There is a reason edibles are so popular—they are tasty, easy to carry around and they don’t involve inhaling smoke.
There are many types of marijuana candy, but gummy bears and lollipops are by far the most popular.
So, in this article, you’ll learn:
- How to make weed lollipops
- How to make weed gummy bears
- How to properly dose marijuana candy (using a dosage chart)
Let’s get started right away.
Safety First
Many inexperienced (and even a lot of seasoned users) had a negative experience with edibles at some point in their lives.
This also happened to me the first time I tried them, and I can honestly tell you that it’s not a pleasant experience.
Once you learn how to properly dose edibles (which I’m going to help you with, of course), you’ll be able to enjoy cannabis in this very healthy way, without accidentally ingesting too much THC.
So what’s the issue with edibles? The thing is, they create a different, more powerful type of high, to say the least.
The main difference between smoking/vaping and edibles is that THC is metabolized in a different way when we take edibles.
When you ingest pot in the form of an edible, first the saliva starts to break down the THC. Once the edible enters the stomach and then the liver, it gets converted to 11-hydroxy-THC, which is a more potent version of the THC molecule.
Because of the digestion process, it takes between 45-90 minutes for the effects to kick in.
This time window is when many impatient users begin thinking that the edible just wasn’t potent enough, so they take more, and that’s when the problem occurs.
Hasty individuals are left with a belly full of THC gummies, and it hits them all at once.
The high from an edible lasts longer than with other consumption methods.
It can take hours before the effects start to wear off, and during that time you’re probably going to think that you’re dying, because of the sheer intensity of the high.
If this happens to you by any chance, just remember that there’s nothing to worry about—this sensation is only temporary.
On the other hand, when you smoke weed, THC enters your bloodstream through the alveoli in the lungs.
THC doesn’t break down very well in our blood.
Instead, it quickly binds to cannabinoid receptors, not having a lot of time to be metabolized compared to the digestion process in the gastrointestinal tract.
That’s why we instantly feel the effects after smoking a joint, but the high lasts much shorter than with edibles.
Because of this frequent accidental “overdose”, some states where cannabis is legal require official producers to include smaller quantities of THC in their edibles.
However, THC is not the only cannabis compound that you can infuse your edibles with. Many medical patients are using the non-psychoactive cannabinoid CBD as the main ingredient in their edibles.
Weed Candy Dosage Chart
Most of us who had a bad experience with edibles did only one thing wrong—we didn’t get the dose right.
Each individual’s anatomy is different, but the basic recommendation is to always start with a low dose and to remain patient.
Perrywinkles edibles made this chart to help us determine the optimal THC dose for weed candy recipes.
FYI, these quantities represent a single dose (for one person), and not the dose for the entire edible.
How to Make Weed Lollipops (and Hard Candies)
And you’ve finally made it to the yummy part—the recipes.
The trickiest part when making weed lollipops is the “hard crack stage”, so it’s crucial to keep an eye on the temperature throughout the entire process.
Although it might seem somewhat daunting, pulling off this recipe isn’t that difficult.
In fact, you’ll need only 5 simple ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (235 ml) of sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) of corn syrup
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) of filtered water
- 2-3 THC tincture tablespoons (Note that different tincture recipes contain different amounts of THC)
- 1 tablespoon of flavor of your choice
Equipment
- Candy thermometer
- Lollipop/Candy mold
- Lollipop sticks
Weed Lollipops Recipe
- Over medium/high heat, mix sugar and water in a pot or a saucepan.
- Keep stirring until the sugar completely dissolves. Once the ingredients combine and start boiling, put the thermometer in the pot/pan and pay close attention until the temperature reaches 300°F (150°C).
- Once that happens, remove the pan from the heat without removing the thermometer.
- When the temperature drops to 250°F (120°C), add the cannabis tincture/oil and the flavor, and stir until everything mixes together.
- Pour the mixture in the molds, add the sticks and leave them to cool down for 15/20 minutes. Enjoy your homemade lollipops, and be careful not to eat too many!
For hard candies, the process is exactly the same (plus you can use any kind of candy molds), and you won’t be needing lollipop sticks anymore.
How to Make THC Gummies
Weed gummies are even easier to make than lollipops.
For this recipe you’ll need just 4 or 5 ingredients and an ice cube tray which you can use as a mold.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (235 ml) of fresh fruit juice, or fruit puree (flavor of your choice)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) of cold water
- 1 teaspoon agar-agar powder (this is a vegan option, instead of gelatine)
- 1 cannabis tincture tablespoon
- Sweetener, or a pinch of sugar
Equipment
- Silicone gummy molds (or ice cube trays)
- Saucepan/pot
THC Gummies Recipe
- If you’re going to use fruit puree, stir it a bit to improve its consistency before you get started.
- Afterwards, pour the puree/juice in a medium saucepan over medium/high heat, and leave it to boil. In the meantime, add a teaspoon of agar-agar and stir it with water (this is done in a separate dish).
- Carefully pour the water and agar-agar in the boiled fruit juice (or fruit puree), stir the mixture for 3 minutes and add some sweetener/sugar if you want.
- Remove the pot/pan from the heat, and let it cool down a bit before you add the cannabis tincture.
- When you pour the mixture into the molds/ice cube tray, let it cool down for 20 minutes at room temperature, before you leave it in the fridge for another 20 minutes.
- Remove the gummies from the molds and sprinkle them with powdered sugar so they don’t stick together.
Enjoy your edibles, and remember not to go too crazy with the tincture or it will definitely come back to haunt you.
