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
Hello Emily,
The rabbit hole of articles I’ve read have been very informative and I’m excited to attempt my first batch of edibles. I do have a few questions. I don’t see myself being able to decarb in my oven since I have three kids and a wife who wouldn’t be thrilled about the smell, so I’ll likely have to just extend the steeping time in the jars. I’ll also be using a sous vide circulator to keep my temperature 100% consistent. Do you know how much, if at all, the THC potency would be affected by doing this instead of a proper decarb? In regards to potency, is longer steeping time beyond 8 hours better, and if so, is there a point at which the increased time becomes detrimental to potency because of compounds breaking down? I’m not so concerned about over infusing chlorophyll and the extra “weedy” taste, I just want to get the most bang for my buck out of my product. Thank you so much for your articles, and I look forward to hearing back from you!
Hi David. Many members run their crockpot infusion for eight hours and claim the effects are the same as if the cannabis was decarbed first. Longer steeping time will provide a sleepier final product as the THC continues to convert into CBN the longer it is exposed to heat. We don’t recommend running infusions any longer than the eight hours that our community members recommend. Side note, you can use the sous vide method to decarb cannabis, and it helps reduce the strong odors. I hope this helps!
I am normally in the habit of grinding decarbed bub to a fine power & then straining out the debris. I’m left with what looks like green flour. I add this powder to melted chocolate to make chocolates. Can I use this powder when making cannabis coconut oil or should I stick with decarbed chunky bud?
For those who don’t like the smell when decarbing in the oven…..
I have an electric pressure cooker (InstaPot = IP) that works wonders. Place bud in an airtight container; place container on trivet. Add 1 cup water in (IP) inner liner. Close IP. Set to pressure cook for 20 minutes. Let cool competely before opening and removing airtight container. Voila!!! Decarbed weed, no smell.
Hi Laura. It is hard to strain kief (powdery cannabis) when using it to infuse the oil, so if you don’t mind the flower remaining in the oil, you can definitely use kief. If you want to be able to remove the flower for clean oil, then we recommend using popcorn-sized buds. ☺️
Hi Laura. Thank you for sharing your process with our readers. ?
Hi Emily. Currently making this for thc pills, thanks for the recipe ?
I have a question and it’s: should I grind the decarbed bud before infusion? My goal is simply to preserve as much thc as possible. Would grinding reduce the amount of thc due to the small pieces not being able to handle the 185° temperature, or would it increase the thc as the surface area would increase?
Thank you ?
Hi Joel. Grinding the bud can cause a significant loss of the trichomes, which could result in a lower overall potency of your infused product. Additionally, grinding the bud will release more chlorophyll and plant matter into your infusion, which could affect the taste and color of the final product, making it more “plant-like” and less desirable. ? We recommend breaking up the bud by hand into small pieces rather than grinding it. This method can still increase the surface area for better infusion while minimizing the loss of trichomes, reducing the amount of chlorophyll and plant matter released, and making the straining process easier.
Ultimately, the choice is yours though. I hope this helps!
I’ve followed your direction a couple times and it works great everyone loves my brownies. But I was wondering I’m going to make a gallon of coconut oil do I need to use the jars or can I just do the gallon in my slow cooker along with the he flower and then strain like normal. I just don’t want to mess up
Hi Pat. We’re thrilled to hear that you’ve had success with this recipe and that your brownies are a hit! You can absolutely infuse a larger amount of coconut oil directly in the slow cooker without using jars. The key is to ensure that the mixture doesn’t get too hot and stays consistent around 185º. Happy infusing!