Christmas is a time for kissing under the mistletoe, giving thanks to loved ones, and exchanging gifts. If there’s one gift that everybody loves to receive, it has to be food! After all, the way to many people’s hearts is through their stomachs. So why not prepare a feast of cannabis-infused edibles for your guests this Christmas?
Cannabis edibles come in different forms, such as ice creams, brownies, candies, bread, and tortilla dips. A simple search for “dispensaries near me” on Google will show you where you can buy cannabis to make your own infused edibles. Once you’ve sorted your stash, you can sling on your apron and head to the kitchen!
How Cannabis Edibles Work
Edibles are cannabis-enriched foods or drinks that send a wallop of cannabinoids to the body via the mouth and digestive system. They are discreet, delicious, versatile, transportable, and can be made with varying dosages. The cannabis-influenced experience is unlike smoking, vaping, or sublingual intake when consumed as an edible.
The human body processes an edible in the stomach. After being metabolized by the liver, cannabinoids are processed by the stomach before transforming into a different chemical. Eventually, the cannabinoid makes its way into the bloodstream before reaching its final destination – the brain.
This complex digestive process can delay the onset of cannabis’ effects for anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours (or more), meaning that this method of consumption is not for people who want to enjoy the plant’s uplifting properties quickly. However, the experience can linger for up to eight hours.
Experimenting with Festive Flavors
Traditional signature Christmas dishes are present in every culture, and some ingredients, in particular, have earned their place on the list of must-have flavors for festive cannabis edibles. Some recommended flavors to experiment with when making festive cannabis edibles include peppermint, chocolate, cinnamon, glazed fruit, mixed nuts, puff pastry, pumpkin, and cranberry.
You might even consider adding extra ingredients to your cannabis-infused recipes that can amplify your “high,” should you be whipping up a storm in the kitchen with THC-rich cannabis. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is a psychoactive cannabinoid, and you can enhance its mind-altering effects if you wash down the infused edibles with a cup of coffee or mango juice. Festive chocolate and nuts are also renowned for amplifying cannabis’ effects.
Cannabis Christmas Recipe Ideas
Of course, there is also the option to purchase ready-made cannabis edibles for the festive season, but playing chef for a day is always fun. Let’s check out some recipes that will tantalize taste buds during the Yuletide period.
Snowball Cannabis Cookies
Ingredients:
- ½ cup cannabutter
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups of flour
- One cup of diced cashew nuts
- A pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Combine the cannabutter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract, followed by the nuts and flour. By this point, you should have thick-textured cookie dough. Fill a lined baking tray with dough balls and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Once they cool, dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Cannabis-rich Eggnog
Ingredients:
- 4 grams of decarboxylated and ground cannabis
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups of thick cream
- ½ cup brandy
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon clove
- A dash of nutmeg
- Some cinnamon sticks
Mix the cannabis with the butter, vanilla extract, and brandy in a saucepan. Simmer for 60 minutes, and add the clove, allspice, and nutmeg. Strain the mixture and allow it to cool before adding a whisked bowl of sugar, eggs, and cream. Embellish glasses of the thick mixture with cinnamon sticks.
Gingerbread Truffles
Ingredients:
- ½ cup cannabutter
- 14 ounces white or milk cooking chocolate
- ½ cup whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- A sprinkle of ground cloves
- 1 packet of dark chocolate chips
Melt white chocolate and whipping cream in a small saucepan and whisk until you get a smooth consistency. Next, it’s time to add the cloves, ginger, and cinnamon. Simmer before allowing it to cool completely.
Pour into an air-tight box and refrigerate for three hours. Once the mixture is firm, create medium-sized balls and spread them across lined baking trays. Refrigerate for an additional hour.
While the gingerbread truffle balls are being refrigerated, start melting the chocolate chips. Stir until the chocolate is smooth, dip the cannabis-infused truffles in the chocolate—dust with nutmeg, and store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
Tip: Don’t forget to put the chocolate-dipped cannabis truffles on waxed paper before placing them in the refrigerator.
Things to Consider When Making Festive Cannabis Edibles
You must discuss dosage and cannabinoid content with your Christmas guests. Since everyone’s cannabis preferences and tolerance differ, you mustn’t send someone on an unwanted psychoactive trip! Ideally, cannabis edibles should contain a low dose for inexperienced consumers.
When visiting your local dispensary to buy cannabis for cooking purposes, ask about the safety procedures and quality control strategies that go into producing the different cannabis strains. Additionally, you should always consider the laws in your area and never leave cannabis edibles unattended around children or animals.
