Make Your Own Delicious Cannabis Chocolate

Cannabis chocolate may be the perfect way to get in the mood.

A smooth drag off a joint of Chocolate Haze. A small, succulent bite of some Cadbury chocolate. A bright, burning lightbulb above your head. I should make my own cannabis chocolate.

Of course, there is already a massive market for cannabis-infused chocolates, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make your own. It’s a great way to get creative with your cannabis edibles. You can mix it up with types of chocolate, shapes of molds, and even additions that make your cannabis chocolates uniquely yours.

Having the freedom to explore and create products that you’re sure to love and feel pride in is a great reason to make your own cannabis-infused chocolates. As an added bonus, there may be some health benefits too.

The Potential Benefits of Consuming Cannabis Chocolate

We’ve spoken before about other plants that create cannabinoids. However, creating phytocannabinoids is just one way in which plants interact with our endocannabinoid systems. For some plants, it can be more difficult to create cannabinoids since most plants lack the arachidonic acid necessary to produce these compounds.  

Theobroma cacao L. is one of those plants that doesn’t create phytocannabinoids but does produce other important compounds for the endocannabinoid system (anandamide). It’s chocolate, and a 1996 paper closely examined its naturally-occurring compounds. When Di Tomaso et al. looked at the contents of chocolate they found three compounds that mimic anandamide, N-oleoylethanolamine, and N-linoleoylethanolamine.

While the researchers would not classify these compounds as phytocannabinoids, they did mention that these could have an impact on the ECS by either binding with CB receptors or by mitigating the degradation of anandamide. According to a 2019 paper, anandamide “is a lipid mediator that acts as an endogenous ligand of CB1 receptors” and “an overall modulatory effect on the brain reward circuitry.”

In other words, anandamide mimics the effects of THC. In fact, it’s so powerful that it’s been nicknamed ‘the bliss molecule.’

The researchers of the 1996 study also suggested that the increased levels of anandamide—as a result of consuming those three compounds—could blend with the theobromine and caffeine in chocolate to create a “transient feeling of well-being.”

Any chocolate-lover can readily attest to that conclusion.

Here are a few recipes to get you started.

Ice Cube Tray Cannabis-infused Chocolates

Ingredients

• 5 g cannabis
• 100 g dark chocolate

Instructions

1. Decarboxylate your cannabis by baking it at 240 degrees Fahrenheit for roughly 30 minutes.
2. While the cannabis is decarboxylating, place the chocolate in a glass bowl over a saucepan filled with simmering water. Do not allow the water to boil, or you’ll burn your chocolate or cause it to seize up.
3. Stir the chocolate occasionally while it melts.
4. When the cannabis is finished, finely grind it, and thoroughly mix it into the chocolate.
5. Once it’s well-combined, pour the mixture into an ice cube tray.
6. Tap the bottom of the tray several times against the table to remove any bubbles.
7. Let the mixture cool in the fridge.
8. Serve when chocolate is solid, and enjoy.

Vegan Cannabis Chocolates

Ingredients

• 1 cup cocoa butter
• 1 cup cacao powder
• 4 tbsp cannabis coconut oil
• 100mg CBD oil
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp sea salt

Instructions

1. Over medium heat, melt the cocoa butter in a glass bowl on top of a small pot filled 1/4 full with water. Do not bring to a boil.
2. Once cocoa butter is melted, add oils, and whisk to combine.
3. Once the cocoa butter thoroughly combined, remove from heat.
4. Add maple syrup, whisk.
5. Add cacao powder and vanilla extract, whisk.
6. Pour chocolate onto a parchment lined baking sheet, or into molds if you have them.
7. Refrigerate for about an hour or until completely solid.
8. Store in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Eating a bit of these chocolates with your love may be a great way to extend the life of your ‘bliss molecules’. It also makes for a great way to finish a cannabis meal.