How to Make Cannabis Capsules

Have you heard of cannabis capsules before? Are you interested in making your own? Learn how to make cannabis capsules at home with multiple options, including decarbed flower, infused oils, FECO, leftover pulp, and more, for a quick, easy, and essentially tasteless way to enjoy your cannabis.

Article Features

• Tips for making the filling process easier
• Options included: flower, oil, concentrates, and more
• Want to make it easy? Shop my high-quality cannabis products and have them delivered directly to your door!

What You’ll Need

• Cannabis-infusion option – whether you want to use oil, concentrates, or flowers, there is an option for everyone. Learn more about your options in the Filling Options section below.
• Capsules – the type of capsule you use will be important depending on your choice of filling. Learn more in the Materials to Get Started section below.
• Additional helpful items – capsule filling toolkit, glass jars for storage

Note: a complete list of ingredients with amounts and printable instructions is in the how-to card below.

Step-by-Step Instructions

• Step 1 – If you do not have an oil or cannabis flower prepared, you will need to do this first. Once that is ready, prepare your workstation with everything you need to start. This will ensure less mess and a more manageable process on your part.
• Step 2 – Set up your capsule filling machine according to the machine’s directions.

• Step 3 – Fill the capsules according to the capsule filling machine’s directions.

• Step 4 – Seal the capsules with the other end according to the capsule filling machine’s directions.

Note: complete step-by-step printable instructions are located in the how-to card below.

Materials to Get Started

Before getting started, I want to note that capsules come in all different sizes and materials.

Below I will review the essential things you need to consider when purchasing supplies to make your capsules.

Choose Your Ideal Serving Size

Sticking to only one size is essential when purchasing the capsules, a capsule filling machine, and determining your dose.

The capsule size you choose will significantly affect your dosing, so be sure to choose the best size.

You can determine which option is right for you based on the average weight in milligrams of volume in milliliters each capsule holds.

Choose the Right Type of Capsule

Once you have determined which sized capsule is best, you need to decide whether to fill your capsules with dry material, like decarbed flower, or liquid material, like oils.

Not all capsules are made of the same material, and not all capsules are meant to hold just any type of material.

If you accidentally put oil in a capsule meant for a dry ingredient, you may end up with ruined capsules.

That is why it is important to look at the type of capsule you are buying and ensure it is compatible with the ingredient you want to fill it with.

There are also many vegan and vegetarian capsule options available today.

• Recommend for filling with dry ingredients
• Recommend for filling with liquid or oil
• Vegetarian capsules for dry or liquid

Filling Options

As with all things cannabis, there are endless ways to make something.

For these cannabis capsules, there are many options for filling the capsule ranging from flower, oils, concentrates, and more.

Flower or Kief

Before you start filling your capsules with cannabis flowers or kief, it is important to know a few things about working with dry flowers.

One note is that all raw or dried cannabis must undergo decarboxylation to enjoy the active forms of CBD or THC. 

Non-Decarboxylated Flower

Cannabis flowers, buds, and leaves contain cannabinoid acids like THCA and CBDA.

These cannabinoid acids are found in raw cannabis plant material and contain potential health benefits. 

However, these cannabinoids are not intoxicating in their natural state, meaning they will not make you high. 

If you want the benefits of THCA or CBDA, you can skip the decarboxylation process and fill the capsules with the cannabis flower.

Decarboxylated Flower

If you want the benefits of activated THC and CBD, the flower must undergo decarboxylation, which converts THCa → THC and CBDa → CBD.

Decarboxylation can easily be done in your kitchen at home by baking dried cannabis in the oven at a low temperature.

The goal of decarboxylation is to heat the flower at a low temperature to allow decarboxylation to occur without destroying the other beneficial plant matter, such as the terpenes or flavonoids. 

This becomes tricky because each cannabinoid decarboxylates at a specific time and temperature.

This means it is vital that you know which cannabinoid acids you have present in your starting material and decarb according to that cannabinoid’s requirements.

You can decarb the traditional way in the oven or decarb in an Instant Pot for an odor-free experience.

