Are you ready to make one of the most versatile staple recipes to stock your cannabis kitchen? This easy, step-by-step beginner’s guide will teach you how to make cannabis coconut oil at home in a crockpot, Instant pot, or stove. It is perfect for anyone who wants to learn how to make a cannabis-infused oil that is vegan, dairy-free, and versatile enough to be used as a base for recipes and self-care products.
Table of Contents
- Article Features
- Why You Will Love This Recipe
- What You’ll Need
- The Step-by-Step Process
- Storage Instructions
- Why Coconut Oil Is Great For Infusions
- Don’t Forget To Decarb
- Additional Factors to Consider
- Notes & Expert Tips
- Easy Crockpot Cannabis Coconut Oil Recipe
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Recipes To Make With Coconut Oil
Article Features
- A fan favorite with over 1,100+ happy reviews!
- Just two ingredients needed – cannabis flower & coconut oil
- Want to make it easy? Skip the hard work, order my Bliss MCT Oil, and have it delivered straight to your door – now shipping across the United States!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Hello and welcome, fellow cannabis connoisseur – I hope you are as excited as I am to make this incredible staple recipe today.
I surveyed members of my Well With Cannabis Community, and this recipe was #2 in the most popular infusion category, next only to cannabutter.
It’s no wonder everyone loves cannabis coconut oil; it is versatile and perfect to use in both edible and topical recipes.
It’s plant-based and works with nearly every diet.
The fat in the oil is perfect for pulling the cannabinoids from the plant matter and creating a potent infusion.
The final product is a cannabis-infused oil that can be used to make your favorite recipes like the ever-popular brownie, chocolate chip cookies, and more.
Here, you will find my ingredient recommendations, step-by-step instructions, expert tips and advice, and the free printable recipe card at the end of the post. Happy Infusing!
What You’ll Need
Note: Determine how much to use for each ingredient below with this flower-to-oil ratio guide.
- Coconut Oil – Further explained below, you can choose between refined and unrefined coconut oil.
- Cannabis flower – Your desired amount of cannabis flower, ranging from 3.5 grams up to 1 ounce. Choose THC flower, CBD flower, or CBG flower. You can purchase flowers from my online shop.
- Lecithin – This optional ingredient is a natural emulsifier that may help improve bioavailability. Learn more about adding lecithin to edibles here. You can purchase liquid or powdered lecithin online.
Note: A complete list of ingredients with amounts and instructions is located in the printable recipe card below.
The Step-by-Step Process
- Step 1 – You want to create a water bath that stays at approximately 180-190° F. The instructions below are for using a crockpot. Alternatively, here are instructions for using an Instant Pot or the stovetop.
- Step 2 – While heating the water bath, measure and decarb your cannabis flower. Use my oven or Instant Pot decarboxylation tutorials if needed. Remember, you do not want to grind the flower.
- Step 3 – Add the decarbed cannabis and coconut oil to a mason jar. If you plan on using lecithin, add it to the jars now. Secure the lid on the jar.
- Step 4 – Carefully place the jars in the water bath. Place the lid on the crockpot. Leave it alone to infuse for 4 hours. After 4 hours, remove the jars from the water to cool.
- Step 5 – Whether it be a paper filter and funnel, cheesecloth, French press, or a simple coffee filter, you will want to set up a straining station to separate the plant matter from the oil.
- Step 6 – Strain the prepared oil. You can save the leftover cannabis pulp for use in future recipes.
- Step 7 – Return the prepared oil to whatever jar you would like to store it in; a mason jar works well.
- Step 8 – Store the prepared cannabis coconut oil in a cool, dry place.
Note: Complete step-by-step printable instructions are located in the recipe card below.
Storage Instructions
Store your prepared oil in a cool, dry place. It will last longer if stored in the refrigerator and even longer if stored in the freezer.
Keep the jar out of direct sunlight, and keep it in a cool, dark cupboard or even the refrigerator.
If you store coconut oil in the refrigerator, know that it will solidify into a solid mass. This is normal.
