The weather outside is frightful, but a warm cup of cannabis-infused cocoa can be oh so delightful! This winter, stay inside and watch the snow with a steaming mug of cannabis-infused hot chocolate. It’s a great way to relax from the stresses of the holiday season and to revel in the beauty of your own holiday decorations. And, of course, having such a unique treat to share will make you a hit at parties. Everyone, from your college buddies to your grandmother, will find something to enjoy in a cup of hot cannabis cocoa.
Read on to learn how to prepare this delectable holiday treat.
What You’ll Need
- 1 Cup of milk. You can use any milk you choose here. Cow’s milk is just fine, but if your dietary regimen or personal preference is for plant-based milk or another substitute, that will work just fine.
- 1 Teaspoon of coconut oil or butter. You can choose an already cannabis-infused variety if you like, but in this instance, we’ll be adding our own cannabis later into the recipe.
- 1 Cup of water
- 2 Tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1-2 grams of cannabis. Whether you use the bud, hash, or trimmings, make sure your cannabis is ground up as finely as possible.
- A coffee filter or fine mesh strainer to filter plant matter.
Assemble all the ingredients, along with your favorite mug, and get ready to work a little kitchen magic!
Preparing Cannabis-Infused Hot Cocoa
Start by combining the cannabis, water, milk, and coconut oil (or butter) in a saucepan. It’s very important to add the coconut oil at this step—don’t forget. Cannabinoids aren’t water-soluble. Adding a fatty substance at this stage allows the cannabinoids to bind to the fats. If you don’t do this, you’re going to get a weaker drink, and you might even suffer the embarrassment of your guests asking if you’re sure there’s really any cannabis in the hot chocolate! To expedite the process, you can skip the cannabis and use already infused coconut oil or butter.
Simmer this mixture on medium heat for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure it’s not sticking to the pan. While you’re doing this, you can go ahead and add the cocoa powder to your mug, just to have it ready. Take a coffee filter or fine mesh strainer and place that on top of the mug. You’re going to be making a pour-over drink, just as you would with some hand-poured coffees.
When the cannabis mixture is ready, carefully pour it over the filter or strainer. They should catch the ground-up plant matter—you don’t want that in your drink. The cannabinoids should have attached themselves to the fats in your oil or butter, so they’ll end up in the drink. Dispose of the coffee filter and the soggy plant matter—you’re not going to need that anymore.
What to Expect
The experience of drinking your cannabis cocoa is going to vary depending on several factors. If there’s THC in the plant you used to prepare it, you can expect to feel lifted. But don’t expect instant results, the way you might be used to if you’re a smoker or a vaper. As with most edibles, cannabis-infused beverages take a while to kick in. Expect to feel the effects in about half an hour to an hour, and remember not to keep drinking just because you haven’t felt anything yet! Pace yourself, or you could overdo it and turn your winter treat into a bad experience.
Get warm, and spread a little cheer this season! Brew up your own batch of cannabis-infused hot cocoa and share it with your friends.
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