Capsules Made with Kief

Making kief capsules may be the perfect option if you want to reap the benefits of cannabis edibles without preparing a recipe.

Because kief is so potent, you may not need much to fill your capsules.

You can fill the remaining capsule space with a carrier oil, like coconut oil, to get the fat you need for better absorption in one simple dose.

If you’ve never worked with kief before, you can get my guide to decarbing and making edibles with kief here.

Important: Pair These Capsules With A Meal

If you use cannabis flower as outlined above to fill your capsules, it’s important to ensure you take the capsules with a meal.

This is because cannabis is better absorbed by the body when paired with fat.

Studies show that cannabinoids are 2.5-3x more bioavailable to the body when paired with a fat source, so consider adding some fat to the meal you are consuming for the best overall experience.

Fill Capsules with Various Cannabis Oils

Before you start filling your capsules with cannabis oil, there are a few important things to know.

The first is that you must use a capsule that is meant to hold oil, or else you will end up with a soupy mess from using a capsule that is not meant to hold liquids.

The second thing to know is that you can fill your capsule with any cannabis oil that you like, depending on the experience you are going for.

We will review the different oil types that can be used to fill capsules below.

Cannabutter Capsules

While not technically an oil, you can make cannabis capsules filled with cannabutter from the crockpot, Instant pot, or even CBD cannabutter.

This is an excellent option if you have made cannabutter and don’t like the taste or want to quickly and easily use up any excess cannabis butter.

If you plan on using cannabutter to fill capsules, avoid trying to put any solid matter in the cap and instead gently melt down the butter until it is liquid and easy to pour.

Cannabis Coconut Oil Capsules

One of the most popular infused oils, you can quickly fill your capsules with cannabis coconut oil.

Just like cannabutter, you want to ensure your coconut oil is gently warmed and melted into a liquid state before trying to fill your capsules.

Cannabis MCT Oil Capsules

Popular for sublingual use, cannabis-infused MCT oil can also be used to fill your cannabis capsules.

One important thing to note is that MCT oil has a reputation for causing digestive distress in some individuals.

Be sure to test out small amounts of your cannabis MCT oil and assess your tolerance before filling a lot of capsules.

Cannabis Olive Oil Capsules

Cannabis-infused olive oil is another popular infusion option for those who don’t want or can’t have coconut products.

Olive oil is generally well-tolerated and can easily be added to capsules for a convenient, easy way to consume.

CBD Oil Capsules

You can fill your cannabis capsules with either store-bought CBD oil or homemade CBD oil.

This is an excellent option for people who find the taste of CBD too overwhelming or want an easier way to consume it than the sublingual method.

You can purchase high-quality CBD oil from my shop or make your own CBD oil at home using CBD flowers.

CBN Oil Capsules

You can make CBN oil at home or buy it from my shop online.

CBN is a cannabinoid called cannabinol which has been called ‘the sleep cannabinoid.’

This oil tends to have more sedative effects, and many people report using it right before bed to help them stay asleep.

Paired with the delayed onset time associated with edibles, this is an excellent option for people to try to stay asleep longer.

Learn how to make CBN oil here.

Full-Extract Cannabis Oil (FECO/RSO) Capsules

You can fill your capsules with full-extract cannabis oil, also known as FECO or RSO.

While FECO is typically consumed sublingually, it can also be consumed in edibles.

For those who find the taste of FECO too bitter or overwhelming, adding it to a capsule may be an excellent solution for more enjoyable consumption.

Because full-extract cannabis oil is a potent, full-spectrum concentrate, I want to warn you first that you should test your tolerance to it with tiny doses before consuming a whole capsule.

If you’ve never consumed FECO before, an entire capful may be too much for your tolerance and leave you feeling uncomfortably high.

When getting started, it is recommended to consume a grain of rice-sized amount of FECO before working your way up to more significant amounts.

If you know you can only tolerate a drop or two but still want to consume it in capsule form; you can add the tiny drop of FECO to the capsule and fill the rest with a carrier oil like MCT, olive oil, or coconut oil.

