How to Make Delicious CBD Cookies

Make your own CBD cookies at home with these simple recipes.

Do you love to bake? There are few things better than the smell of something delicious baking in the oven. And a short baking session in the kitchen can also be just the thing to ease stress and anxiety. But you can dial your baking skills up a notch by learning how to incorporate CBD into tasty treats, like freshly baked cookies. Not only is it satisfying (and cheaper) to make your own, but you can also customize your batch to include the best dosage of CBD for you. What you’ll have as a result are some de-stressing, anxiety reducing, tasty treats.

The Benefits of CBD Cookies

First and foremost, why make CBD cookies instead of just regular, run-of-the-mill cookies? There are the obvious health benefits of CBD, like its potential to reduce inflammation. CBD can also be consumed to help induce sleep and relaxation. This study published in Current Psychiatry Reports (2017)^[1]Babson, Kimberly A, et al. Cannabis, Cannabinoids, and Sleep: a Review of the Literature. Current Psychiatry Reports, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Apr. 2017, … Continue readingfound that CBD could treat REM disorders and reduce daytime sleepiness. And another study published in the British Journal of Pharmacology (2010)^[2]Zanelati, T V, et al. Antidepressant-like Effects of Cannabidiol in Mice: Possible Involvement of 5-HT1A Receptors. British Journal of Pharmacology, Blackwell Publishing Ltd, Jan. 2010, … Continue readingconcluded that CBD could perform as an anti-depressant.

By baking CBD into cookies, consumers can create single dose treats that are easily transportable. But what is the best way to infuse those cookies with CBD? Is it oil, tincture, or crystals?

CBD oil and tincture both may be the most easily acquired resources, as they has become available in dispensaries and online. Oil or tincture may also prove easier to measure dosage, but CBD crystals can also be used in baking. The most important thing to remember is to include some kind of fat source into the recipe.

So, even when baking sugar-free CBD cookies, it’s important to use butter or oil. Not just for the sake of making a batch of cookies that actually taste good, but that fat source will increase the bioavailability of the CBD.

How to Find the Correct Dosage

When making your own CBD cookies, it’s important to decide how much CBD you want in each cookie. CBD is not psychoactive like its cousin THC. This means it will not get you high. However, you may still want to start with a lower percentage of CBD and build from there. This is to save product by not putting too much in at once, rather than to avoid any “side effects.” If you’re just starting out, it’s not a bad idea to use this guideline and keep your dosage small.

When you’re purchasing your CBD additive, look for a full-spectrum tincture. Make sure the labeling is clear on how much CBD the tincture contains, and that the brand has allowed third-party testing. A tincture with a coconut oil base works best for baking.

If you have access to hemp flower or CBD isolate, you can also make your own CBD oil at home. Just keep in mind, what you make for yourself might be more potent. If you decide to take that extra step, be sure to use an oil that is conducive for baking — like coconut or olive oil.

For dosing edibles like CBD cookies, you’ll want to follow this dosing formula. Basically, the rules for dosing with THC are the same as CBD. So, any THC dosing calculator can also help you discern the correct amount of CBD for your cookies.

A Recipe for CBD Cookies

Aside from chilling overnight, this tried-and-true recipe comes from The Farmstead Table, and will only take you about twenty minutes to prep. That means, you could have some gooey, gourmet CBD cookies adapted from CBD Chocolate Chip Cookies will be ready to eat in under an hour. That’s faster than most trips to a dispensary.

Ingredients:

• 8 1/2 ounces cake flour (about 2 cups minus 1 tbsp)
• 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 8 1/2 ounces bread flour (1 2/3 cup)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 3 tsp cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 200 mg CBD
• 1 1/4 cup unsalted butter (See note)
• 10 ounces dark brown sugar (1 1/4 cup)
• 8 ounces granulated sugar (1 cup plus 2 tbsp)
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 pounds dark chocolate pieces sifted to remove any chocolate shards/dust
• to taste sea salt (ideally Maldon or Fleur de sel)

Instructions:

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter, CBD, and sugars together until very light, about five minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, five to ten seconds. Fold in chocolate chips and incorporate them without breaking them. Next, press plastic wrap against the dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. The dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.
3. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.
4. Scoop six, 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, eighteen to twenty minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for ten minutes, then transfer cookies onto another rack to cool completely.

But Wait, Here’s a Recipe for Sugar-Free CBD Cookies, Too

If you’re watching your diet or keeping your eye on insulin levels, you may want to try a sugar-free recipe for CBD cookies instead. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. This sugar-free peanut butter cookie recipe adapted from Wholesome Yum will do in a pinch. Simply add your desired dosage of CBD to the recipe.

Sugar-Free Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup Peanut butter (creamy, salted)
• 2 large Eggs
• 1/2 cup Erythritol (or any granulated sweetener; use 1/3 cup for less sweet cookies)
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract (optional)
• 1/4 tsp Sea salt (or 1/2 tsp if you like salty-sweet!)
• 3/4 cup Peanuts (measured whole and shelled, then coarsely chopped)
• Add your desired amount of CBD

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place the peanut butter, eggs, sweetener, vanilla, and salt in a food processor. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides if needed.
3. Pulse in the peanut pieces until just combined. (Don’t overmix – you want some pieces left for crunch.)
4. Use a medium cookie scoop to place balls of dough onto the prepared cookie sheet. Press the cookie dough into the scoop tightly before releasing onto the sheet. Flatten using a fork in a criss-cross pattern. Between cookies, dip the fork in a cup with cold water and then wipe with a paper towel (this will prevent sticking).
5. Bake for about fifteen to twenty minutes, until very lightly golden. Cool completely before handling. Cookies will become crisp as they cool.