However, in order to get it back to a workable state, you will need to let it sit out to soften. Never use the microwave to warm cannabis infusions.
Learn more about how to store cannabis edibles, specifically CBD oil.
Why Coconut Oil Is Great For Infusions
I help educate my Cannabis Compass Online Course students about how they can learn to confidently use cannabis to improve their quality of life.
Many of my students follow a gluten-free and dairy-free diet, which is why I wanted a cannabis-infused butter alternative that was dairy-free.
Coconut oil is the perfect substitute for butter when in need of dairy-free or vegan cannabutter.
The coconut oil performs similarly to the butter in extracting the cannabinoids from the plant matter, and it remains solid at room temperature like butter.
Coconut oil is naturally dairy-free, vegan, vegetarian, plant-based, and allergen-friendly, and this is the product I use and recommend when making our own at home.
This cannabis-infused coconut oil is a great option for anyone following a specialty diet or just looking for an alternative to traditional cannabutter.
Choose A Type of Coconut Oil
There are many different types of coconut oil on the market today, the three most common being unrefined coconut oil, refined coconut oil, and MCT oil.
It is ultimately your decision on which type of oil you want to infuse, but here are some important considerations when making your decision.
Virgin or Unrefined Coconut Oil
Virgin or unrefined coconut oil is about as close to the natural substance as you can get.
Unrefined coconut oil is made from the ‘meat’ of fresh coconuts and then cold-pressed, leaving just the oil which has a pure coconut flavor.
Unrefined coconut oil has a more natural, more prominent, topical coconut taste and smell.
Like refined coconut oil, unrefined coconut oil is 63% MCTs and 50% lauric acid, meaning it infuses the same.
If you choose to use unrefined coconut oil, this is the organic virgin unrefined coconut oil I recommend.
Refined Coconut Oil
Refined coconut oil is an oil made from dried coconuts that have been put through additional processing.
Some companies use harsh chemicals to bleach the coconut to remove the taste and flavor, while others use steam to refine the oil.
The biggest draw to refined coconut oil is that it has a very neutral taste and flavor, making it easier to work within certain recipes where the coconut taste is not wanted.
Many people prefer refined coconut oil because it has a less prominent coconut taste. Like unrefined coconut oil, refined coconut oil is 63% MCTs and 50% lauric acid, meaning it infuses the same.
If you choose refined coconut oil, you will always want to make sure you choose a sustainably farmed organic steam refined coconut oil like this one I recommend.
MCT Coconut Oil
MCT oil is a type of saturated fat extracted from coconuts that are rapidly digested and absorbed by the body.
Many people prefer liquid MCT oil for infusions because it is tasteless and remains liquid at room temperature.
The process for infusing MCT oil is the same as refined or unrefined coconut oil, although I do have a specific guide for making an MCT oil infusion here.
One important thing to note is that MCT oil in large amounts may cause digestive distress in some individuals.
If you choose to use type oil, this is the MCT oil product I recommend.
Don’t Forget To Decarb
Before getting started, it is important to note that consuming dried or raw cannabis flower buds will provide little to no intoxicating effect at all.
If you do not decarboxylate, you will reap the health benefits of CBDA or THCA, which are non-intoxicating.
However, most people want to feel the full effects of activated CBD or THC flower when making edibles.
For this recipe, I decarboxylated the cannabis flower in the oven before combining it with coconut oil and placing it into the crockpot. Therefore, we have a shorter cooking time, about four hours.
You can also decarb in an Instant Pot, if you have one.
If You Forget to Decarb
While I recommend going through the full decarb process for maximum benefits, truthfully, if you accidentally skip the decarboxylation process, we can fix it.
You will simply increase your infusion time which will help you achieve decarboxylation over time.
If you don’t decarb first, I recommend infusing the coconut oil for longer than the typical 4 hours, going for at least 8-12 hours.
This longer cooking time helps to decarboxylate the flower for you. If you accidentally forget to decarb, you can relax, all is not lost.
Additional Factors to Consider
If you asked 100 different Chefs, you would likely get 100 different variations on how to make your own cannabis-infused oil at home.
