie). Pour your alcohol tincture into a heat-safe glass container, like a Pyrex measuring cup, and place it inside a saucepan filled partway with water. Heat the water until it just starts to boil, then turn the heat off entirely. Leave the lid off and let the setup sit for about 3 hours. The alcohol evaporates gradually as the water cools. You should see the liquid reduce by roughly half. Repeat if needed until you’ve reduced it to a thick, concentrated extract.
One important safety note: alcohol fumes are flammable. Never do this over an open gas flame while the alcohol is actively evaporating. Use an electric stove if possible, or turn the gas completely off before the evaporation phase. Once the alcohol has cooked off, you can reconstitute the remaining concentrate by stirring it into glycerin or MCT oil to create a droppable tincture again.
A simpler, lower-effort version: pour individual doses into small cups or eggcups and leave them uncovered in a warm spot (near a window, by a radiator) for 24 hours. This reduces the alcohol content by about 50%. Adding a small amount of boiling water to a dose cuts another 20% in just a few minutes. Neither method eliminates alcohol entirely, but the combination brings it down to a trace amount.
Adding Lecithin for Better Absorption
Cannabinoids are fat-soluble, which means your body has to work harder to absorb them, especially from a glycerin base. Adding a small amount of sunflower lecithin to your finished tincture can make a noticeable difference. Lecithin is a natural emulsifier found in soybeans, sunflower seeds, and egg yolks. It acts as a bridge between fat-soluble cannabinoids and your body’s water-based digestive system, helping them absorb more completely and more quickly.
In practical terms, this means your tincture hits faster and feels stronger at the same dose. Add about half a teaspoon of liquid sunflower lecithin per cup of tincture and stir or shake thoroughly. Sunflower lecithin is the most common choice since it avoids the allergen concerns of soy. You can find it at most health food stores.
Storage and Shelf Life
Non-alcoholic tinctures don’t have the natural preservative properties of alcohol, so storage matters more. Keep your finished tincture in a dark glass dropper bottle, stored in a cool, dark place. Refrigeration extends the life of glycerin tinctures significantly. MCT oil tinctures are more shelf-stable due to MCT’s natural resistance to going rancid, but refrigeration still helps.
Glycerin tinctures typically last 1 to 2 years when stored properly. MCT oil tinctures can last similarly if kept cool and out of direct light. If your tincture develops an off smell, changes color dramatically, or tastes rancid, it’s time to make a fresh batch.