How to Make ~Special~ Halloween Treats with Cannabutter!

The edible world is your oyster when you have cannabutter on hand! Here are some handy tips on how to make cannabutter yourself, along with some yummy treats!

Halloween is RIGHT around the corner and you've been invited to a few adult (keyword here) Halloween parties! Of course, you aim to bring something, but if you want to contribute something that will really knock people off their feet, try making some spooky homemade edibles with cannabutter. All you'll need is an ounce, a ton of butter, some patience and a good recipe. And we're happy to break down the whole process for you!

**Before I get into how to make everything, I must disclaim a few things:

KNOW YOUR LIMITATIONS WITH EDIBLES AND PRACTICE MODERATION. These edibles will be delicious, but they are still edibles. Please eat cautiously and don't shovel 5 gummies in your mouth at once.
NOT FOR CHILD CONSUMPTION. Edibles and marijuana products are not legal for any consumer under 21 years of age. These are treats for ADULT parties only!!! Also, let your friends at the party know they are infused!
DOSING HOMEMADE EDIBLES IS TRICKY. So dose with caution. The best way to test for potency with your own cannabutter is to try one portion, wait 2-3 hours and make an informed decision on whether you need to consume more. Always dose carefully and listen to your body!
NEVER DRIVE UNDER THE INFLUENCE. Uber up this Halloween, no matter what you're consuming.

How To Make Cannabutter:

First things first, you're going to need some flower -- our suggestion: stop by our friends at LivWell Enlightened Health and grab one of their $99 ounces, or $89 ounces for loyalty members. If you plan on making a bunch of edibles, want to make more edibles in the future, or simply want SUPER strong edibles, I suggest using the whole ounce. If you just want enough for your recipe, or not-that-strong cannabutter, only use half but use the same amount of regular butter. Save the rest of that tasty ounce for future smoking. So, obviously the marijuana is the key ingredient here, but this is what else you'll need:

1 lb unsalted butter (four pack) or Coconut Oil if you prefer*
1 oz dried cannabis
Cooking pot
Spatula/scoopula
Small strainer or cheesecloth (if you're truly a perfectionist)

Step 1: Grind up your buds! I typically get a big container and just grind out the buds to my heart's content. Throw on some Stranger Things and zone out while you grind, and grind, and grind... Step 2: Got your ounce all ground? AWESOME! Next up melt.that.butter. (or coconut oil). After your butter or oil is melted, take the stove temperature down to LOW almost to the point where it's nearly off. Keep the butter on low for a few minutes, then add your ground flower. Add in any leftover stems and leaves as well; this may add a bit more THC to your cannabutter. If not, whatever. Do what you want -- it's your butter, not mine. Step 3: Let that baby simmer. The whole point is to infuse the butter with THC from the buds. Patience is a key factor here so leave it alone and go back to watching Stranger Things. Stir periodically but not obsessively. Leave it there for as long as you like. I typically leave mine on the stove for an hour to two hours for good measure. Step 4: Strain it! I use a very, very small slotted colander; many people use cheese cloths, I even know some people who don't strain at all and leave the plant material in. Again -- this is your butter, so do what you want. Strain or cheese-cloth into a container for storage. BOOM! There you have it: delicious cannabutter for all your edible desires. Now, onto the Halloween Treats!

Caramel Apples

A perfect fall/Halloween Treat. Now obviously you don't want to eat the whole apple, unless you want to fall asleep, but this is a great recipe for a unique twist on edibles. The only thing you'll have to do for this is make the ~special~ caramel sauce to go over the apples. To make four apples, you'll need: 1/2 cup butter*, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup light corn syrup, 1/2 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. cannabutter

*I'd suggest using 1/4 cup canna butter and 1/4 regular butter so you don't overdo it.

Stir butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk together in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and reduce heat to medium after about 20-30 seconds of boiling.
Cook until a candy thermometer reads 248 degrees F, 20-30 minutes; stir constantly to prevent burning. For a test, a teaspoon of syrup dropped into a glass of cold water should form a ball.
Remove the caramel sauce from heat, and stir in vanilla extract.
Work quickly to dip your four apples into the hot caramel sauce to completely coat the apple and leave apples to rest on parchment paper. PLEASE use caution as the sauce will be hot.
When it's party time, slice up those apples and enjoy responsibly!

Gummy Worms

A classic Halloween treat made for marijuana loving adults! What you'll need: 1 large package of jell-o (or preferred flavor), 1 cup juice (of preference), 1/2 cup honey, 1/4 cup cannabutter/oil, 4 gelatin packets, 1/2 cup juice. You NEED to have straws for this treat, so make sure you buy a pack and stick as many as you can into a tall cup. Make sure they all stand up straight. Really crowd the cup. [gallery size="medium" columns="2" ids="26239,26240"]

Combine the jell-o and 1 cup of juice in a medium saucepan. Add the honey and cannabutter, and heat slowly, stirring frequently.
In a smaller bowl, combine gelatin packet and 1/2 cup juice and allow that to sit for five minutes.
Add the gelatin into the jell-o and cook over low heat for 5-7 minutes, whisk constantly and get the sides of the pan.
Once cooked, let it cool slightly and pour the mixture into the straws standing in the cup.
Allow to cool at room temperature, and then place cup or cups of straws in the fridge.

There are two ways you can remove the worms from their straw casing. Get a rolling pin or something round and rollie, and push out the worms by squishing down one side of the straw. The "worm" should slither on out. Otherwise, get a small pair of scissors and snip the sides of the straws down the side. Et voila! Edible gummy worms.

Frankenstein's Monster Mini Cupcakes (Chocolate)

I'm combining one of my personal favorite cupcake recipes and adding a ~special~ twist, along with a Halloween theme. You're welcome to use this same recipe with normal butter if you really want to pig out. Otherwise, as always, enjoy these mini buggers with caution and understanding of your body chemistry. What you'll need: 3/4 cup all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder; 1/4 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 2 large eggs, room temp; 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup cannabutter/oil; 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract; 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temp.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line your mini cupcake pan with mini liners
Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl until throughly combined. I, like momma Martha, whisk my dry ingredients together, but you can sift if that tickles your fancy.
In another bowl, whisk eggs, sugars, butter (melted, obviously), and vanilla together until smooth.
Pour half the wet ingredients into the dry. Then half the buttermilk. Gently whisk for a few seconds. Repeat this process with the remaining wet ingredients and buttermilk. Stir until *just* combined -- if you over-mix, the batter will be thin. I personally don't use a hand-mixer for anything I bake. A whisk is your best friend here -- don't be lazy with your baking.
Spoon the batter into the mini-cups until they are halfway full. This is key! The consistency of the cupcakes depends on it.
Bake for about 10 minutes and check if they are done by sticking a tooth pick into one. If it comes out super battery, leave in for another 5 minutes. If only moderately wet, still leave in for 1-2. Take out of the oven if dry!

DECORATING! You will need: frosting, black food gel, thin pretzel sticks. You can buy some really great buttercream frosting from the bakery of your local super market (yes, they will just sell you a giant thing of frosting). I typically make my own frosting but I don't have time to explain that process. It's mostly just milk, powdered sugar, and butter. If you buy your own frosting, get some green food dye and mix that stuff in. Frost the cupcakes, make two little eyes with the black food gel, and stick two bits of pretzel on the sides! Go crazy and make some hair too and -- BAM edible Frankenstein's Monster Mini Cupcakes!

And there you have it! A lovely step-by-step guide to making your own cannabutter and some awesome treats you can make with it! What's your favorite Halloween treat? Let us know in the comments!