In addition to different techniques, many other factors can affect your results when cooking with cannabis.
Here are a few additional considerations to keep in mind.
Temperature Controls
It is important to keep tight temperature controls when cooking with cannabis.
While heat is needed to decarboxylate the acids into the active form of cannabinoids our bodies can use, extreme temperatures can destroy many important plant materials that contribute to positive health outcomes, like terpenes.
Each terpene may have its own therapeutic health benefits, but it also carries its own sensitivity to heat.
If cannabis is heated above 300° Fahrenheit for a prolonged period of time, you run the risk of denaturing many important plant compounds.
For this reason, I recommend using an instant digital-read thermometer during your cooking process to ensure you never go above the safe temperature threshold.
You may also want to invest in a machine that can decarboxylate and infuse for you, like the Ardent or LEVO infusion machines.
The Strain of Cannabis Used
The strain of cannabis flower you are using will impact decarboxylation time and temperature recommendations.
Each cannabis strain contains varying amounts and ratios of different cannabinoids and terpenes.
Because each cannabinoid and terpene decarboxylates at a different temperature, you will want to consider the best temperature and cooking time for your particular strain.
Additionally, the final potency and intoxicating effects will vary depending on whether it is a THC or CBD-dominant strain.
There are CBD dominant flower options and THC dominant cannabis flower options to choose from.
The Freshness of Product
You will have noticeable differences in the final product depending on the freshness of the material you start with.
Cannabis coconut oil can be made with raw cannabis leaf trimmings to make a CBDA or THCA dominant oil and it can also be made with traditionally dried and cured flower buds.
The concentration of cannabinoids will vary with the freshness of the starting material, the cannabinoid concentration of the material, which will ultimately impact your final product’s potency.
Equipment Variability
You can make cannabis coconut oil with various pieces of equipment like a crockpot or slow cooker or Instant Pot, but small variables in the cooking equipment may impact your final product.
Different crockpots will have different temperatures when setting to the same setting, which is why I recommend a digital thermometer be used throughout the cooking process.
Notes & Expert Tips
- Sometimes the mason jar will float when placed in the water bath. This is no need for concern, simply put something heat and water safe over the top of the jar to weigh it down, a clean rock works well.
- Don’t love coconut oil? You can use this process with any oil. Alternative carrier oil options include: avocado oil, hemp seed oil, grapeseed oil or MCT oil
- Cannabis coconut oil can serve as a vegan cannabutter alternative and is an important for any cannabis consumer to master alongside cannabis olive oil.
- Making infused cannabis coconut oil is a fairly straightforward process that uses both heat and fat to decarboxylate the cannabis flower and extract the cannabinoids from the plant.
- This process extracts a full spectrum of cannabinoids and other plant compounds from the plant.
Easy Crockpot Cannabis Coconut Oil
Ingredients
- 1 ounce cannabis flower pre-decarb
- 16 ounces coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon liquid sunflower lecithin optional
Instructions
- Lay a clean tea towel down on the bottom of your crockpot. This will create a buffer between your mason jars and the crockpot, potentially preventing any jar from moving or cracking during cooking.
- Fill your crockpot with enough warm to hot water to cover the top of the mason jars you plan on using by an inch to create a water bath.
- Place the digital instant-read thermometer into the water. Start the crockpot heat on high. When a temperature of 185° F is reached, turn the crockpot to low.
- While the water bath is heating in the crockpot, measure and decarb the cannabis flower in the oven at 240°F for 40 minutes (for THC-flower). Click here for a full cannabis decarboxylation tutorial, if needed.
- Evenly divide the coconut oil between the mason jars you plan on using. You can either use pint-sized or half-pint-sized jars, it's you're preference, just be sure they fit in your crockpot. No matter the size, be sure to leave a 1/2 inch headspace from the top.
- If you plan on using sunflower lecithin, add it to the mason jars now.
- Evenly divide the decarbed flower between the coconut oil-filled jars. Wipe the rim of the jars with a clean paper towel and place the lid on. Tighten the metal ring to finger-tip tightness, it does not have to be tightened all the way. Do not tighten too tightly.
