Summer is here, which means everyone is looking for ways to beat the heat. You can jump in the pool, sip on a cold drink, or enjoy the chilled, delicious sweet treat we all know and love: ice cream. Now you can elevate the most popular summertime dessert with a THC twist! Infusing your favorite ice cream with weed is a great way to enjoy the best of both worlds: the creamy, refreshing taste of a sundae and the relaxing, euphoric effects of Mary Jane.
Whether you're a seasoned cannabis chef or just curious about making THC edibles for the first time, creating your own weed ice cream at home is both fun and rewarding. In this How to Make Cannabis-Infused Ice Cream guide, we'll walk you through the steps to create delicious weed ice cream, complete with tips on decarboxylation, choosing the best strains, and crafting the perfect sundae with THC toppings.
Is THC Ice Cream a Thing?
We’ve all heard of pot brownies and weed gummies, but THC ice cream is also making a wave in the industry, especially since more states are allowing chefs to create unique dining experiences like cannabis restaurants. You can find cannabis-infused ice cream on their menus, in select dispensaries across the country, or make it yourself at home, giving you full creative control over the flavors and toppings!
How to Make Weed Ice Cream: Step By Step Recipe
Step One: Understanding the Decarboxylation Process
To create any marijuana infusions, it's important to understand the process of decarboxylation, a heating method that activates the THC in cannabis. This process converts THCA into THC, the psychoactive compound that gives cannabis its effects. If you do not decarb your bud before making your edibles, they won’t have the desired euphoric effects you are after. Luckily, this process is super easy and can be done in the oven or with your favorite dry herb vaporizer.
Decarbing Your Weed in the Oven
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 220°F.
- Spread your cannabis evenly on a baking sheet.
- Bake for about 30-40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to ensure even heating.
Decarbing Your Weed with Your Vape
An alternative method is to use your dry herb vaporizer to decarb your bud! Vaping cannabis with a dry herb vape will decarb it, and you can use the leftover vaped bud in this ice cream recipe. Our favorite summer vape, the Brink, is perfect for this. Just vape as usual and save the weed after your session. With an industry-leading 0.5-gram capacity, the Brink allows you to decarb all the weed you need within 10 sessions.
Best Strains to Use in Your Edible Ice Cream
When making cannabis-infused ice cream, we suggest pairing with weed strains that will elevate the flavor of your ice cream . Here are a few expert recommendations:
1. Gelato
This popular hybrid weed strain is known for its sweet and creamy flavor, making it a perfect match for ice cream. The THC content is typically around 17%, making it a great option for this recipe if you want mellow edibles.
2. Ice Cream Cake
As the name suggests, this delicious indica weed strain features a creamy flavor profile with sweet hints of vanilla and sugary dough. This strain typically has a high THC content so keep this in mind before eating the whole tube.
3. Thin Mint GSC
This hybrid weed strain provides a minty flavor that pairs wonderfully with any dessert, especially if you are going to make mint chocolate chip ice cream. Thin Mint usually has a 20% THC content, perfect for easy and accurate dosing.
Step Two: Make Cannabis Cream
Now that you've chosen your strain and your weed is ready to go, it's time to move on to the next step in the ice cream-making process: creating your homemade cannabis cream! Heavy cream is perfect for this recipe due to its high-fat content. Cannabinoids THC and CBD are lipophilic, which means they need the fats to dissolve and become bioavailable. Here's how to make it:
Ingredients
- 5 grams decarbed cannabis
- 2 cups of heavy cream
- Food Thermometer
- Cheesecloth/French Press
Instructions
- Combine the cannabis flower and cream in a 2-quart saucepan. Place over low heat.
- Slowly bring the mixture to 165°F, which should take around 30 minutes.
- Maintain the heat and let the mixture simmer for another 30 minutes.
- Strain the cannabis cream through a cheesecloth, or strainer to separate the plant matter from the cream. You can also use a French Press if you have one handy.
- Once your cream has cooled down, you can store the prepared cannabis cream in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
*Make sure to base your storage time on the original expiration date of the cream used.
Dosage is 0.25 grams of 20% THC cannabis in 2 cups = 12 mg per 1 cup serving
Step Three: Make Cannabis Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 cup full-fat milk
- 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 cups cannabis-infused heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- An Ice Cream Maker**
- Large Mason Jar
*Pro Tip: You can swap the full fat milk in this recipe for full-fat chocolate or strawberry milk to make different ice cream flavors.
Instructions
- Start with a clean 32-ounce mason jar. Add the milk, sugar, and salt. Cover the jar and shake gently until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the heavy cream and vanilla to the jar. Cover and shake again to incorporate all ingredients.
- Refrigerate the jar for at least 2 hours or overnight if you have the patience. Let the mixture chill out, literally.
- Set up your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. If your unit has a removable freezer bowl, ensure it has been frozen for at least 24 hours. A warm freezer bowl will be about as useful as a vape battery without a cart.
- Pour the mixture into the ice cream machine while it's running. Mix for about 15-20 minutes, or until it thickens to a loose soft-serve consistency.
- Transfer the ice cream to a 1 1/2 quart airtight container and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving. This is the perfect time to add any mix-ins, like chocolate chips, sprinkles, brownie bits, fruit, or cookie dough!
**No ice cream machine? No problem, you can do it manually! Once you add all the ingredients to the jar, close it and shake it for about 10 minutes, until it's thickened. Put it in the freezer for about 2 hours, and it's ready to eat.
Edible Ice Cream Sundae Recipe
Finish off your weed ice cream with delicious toppings to create the perfect cannabis ice cream sundae. Although you can add whatever topping you like, here are a few options we think you might love.
- Hemp Sprinkles: Make your sundae festive with rainbow sprinkles or Hemp Leaf Sprinkles for the perfect decorative addition to your sweet treat.
- Chocolate Shell. Melt any chocolate bar with cannabis-infused coconut oil to pour over your ice cream. This will create a delicious chocolate shell!
- Weed Brownies: Crumble on top for added texture and potency.
- Infused Waffle Cone Ends & Cookie Dough: Baked Bags creates a delicious variety of chocolate waffle cone ends and cannabis cookie dough that you can add into your sundae.
How Long Does THC Ice Cream Last?
The effects of your edible ice cream will vary depending on the amount you eat and the weed used in your recipe. For instance, if you use 5 grams of weed with approximately 20% THC, each cup of ice cream will have around 12 mg of THC. For beginners, we recommend starting with 1 ⁄ 2 cup and a dosage of 5 mg. Edibles typically last longer than regular smoke sessions, around 6-8 hours. Remember, you can always have more ice cream if you don’t feel the effects strongly enough.
Curious about the shelf life of your THC ice cream? While it’s most delicious when enjoyed fresh, THC ice cream will last in the freezer just like regular ice cream. Since it's homemade and technically “open,” we recommend consuming it within a month for the best taste and potency.
Making cannabis-infused ice cream at home is not only a fun culinary adventure but also a refreshing way to enjoy a unique and delightful THC treat. Whether you’re cooling down on a hot summer day or hosting a special get-together, this homemade cannabis ice cream is sure to chill out any vibe. We highly recommend pairing your sweet treat with our new Ooze Activity Book! This adult coloring book features silly coloring pages, puzzles, 3D glasses, hidden discount codes, and more weed recipes you’ll love.
