How to Make CBD Gummies

Gummies and CBD: a match made in heaven. Cannabis consumers have collectively embraced the sweet treat as a way to wind down, and while the psychoactive cannabinoid THC is still a favorite of many, people far and wide are enjoying the healing, non-psychoactive benefits of its little sibling CBD, or cannabidiol.

However, for folks looking to avoid a high, it can be tough to find edibles with little to no THC in dispensaries, not to mention the price tag. Fortunately, making homemade CBD gummies is much easier and more accessible than one might think, offering more control over dosing, flavor and ultimately a bit of relief on the wallet.

Take a deep dive with High There as we explore how to make homemade CBD gummies, dive into a CBD gummy recipe that will surely please the taste buds and the soul and explore the myriad potential benefits that this non-psychoactive substance has to offer. 

Before we get cooking, let’s cover a few of our foundational bases, namely

What is CBD?

As mentioned, CBD is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid, meaning that it will not get you “high” in the same way THC does. Cannabinoids are chemical compounds almost exclusively produced by the cannabis sativa plant, though there are a number of other plants that also make them. These compounds are any that act on our body’s own endocannabinoid system, one of many neurotransmitting pathways that helps our bodies and brains to function.

CBD and THC are just two of the main players in the cannabinoid game, though there are more than 100 known cannabinoids to date. Researchers are also slowly uncovering the individual benefits of each.

CBD is also a bit more accessible than THC and cannabis as a whole. While CBD extracted from cannabis is still a Schedule I Controlled Substance in the U.S., the 2018 Farm Bill made it legal to sell certain hemp and hemp-derived products. That said, CBD extracted from hemp (being cannabis with less than 0.3 percent THC) is legal as a cosmetics ingredient — not as an ingredient in food, dietary supplements or animal food.

Researchers are still figuring out everything CBD has to offer, but there are a number of uses backed by anecdotal evidence and research. But, more on that later.

Now that we have some basics covered, let’s explore CBD oil, a crucial ingredient for your homemade CBD gummies. As part of the plant, CBD is inactive — essentially, there’s no effect ingesting inactive cannabinoids. When CBD is extracted from the plant, it’s very concentrated and isn’t water soluble. This means it must be diluted into a carrier oil, effectively creating CBD oil.

For the record, you are welcome to bypass this step by purchasing premade CBD oil or

Don’t worry, we’ll lay it all out for you. Once you have all the CBD gummies ingredients, you’ll be surprised at just how quick this process can be. Without further delay, let’s discuss

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Making CBD Oil for Gummies

This step is technically optional for anyone who would rather buy ready-to-go, premade CBD oil from a dispensary or online. Though, we gently suggest giving your own CBD oil a go. 

Before you start, make sure you’ve already picked up some CBD flower. When flower is smoked, the heat activates the cannabinoids. We’ll activate the cannabinoids here as we make our CBD oil for our gummies. The CBD gummy recipe can be customized depending on whatever size of batch you are aiming for, though we’re framing our guidelines around a one-quarter ounce of flower — seven grams — and one-half cup of oil.

Note that this is just one method, in which you will need a slow cooker. For other options, check out the next section.

How to Make CBD Oil

Decarb Your Flower

• To start, grind up your CBD flower. It should be fluffy, not powdery (meaning, don’t over-grind). Spice grinders will work well, though hand-held weed grinders will also do the trick. 
• Once you’ve ground your flower, place the flower into a glass jar with a lid you can firmly attach.
• With your ground flower in the jar, place a trivet in the bottom of your slow cooker with the jar on top. 
• Fill the cooker with enough water to cover about half of the jar. 
• Pop on a lid, and set the cooker for a pressure cook on high for 40 minutes.

