Making infused food starts with three core steps: activating the plant material through heat, binding it into a fat-based carrier, and incorporating that carrier into recipes. The process is straightforward, but the details matter. Getting the temperature wrong by even a small margin can destroy potency or leave the active compounds locked in their inactive form. Here’s how to do it right.
Why Heat Activation Comes First
Raw cannabis flower contains THCA, an inactive acid form that won’t produce effects if you eat it directly. Heat converts THCA into THC through a chemical reaction called decarboxylation. This reaction begins at around 90°C (194°F) and speeds up dramatically at higher temperatures. At 100°C (212°F), full conversion takes about 3 hours. At 145°C (293°F), you hit peak THC levels in roughly 7 minutes.
The catch is that THC starts to evaporate at around 157°C (315°F). At 150°C (302°F), one study found that THC levels peaked after just 3 minutes but dropped to near zero after 7 minutes. So the sweet spot is a moderate temperature held for a longer period, rather than blasting with high heat. Most experienced cooks decarboxylate at 110–120°C (230–250°F) for 30 to 40 minutes. This gives THCA enough time to convert without vaporizing the THC you just created.
To decarboxylate, break your flower into small, even pieces (don’t grind it to powder), spread it in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake at 115°C (240°F) for about 40 minutes. The material should look lightly toasted and dry when it’s done. Let it cool completely before moving to the infusion step.
Choosing the Right Carrier Fat
Cannabinoids are fat-soluble, so you need a lipid-based carrier to pull them out of the plant material. The three most common options are butter, olive oil, and coconut oil (specifically MCT coconut oil). All three work well, but they aren’t identical.
Research comparing olive oil and MCT oil found that both achieve extraction efficiencies above 95%, so neither is dramatically better at pulling cannabinoids from the plant. Where MCT oil stands out is in two areas. First, it extracts significantly more terpenes, the aromatic compounds responsible for flavor and some therapeutic effects. In one comparison, MCT oil captured 56% more terpenes than olive oil from the same starting material. Second, MCT oil appears to offer better bioavailability, meaning your body absorbs more of the active compounds after digestion. Studies on other fat-soluble substances have consistently shown that medium-chain fats like those in MCT oil lead to higher absorption rates than long-chain fats like those in olive oil.
Butter is the traditional choice for baked goods and has a high enough fat content (around 80%) to work well. Clarified butter or ghee is even better because removing the milk solids gives you a purer fat that’s less likely to burn during infusion. For versatility across recipes, MCT coconut oil is probably the strongest all-around option.
Infusing the Fat
Once your flower is decarboxylated, combine it with your chosen fat. A common ratio is one cup of fat to one cup (roughly 7–10 grams) of decarboxylated flower, though you can adjust this based on the potency you want.
Stovetop Method
Add the fat and decarboxylated flower to a saucepan on the lowest heat setting your stove offers. The mixture should stay warm but never boil or sizzle. Stir occasionally and maintain this gentle heat for 10 to 15 minutes at minimum, though many cooks extend this to 2 or 3 hours for a more thorough extraction. If you’re worried about temperature control, use a double boiler. The water bath prevents the fat from getting hot enough to degrade the cannabinoids.
Slow Cooker Method
This is the more forgiving approach. Combine the fat and flower in a slow cooker set to low, and let it infuse for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Some people run it for 4 to 6 hours. The slow cooker’s gentle, consistent heat makes it harder to accidentally overshoot your temperature. Adding a small amount of water to the mixture provides an extra buffer, since the water can’t exceed 100°C (212°F) and will prevent the fat from scorching. The water separates out when you refrigerate the finished product.
When the infusion is done, strain the mixture through cheesecloth into a clean container, squeezing gently to extract as much oil as possible. Discard the plant material.
Keeping the Temperature Safe
Temperature control is the single most important factor in preserving potency throughout the process. THC has a boiling point of 157°C (315°F), and its flash point is 206°C (403°F). At 145°C, THC content drops by half within 40 minutes of exposure. CBD is similarly vulnerable: at 220°C (428°F), over 80% degrades within an hour.
For cooking with your finished infused fat, this means you should avoid high-heat methods like frying or broiling. Baking at 175°C (350°F) or below is generally safe because the internal temperature of the food stays well below the oven temperature thanks to moisture in the batter or dough. Stovetop cooking on low to medium heat works fine. The goal is to keep the infused fat itself from reaching temperatures where cannabinoids start to break down.
Calculating Your Dose
Dosing is where most beginners go wrong, and the math is simpler than you might think. Start with the THC percentage of your flower. If you’re using flower labeled at 20% THC, that means each gram contains 200 mg of THC.
Multiply the THC concentration per gram by the number of grams you used. If you infused 7 grams of 20% flower into one cup of oil, your total batch contains roughly 1,400 mg of THC (7 × 200). In practice, extraction isn’t 100% efficient, so most people assume about 80% recovery, giving you closer to 1,120 mg in the full cup.
Now divide by the volume of oil to get your per-unit strength. One cup is about 237 mL, so 1,120 mg divided by 237 mL gives you approximately 4.7 mg per mL. If a recipe calls for a quarter cup (60 mL) of oil, that batch will contain about 282 mg of THC total. Divide by the number of servings to get your per-serving dose. For 10 servings, that’s roughly 28 mg each.
A standard starting dose for someone without much tolerance is 5 to 10 mg per serving. Adjust the amount of flower you infuse, or dilute your infused oil with regular oil, to hit your target dose. Write down your math and label your containers.
Improving Flavor
Infused fats can taste grassy and bitter, mostly due to chlorophyll breakdown products and other plant compounds that dissolve into the oil during infusion. One technique to reduce this is water curing the flower before decarboxylation. Submerge the buds in water for several days, changing the water daily. Chlorophyll itself isn’t water-soluble, but its breakdown products are, along with sugars, salts, and other compounds that contribute to harsh flavor. The trade-off is real: water curing produces a much milder, nearly flavorless product, but it strips away most of the natural aroma and taste. For edibles where the cannabis flavor would clash with the recipe, that’s often exactly what you want.
Another approach is simply choosing recipes with strong flavors that mask the herbal taste. Chocolate, coffee, peanut butter, and strongly spiced dishes all work well. Mint and citrus can also help offset bitterness.
Boosting Absorption
Adding a small amount of sunflower or soy lecithin to your infusion can improve how well your body absorbs the finished product. Lecithin is an emulsifier that helps fats mix with water-based fluids in your digestive tract. It forms tiny structures called micelles and liposomes that make fat-soluble compounds more accessible to your intestinal lining. In food science research, lecithin has been shown to enhance the bioavailability of fat-soluble nutrients by improving their solubility and enabling more controlled release during digestion.
A teaspoon of liquid sunflower lecithin per cup of infused fat is a typical amount. Stir it in during the infusion process or blend it into the finished oil. This is optional, but it can make a noticeable difference in how quickly and consistently the effects come on.
Storage and Shelf Life
Infused oils and butters are sensitive to light, heat, and air. Store them in dark-colored or opaque containers and keep them away from heat sources. For short-term use over a week or two, the refrigerator is fine. For anything longer, freeze your infused fats in measured portions using ice cube trays or small silicone molds. This also makes it easier to grab a pre-measured dose when you’re ready to cook.
Infused butter follows the same spoilage timeline as regular butter: a couple of weeks refrigerated, several months frozen. Infused oils last somewhat longer due to their lower moisture content, but light and heat accelerate rancidity. If it smells off or tastes sour, discard it. Label everything with the date, the total estimated THC content, and the per-unit dose so you’re never guessing weeks later.