- Once the water bath reaches a temperature of 185° F, carefully place the jars into the water bath. Place the lid on the crockpot and leave alone to infuse for 4 hours.
- After 4 hours, carefully remove the lid, followed by the jars from the hot water. Set them aside to cool.
- Once cool enough to handle, you will want to strain the cannabis oil through a paper filter and funnel, cheesecloth, or French press to separate the plant-matter from the coconut oil.
- Store the prepared cannabis coconut oil in a cool, dry place. It will last longer if stored in the refrigerator and even longer if stored in the freezer.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
In theory, using lecithin will make valuable cannabinoids like CBD and THC more bioavailable or ready for use by the body, ultimately making the edible stronger. You will definitely still have a great infused cannabis oil if you don’t use lecithin, it’s not a make or break ingredient for this recipe.
Yes, you can infuse coconut oil with full-extract cannabis oil, FECO (or RSO), instead of flowers. If you want to infuse with this type of oil, here is my guide on making FECO.
After the straining process to separate the plant matter from your infused oil, you will be leftover with a ball of spent cannabis flower, also called leftover pulp or sludge.
Yes, just use the cannabis flower to oil ratio chart below to choose the batch size that is right for you.
Recipes To Make With Coconut Oil
Cannabis Dessert Recipes
Easy Weed Brownies Recipe
Cannabis Topicals
Easy Homemade Cannabis Salve Recipe
Cannabis Drink Recipes
Creamy Cannabis Hot Chocolate
Cannabis Dessert Recipes
Hi there! I love your video. It may sound silly, but where do you buy cannabis flower to make the infused coconut oil? Thanks!
Hello Ernestine, thanks so much for the kind words! No silly questions here 🙂 I have both CBD and CBG flower for sale in my shop, and for THC flower I grow my own. Availability and legality will depend on what state you’re in, I hope this helps!
If you’re making the infused coconut oil with FECO to use as a topical, what would the ratio be, and do you need to heat it as long in the crockpot? Total newbie here; looking forward to trying it. Your website has been so instructional. Thanks!
Hey Jen! The ratio will be totally up to you and how potent you want. FECO is basically already ready to use, so when you’re adding coconut oil, you’re just doing it to expand the volume, but this will dilute the consistency. If you want it super potent, don’t add a lot of oil. If you want to make it less potent, add more oil. If you know the potency of the FECO, you can use the edible dosage calculator to play around with the volume of coconut oil to see how it impacts the overall mg 🙂
Hi Emily! While I am not new to consuming edibles I am new to making my own. I read the article about calculating the doses but I am still confused as to how much flower you use per coconut oil to achieve a stronger oil. I did a trial run for your gummies recipe and it made 48 1 teaspoon gummies and 48 2 teaspoons gummies. If using this recipe how much flower would you recommend for the coconut oil? I am trying to get the gummies on the stronger side. 15-25mg?
Hey Karina. If you have 48 pieces and you want them (average) 20mg each, you’ll need 960mg THC to start (48×20=960). Next, you will need to know the % THC in you’re starting material. If you don’t know that, an average number I will use for this example is 15% THC. At 15% THC, you will get 150mg THC per gram, so you will need 6.4 grams of flower (960/150) to get to your desired amount of 960mg THC total. I hope this makes sense!
Thanks for the recipe! My oil turned out very dark. What does this mean and is this something I can correct?
Hello Lindsey, you are most welcome! Color has no indicator of potency; it simply means that a lot of chlorophyll was transferred from the plant matter into your infusion. It’s not a good or a bad thing; it’s just simply personal preference. Here is a guide to learn more about chlorophyll and how to keep it out of your edibles if you prefer 🙂
Hi Emily
I decarbed coconut oil and added the lecithin at that time. When making the gummies should I add more lecithin or is it enough in the oil?
Thanks I learned a lot from your site
Joan
Hello Joan! Thanks so much for the kind words 🙂 I always recommend adding the amount of lecithin called for in the gummy recipe, regardless of whether or not you have added it into your infusion first. I hope this helps!