Make Your CBD Oil Infusion

• Now that your flower is activated, and the CBD is ready to be enjoyed, you are ready to make your CBD oil. Measure out your choice of oil or butter into a small jar. (If you’re unsure what oil works best for you, check out the next section.)
• Revisit your jar of decarbed flower and, with a mesh tea steeper or piece of cheesecloth, secure the flower and add it to your oil container. 
• Pop a lid on tight, and place your oil/flower combo back into your slow cooker, ensuring you add enough water to cover about half of the jar. 
• Once the lid is on your slow cooker, set it to pressure cook on high for an additional 20 minutes. 
• Let the cooker naturally release for 40 minutes, and follow with a quick release for any remaining pressure.
• Remove the jar from the cooker and ensure it’s cool enough to handle, then open it up and remove your flower. 
• Give it a good squeeze to ensure any coveted, leftover oil goes into your main mixture, and discard the rest of the flower. If you need more oil for the CBD gummy recipe, you can always add it.

What is the Best Oil for Making CBD Oil?

Before we explore how to make CBD gummies with CBD oil, let’s take a brief pause to discuss oil options for our CBD gummy recipe. There’s no right or wrong answer, and the specific oil is generally up to personal preference. That’s not to say that each option doesn’t have its benefits.

Canola/Vegetable Oil:

This is a light oil lacking strong flavor, which is often ideal in the edible world. Not only that, but it’s the least likely to spoil quickly—perfect if you aren’t looking to use your entire batch of CBD oil at once. Your final product will likely have a fairly weedy taste no matter what oil you use, though you won’t have to worry about any competing flavors.

Olive Oil:

The perk of olive oil is that many of us already have it and are fairly familiar with it. The downfall is the flavor, which is fairly robust. It doesn’t always compliment the flavor of cannabis, and olive oil has the potential to go bad sooner. That said, it’s good in a pinch, though other options may work a bit better.

Coconut Oil:

Coconut oil is one of the most popular for oil infusions, given its unique molecular makeup that allows it to stay solid at room temperature, only shifting to liquid after exposure to heat. The flavor also tends to compliment the flavor of cannabis. The downside is the shelf life — one of the worst out of the oils listed. If you go this direction, ensure your infusion is kept in a well-sealed container and in a dark, cool location.

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CBD Gummies Recipe

• Prep time: 20 minutes
• Chill time: 2 hours
• Total time: 2 hours 20 minutes
• Yield/servings: 24 large gummies, or 48 medium gummies (this depends on your mold)

Now, the fun begins. We’ve got our oil, and we’re ready to get these homemade CBD gummies rolling. 

You will need a number of tools to get started.

Gummy Mold: While it’s possible to make gummies without a mold, it’s significantly easier with one. Silicone molds are great because you can simply pop out your finished gummies one by one. You can also get creative with shapes if you’re feeling fancy.

Liquid Droppers: You’ll also need a liquid pipette or eyedropper, if your mold doesn’t come with one. This will allow you to add a precise amount of gummy mixture to each mold and will ultimately save you some cleanup time — spoons can get messy!

CBD Oil: OK, this one’s a given, but make sure you have your infusion ready, or your premade CBD oil or cannabutter if you decided to skip this step. 

Once you have all your supplies, ensure you’ve got your CBD gummies ingredients ready to go.

Ingredients

• 1 cup water/6 tea bags (hibiscus or fruity teas are ideal) OR 1 cup of fruit juice
• 3 tablespoons of dried fruit powder(s) of your choice
• 1-½ tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice
• 4 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
• 24 doses of CBD oil*

*Note, you don’t have to use all of your CBD oil. CBD dosage may vary by person, and especially if you are new to the cannabinoid, it may be beneficial to try some oil straight or in a beverage before deciding on your dosage. For example, you might try out an eyedropper’s worth of oil on its own, or even half, and see how you feel. One dropper is 1ml, so if you find that dose works, you’ll simply need 24ml of oil. Similarly, if your standard dose is two or three droppers’ worth, you’ll need 48 or 72ml total. Keep in mind a half cup is approximately 118ml.