Cannabis Concentrate Capsules

While not as popular, it is possible to fill your capsules with various types of cannabis concentrates.

Cannabis concentrates are often used for smoking, vaping, or dabbing, but they are also starting to make their way into edibles.

They remain remarkably versatile and potent as long as they are decarbed before consumption.

Like the FECO noted above, these are concentrated products, meaning that you can accidentally take too much if you fill an entire capsule and swallow it without knowing your tolerance levels.

Always remember the golden rule, start low and go slow when experimenting with new products.

On the other hand, this could be an excellent option for those with extremely high tolerances who are looking for a way to get more milligrams in.

If you are interested in filling capsules with concentrates, check out my guide to making edibles with cannabis concentrates first.

Leftover Cannabis Pulp

The final option for filling your cannabis capsules is filling them with leftover cannabis pulp.

Even though it’s great to reuse and recycle cannabis plant byproducts wherever possible, the taste and texture of leftover cannabis pulp may be offputting to some.

That makes filling capsules with leftover cannabis pulp a perfect solution.

Leftover cannabis pulp, also called sludge, is the cannabis flower material left over after an oil infusion or tincture, like the Green Dragon or QWET tincture.

While not as strong because most cannabinoids have been removed through infusion, the leftover weed material is believed to contain nutrients and even a few cannabinoids and terpenes.

Many Well With Cannabis Community members report that some good stuff (i.e., CBD or THC) is stuck in the leftover plant material, making it worth saving and enjoying.

Determining Final Product Potency

The most challenging piece of the cannabis consumption puzzle is accurately assessing the final product potency and determining the final dosages.

Without lab testing, it is nearly impossible to determine the exact concentration of final cannabinoids like CBD and THC.

This is a disadvantage for you because it is nearly impossible to accurately assess and track how much of each cannabinoid you will be orally consuming. 

This uncertainty increases the risk of underdosing or overdosing, ultimately preventing you from experiencing your desired health benefits. 

When making your cannabis capsules, please follow the golden rule of “start low, and go slow” and use the edible dosage calculator as needed.

What Are The Benefits of Capsules?

Before making and swallowing cannabis capsules, it is essential to note that swallowing a cannabis capsule undergoes the same digestive process as eating cannabis edibles.

Consuming cannabis capsules will provide you with a different experience, or ‘high,’ than if you were to smoke or vape cannabis, apply it topically, or use it sublingually.

This process is also influenced by physiological factors, such as metabolism, body weight, absorption rates, and the unique endocannabinoid system.

The experience of edibles can vary significantly from person to person.

A More Potent Experience

When cannabis is swallowed and processed through the digestive system, it can produce a more potent, powerful, and intoxicating experience for many people. 

This is due to the digestive process, where the available THC is absorbed into the bloodstream and travels to the liver, undergoing the hepatic first-pass metabolism. 

During this process, enzymes hydroxylate Δ9-THC to form 11-hydroxytetrahydrocannabinol (11-OH-THC), a potent psychoactive metabolite that readily crosses the blood-brain barrier.

This potent, intoxicating metabolite causes potentially unwanted or wanted mental and physical effects.

Longer Onset & Duration Times

Orally ingested cannabis is slower to take effect than traditional smoking, vaping, and even sublingual. The typical onset time for an edible varies greatly, ranging from 30 minutes to 2 hours or even longer.

While the effects are delayed, they manifest stronger and last longer, with a peak onset time occurring between 1 to 3 hours post-consumption.

The effects of cannabis edibles can last anywhere from 6 to 8 hours or more, but this does vary significantly from person to person.

Convenient and Discrete

One of the many reasons my community members love cannabis capsules is because they are convenient and discrete.

Once they are made, they are inconspicuous, virtually odorless, easy to swallow, and can be a convenient way to dose.

Less Cannabis Taste

Some new cannabis consumers, unfortunately, find that the taste of cannabis itself turns them off.

When making cannabutter or various cannabis oil for the first time, a small number of people find the taste too intense and unappetizing.

In this case, putting the finished product into a capsule may be the best way to consume the butter or oil without tasting it.