If you like to smoke, there is a pretty good chance you also like to eat. So the best way to do both at the same time? You guessed it: Edibles. Because of how easy it is to make THC oil and cannabutter, the possible recipes for any infused dish or dessert are practically endless.
Weed brownies are some of the most well known edibles people make at home (and among the most delicious), and they are also only a couple steps added to the easiest brownie recipe you have. As long as you have the usual chocolate cake suspects, cannabutter or oil and a working oven, you are on your way to chewy, chocolatey treats that you do not have to share with your kids (no seriously, it’s the law).
Kitchen Tools
If you bake desserts at home semi-regularly, you probably already have all the utensils you need to get started on your brownies. The bare essential brownie tool kit is only two large whisks, three to four medium-sized bowls (one for the ‘secret’ ingredient) and parchment paper or aluminum foil-lined cake pan, preferably nonstick.
Even better than the two whisks is if you have the hand mixer with the whisk attachments, ideally with a second set to swap for the frosting or wet ingredients. Even better than that is the bowl and stand mixer which are in all terms the best invention since the joint roller but can be expensive. So break out the mixer or prepare for an arm workout and gather your ingredients.
Ingredients
Have you always wanted to make your edibles but can’t even make toast? Well, this is your time to shine! This recipe is easy enough to go from concept to table in less than an hour with a list of ingredients small enough to count on your fingers.
Like most dishes but especially desserts, there are tons of recipes out there with lots of room to put your own spin on the chocolatey classic. You can use some decarbed flower, cannabutter or cannaoil to give your brownies that special kick, but just about everything else falls within your weeknight run-of-the-mill brownie recipe.
Step 1: Make Cannabutter, Prep Oven
We are going to start by breaking the rules a little bit (what is life without it, right?) and making cannabutter: Including this step will take another couple hours, but it is worth every second.
Preheat the oven to 240° F and throw in 3 to 5 grams of flower. Take it out after about 20 minutes, making sure it does not evaporate, before adding it to a preheated mason jar with a stick of butter. Preheating your jar in water is perfect for your two ingredients and will fully infuse your butter in about 3 hours. Stir and pop it in the fridge to cool completely before baking.
Decarbing or drying out your flower is crucial, you do not want to eat raw weed with your brownies. By the time you bring your oven up to 350° F, your cannabutter should be ready to go.
Step 2: Dry Ingredients
Besides sugar, your dry ingredients consist of baking powder, flour, salt and unsweetened cocoa powder: that is all. A half teaspoon each of salt and baking powder whisks into 1 cup of flour and a half cup of your cocoa powder.
You can also add in some finely chopped chocolate or some quality chocolate chips to your dry stuff so that it dissolves when they come together, making your brownies super fudgy and melty.
Step 3: Mixing Sugars
Once your other dry ingredients are mixed, time to add sweetness. This recipe will easily make a dozen brownies, calling for about 2 cups of sugar.
But, you can trim it down to a cup and a half if you add the chocolate chips: the idea is to get your desired amount of sweetness and chocolate without anything being too overpowering. Mix the sugar with your dry ingredients before prepping your wet ingredients in a separate bowl.
Step 4: Wet Ingredients, Stir
Before everything comes together, your wet ingredients need time to get to know each other. Simply melt a cup of your cannabutter, throw in 4 large eggs (not literally, just crack them) along with a teaspoon of vanilla extract and whisk for about 2 minutes to combine.
Also, THC oil is a perfect substitute for cannabutter: use one cup of your infused coconut or vegetable oil and keep stirring as normal.
Step 5: Mixing All Ingredients
The time has (almost) come to finally bake your first edibles. Make sure your wet and dry ingredients are both evenly stirred before combining, then put them all into a large mixing bowl.
Ready your whisks or mixer to bring everything together: Your mixer will have everything beautifully combined in 3 minutes tops, while whisking by hand will take about 5 or 6 minutes. It depends partially on technique but you want a thick, creamy batter that is not too runny.
Step 6: Final Prep & Toppings
Once you have the brownie batter of your dreams, pour into your awaiting cake pan. It should already be greased with nonstick spray (or butter) and lined with parchment paper: Much easier to remove from your brownies than aluminum foil.
Your last step before filling your kitchen with amazing aromas is your desired toppings: Crushed walnuts, sprinkles, M&M’s or even sea salt (this brings out the chocolatey flavor and does not make them salty) if you want the best finishing touch to your ‘green’ brownies.
Step 7: Bake for 25-35 mins at 350° F
Spread the batter evenly throughout the dish, smooth it over with your optional toppings and throw it in the oven. The sweet spot of the perfect brownie consistently, assuming your ingredients are at room temperature, is 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
25 minutes will have them a little more chewy but not undercooked, and 35 minutes will have them slightly darker and crunchier: basically a mix between a brownie and a chocolate cookie.
Step 8: Cool, and Enjoy!
This cannot be stressed enough: Let. Them. Cool. No matter how delicious they smell or look fresh out of the oven, there is not an edible on Earth worth scolding the roof of your mouth over.
Plus, if you already threw chocolate chips in the mix, you will still get the ‘chocolate stretch’ after letting them cool for 20 minutes.
Like most edibles, your weed brownies can last for weeks in the fridge, months in the freezer but maybe a day once they get on the plate!
Vegan Ingredients
The standard no-bake recipe with the addition of infused cooking oil is all you need to make these brownies entirely vegan. We mentioned earlier that canna oil will substitute for cannabutter, and give your brownies more of a glossy sheen.
Obviously, eggs help but they are not mandatory: soy or almond milk will work just as well if you are trying to stay vegan and you can still use special ingredients like non-dairy butter if you do decide to go the cannabutter route.
Texture and Ideal Cooking Times
Once you get the basic recipe down, you can experiment with different measurements or cooking times to give you the best kind of brownie texture you want. Adding an egg yolk and a more vigorous stir will give you ‘fudgier’ brownies while using less flour and adding milk will give you something closer to chocolate cake.
It might take a couple of tries to get your edible brownies exactly right, but you are only a few steps away from some blow-your-doors-off delicious brownies with a little added surprise.
