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There is an undeniable connection between the rise of cannabis consumption and the adoption of vegan diets in recent years, and to many they are closely related lifestyles.
When you ask most people why they go vegan, they will usually cite one of four reasons:
- to help the environment
- to protect animals
- better health
- all of the above
It makes sense, then, if you want to explore the benefits of natural plant-based alternatives that you would also be drawn to cannabis, which has been used in medicine successfully for centuries, and is now becoming increasingly mainstream with the spread of legalization.
It’s because of these shifts that there is now a huge demand for vegan and cannabis recipes and advice for how to make the best homemade brownies, oils, and more.
Cooking with cannabis: what you need to know
Simply put, vegan edibles are cannabis-infused foods or drinks. Cannabis edibles produce a totally different effect than smoking cannabis and provide an immersive experience, that starts with consuming the edible and waiting for it to kick in.
Research shows that edibles can take up to three hours to kick in fully (usually around an hour), but will then last for six to eight hours, which is much longer than vaping or smoking. If you still aren’t feeling anything after 45 minutes or so be patient because the last thing you want to do is to take another dose thinking the first one didn’t work.
Also, it’s important to keep in mind that edibles can affect people in different ways, and sometimes they don’t have any effect at all.
Getting your cannabis ready to cook
Before you can start whipping up some amazing vegan edibles, there are two things you need to do. The first is what is known as “decarbing,” and the second is creating a cannabis oil or fat base.
Decarboxylation
Decarboxylation is how you turn the plant’s THCA (which is a raw, inert chemical) into THC. When you don’t do this, the edibles you cook won’t be psychotropic. Thankfully, the decarboxylation process is pretty simple and can be done in an oven – just be careful not to overheat it.
Simply follow these steps:
- turn your oven to 240 degrees Fahrenheit
- place your marijuana flowers onto a baking tray
- bake for between 45 and 60 minutes
- after this time, the plant’s THCA will turn into THC and retain/activate the THC
Make cannabis oil or fat
After decarboxylation is complete, you need to make cannabis oil to use. This is also pretty easy to do if you have a few pieces of equipment and ingredients.
Ingredients you will need:
- cannabis flower
- vegan butter/vegetable oil
- a basic crockpot
- an airtight container to store it in
To make the vegan cannabis oil, you simply need to:
- combine ingredients in a slow cooker
- cook on low for 4-6 hours
- after cooking, strain the vegan cannabutter in a French press to remove the marijuana
- pour into a container with a lid and refrigerate
You can get the full recipe here.
Popular vegan recipes
Now that you’ve got your cannabis oil cooked and ready to go, it’s time to make some vegan edible treats.
Vegan weed gummies
This simple 3-ingredient vegan gummies recipe is by the popular vegan blog “Wow It’s Veggie.” It uses Agar Agar powder instead of gelatin, so it’s 100% vegan.
To make this recipe you’ll need the following ingredients:
- 1 cup fruit juice (or any liquid of your choice)
- ½ cup cannabis infused oil
- 2 tsp Agar Agar powder (not flakes)
- 2-3 tbsp sweetener (sugar / maple syrup / agave)
To get the full recipe, check it out here.
Vegan weed candy
This sour mango weed candy recipe is by the food website Food52.
To make this recipe, you’ll need:
- 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp (13 g) Pectin
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar, plus 1/4 cup (50 g) for coating
- 2 tbsp (25 g) agave syrup
- 1 tbsp (16 g) freshly squeezed lime juice (from 1/2 lime)
- 1/2 lb fresh (or thawed frozen) chopped mango (about 1 1/4 cups)
- 1/3 cup (100 g) mango juice
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp (11 g) cannabis tincture
- 2 tsp calcium water
- 1/2 cup (100 g) Everclear
- 1/2 tbsp citric acid
You can find the full recipe on the Food52 website.
Vegan weed brownies
This stunning vegan s‘more pot brownie recipe is from the amazing Loud Bowl food blog.
To make these brownies, you’ll need:
- 150 g (2/3 cups) combination of vegetable oil and cannabis-infused oil, depending on your potency preference
- 135 g (1 cup) dark chocolate
- 135 g (1/2 cup) aquafaba
- 150 g (3/4 cup) light brown sugar packed
- 450 g (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 30 g (1/4 cup) cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 90 g (1/2 cup) chocolate chips, 1/2 bag vegan marshmallows, and 8-10 vegan graham crackers (for garnish)
You can find the full recipe on the Loud Bowl website.
Vegan weed cookies
This vegan cannabutter cookie recipe is from The Viet Vegan, a popular vegan blog.
To make this recipe, you’ll need:
- 1 tbsp ground flax meal
- 4 tbsp warm water
- 150 g Earth Balance (vegan butter)
- 50 g cannabutter
- 150 g brown sugar
- 150 g white sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp sunflower lecithin (or 2 tsp soy lecithin granules)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 350 g all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 cup vegan mini chocolate chips
- Optional: 1 tbsp fleur de sel
You can find the full recipe on Viet Vegan.
Popular vegan cookbooks
There are plenty of vegan-friendly cannabis cookbooks that you never even knew you needed. Here are five of our favorites:
The Art of Weed Butter: A Step-by-Step Guide to Becoming a Cannabutter Master by Mennlay Golokeh Aggrey
If you’re looking for a down-to-earth guide on everything to do with cannabis infusions, this is the book for you. It has 35 amazing recipes with a focus on cannabis-infused butter and oils that you can easily make at home.
DIY Cannabis-Infused Candy & Desserts: Recipes From Around the World by Jackie Sanders
This book takes you on a cannabis-infused tour around the world. It includes easy-to-follow recipes for a wide range of THC-infused treats like ice cream, muffins, cookies, and brownies.
Edibles: Small Bites for the Modern Cannabis Kitchen by Stephanie Hua
This stunner includes recipes for both sweet and savory cannabis edibles. All of the 40 recipes are easy-to-follow and include beautiful pictures. It’s the perfect book for those wanting to learn about all there is to know about cooking with cannabis.
Edibles for Beginners: A Cannabis Cookbook by Mary Wolf
This is the perfect cookbook for those people who are just starting out on their cannabis cooking adventure. It includes tips and tricks and 50 recipes that you can make at home.
The Vegan Stoner Cookbook: 100 Easy Vegan Recipes to Munch by Sarah Conrique
This is the ultimate cookbook for people looking for vegan cannabis-infused recipes for every meal of the day. It includes 100 easy-to-follow recipes for everything from green smoothies to vegan cannabis sushi!
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