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Helena Miles
Experienced journalist with a decade-long experience of researching cannabis. She has been featured in many prominent outlets, such as The Growth Op, National Post and The Province.
Bernadette May 25, 2019 at 1:05 am
We have a butter maker but you mention tinctures. Is there a way of making a tincture with cannabis buds?
Glasshopper December 6, 2019 at 12:39 am
Yes, If you want more of just the canniboids, rinse it quickly with frozen high proof alcohol. If you want more whole plant extractions, soak it in alcohol. By alcohol I mean ethanol, the drinking kind. Something high proof, clear and without flavors like vodka or pga.
James Tauer February 20, 2020 at 2:48 pm
Do you evaporate all the alcohol off the top?
Regina December 9, 2021 at 6:14 pm
I use 2 oz gosling black label rum and 1/4 oz decarbed herb.Put in mason jar in water bath 165 degrees for 30 minutes.
confidential May 28, 2019 at 1:07 am
Wow! cool, ways to administer without smoking and using the right chemical composition for your needs.
rachelle c ingimundson August 21, 2019 at 10:21 pm
Hi my name is Shelley im reasonably new to cooking with cannabis . Any help would be great. I have been trying to make hard candies and gummies . I always seem to get a very sticky coating on the candy . I follow the heat and times to add the cannabis extract . the flavors are always good and every one enjoys the high . but the sticky mess is hard to store . I use an extract called liquid shatter it comes in a syringe. its like an extra high potency oil. should I be decarboxylating this before I add it or would it make the difference?
Tammy September 23, 2020 at 10:04 pm
Add a teaspoon of lecithin
Jennifer Beal May 17, 2021 at 8:38 pm
What does lithium do to the recipe
Kellen Burke Richardson October 15, 2022 at 10:24 am
It poisons whomever is unfortunate enough to eat those edibles.
Michael August 29, 2019 at 3:41 pm
When i am using 2-3 teaspoons of Tincture, how do i know how strong each lollipop will come out to be?
Bill MacKay December 29, 2019 at 9:32 pm
I live in a legal state, and THC % is on the pkg. If you buy 1 gram 80%, that means you have 800 mg THC (80% x 1.00 gram). Put 1 gram in a graduated shot glass and decarb the concentrate. Add 95% Everclear to the one ounce line. Mix well. Place in one once dropper bottle. There are approx. 456 drops in an ounce, so 1 drop = (800/ 456 drops) 1.75 mg.
Kimberly vangorder December 31, 2019 at 7:09 pm
The tinctures I have are made with alcohol will that work in the candys??
Guy Godfrey November 14, 2020 at 4:59 pm
I don't know the proper answer to your question, but I just tried making candies for the first time, followed the directions perfectly and when I added alcohol based tincture the stuff immediately bubbled up and quickly hardened into candy glass in the pan. There was no chance of pouring it. I managed to messily scrape some out onto parchment paper covered in powdered sugar just before it completely hardened. I do not recommend.
Dennis January 23, 2021 at 10:23 pm
The hardening usually happens because of the difference in temps. I usually pop the burner back on and heat it up until it can pour.
Candy January 27, 2020 at 12:10 am
Recipe doesn't say how many candies this makes.
Sav June 22, 2020 at 3:04 pm
When I make this recipe I use about 4.5-5 tbsp of my tincture. I get about 125 candies and my molded are .8 across 1.0 in length and .4 in depth
Tammy Lemacks March 10, 2020 at 3:42 pm
Does your lollipop recipe calls for light corn syrup which is clear
Patricia LaChapelle May 3, 2020 at 11:00 pm
All my questions are asked here but not answered
Liam Gallagher May 22, 2020 at 9:29 pm
shatter would need to be decarboxylated if intended to be eaten. Anything that is intended to be smoked must be decarboxylated if you'd like to ingest it instead. When you smoke it, the heat from the flame decarbs the herb instantly.
Kellen Burke Richardson October 15, 2022 at 10:37 am
This is true however an indeterminate amount of the THCA remains unreacted while another portion is either boiled off or destroyed due to excessive heat. Try decarbing a couple buds out of the next bag. You won't be disappointed.
Ashleyoli Bree October 5, 2020 at 11:32 am
Hi my name is Shelley im reasonably new to cooking with cannabis . Any help would be great. I have been trying to make hard candies and gummies . I always seem to get a very sticky coating on the candy . I follow the heat and times to add the cannabis extract . the flavors are always good and every one enjoys the high . but the sticky mess is hard to store . I use an extract called liquid shatter it comes in a syringe. its like an extra high potency oil. should I be decarboxylating this before I add it or would it make the difference?
Kecia Liguori October 11, 2020 at 12:44 pm
Hi Shelly, I believe another member answered above. I would try adding some sunflower lecithin this should stop the stickiness you are experiencing. Also your THC oil is already to use. You only decarb weed before making a tincture and oil or a butter. Good luck with your gummies.
Kris October 20, 2021 at 2:01 am
Does letting decarbed weed sit in a jar hurt the potency? I decarbed all my trim but only used some of it to make my last tincture.
Dawn October 19, 2021 at 6:58 am
Yes, you always have to decarb! Don’t know why that would make the candy sticky though. Is it an coconut oil tincture or a green dragon tincture?
Paul Martins December 6, 2020 at 11:42 pm
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Cleo June 15, 2021 at 9:29 am
Thanks for these recipes. For the lollies, how many does the recipe produce roughly? With regards to the gummies, what is the shelf life of them and should we consider adding a preservative?