You can also figure out how many milligrams of CBD is in your oil to dose your gummies based on milligrams:

It does involve some math, but you’ll convert the grams of flower to milligrams (multiply grams by 1,000), figure out your CBD percentage and convert to a decimal (i.e. 24 percent is 0.24), multiply your total milligrams by the decimal percentage of CBD, and voila: That is your milligram dosage for your entire batch of oil. From there, you can divide the total dosage by amount of gummies for the dose of each gummy and adjust your total oil serving from there. 

More on that later, but let’s dive into this CBD gummy recipe for real!

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Step 1: Make Your Tea/Heat Fruit Juice

If you’ve opted for tea, bring your cup of water to a boil and pour it over your teabags in a heatproof cup or bowl. Let it steep for five minutes, and measure out three-quarters cup of tea. Discard any remaining liquid. 

For juice, a full cup in a saucepan and keep it at a light simmer. 

Step 2: Add the Gummy Base

Place your three-quarters cup of tea in a small saucepan, or use the same saucepan if you are simmering fruit juice. Add the dried fruit powder, sugar and lemon juice. Begin stirring with a whisk until the mixture is well-combined, and keep it at a simmer over medium-low heat. It should be hot, not boiling.

Slowly add your gelatin mixture to the pot, and whisk continuously to ensure the gelatin dissolves. Continue cooking your concoction over medium-low heat until the gelatin is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.

Step 3: Add the CBD Oil

Before you add your CBD oil, ensure that the mixture is removed from heat. Whether you are adding your entire half cup or saving some for another occasion, stir in your CBD oil thoroughly.

Step 4: Pour into the Molds

Now that you have your medicated mixture, place your gummy mold on a rimmed baking sheet, grab your handy dropper or pipette and fill the fummy mold with your mixture. 

Note that the liquid will start solidifying once it’s removed from heat, so work swiftly! Any large bubbles can be removed with a quick poke of a toothpick or by tapping the mold against your surface area. 

Step 5: Refrigerate the Gummies

Unfortunately, there’s one more step before your gummies are ready to enjoy: They must set in the refrigerator. Once the mold is completely filled, chill your gummies until they are firm for approximately two hours.

Step 6: Store the CBD Gummies

So, your homemade CBD gummies have chilled, and they are ready to eat! Congrats! Though, there’s still one final step. Of course, you’ll need to pop each out of the mold and (after sampling one or two perhaps) ensure the rest are stored properly. 

The best option is an airtight container in the refrigerator. If gummies are exposed to air, they can become dense and chewy, eventually drying out over time. To maintain the best texture, make sure they are stored in the fridge within 24 hours.

Finally, give yourself a pat on the back. You just learned how to make CBD gummies from flower!

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How Many CBD Gummies Should You Eat?

Dosing can feel intimidating. You might be wondering, “

This is also all the more reason to ensure your CBD oil is spread evenly — you should be able to easily calculate approximately how much CBD is in each gummy depending on how much CBD you put in the mixture. 

To loop back, we started with seven grams, or 7,000mg, of flower. Flower should always be labeled with the cannabinoid content, so you’ll want to take note of what percentage of CBD your flower has. 

For example, if the flower we used is 20 percent CBD, we’ll multiply the decimal equivalent, 0.2, by the total milligrams: 7,000 x 0.2 = 1,400mg of CBD in your half cup of oil. 

This means, if you used the entire batch for 24 gummies, each would have roughly 58mg of CBD. If around 30mg (technically 29mg) is more your speed, use a fourth cup of the oil and save the rest for another day. 

Alternatively, knowing that a half cup is equal to about 118ml, we know that 1,400mg of CBD oil amounts to just shy of 12mg per dropper (1,400 / 118 = 11.86). 

Your dose will depend on your body, tolerance and specifically what symptoms you are looking to treat. In very general terms, a lower dose in treating mild symptoms is generally 10-25mg; a medium dose for moderate symptoms is generally 30-60mg, and a heavy dose for severe symptoms could be anywhere from 60-150mg or more.

CBD Gummy Uses

So, why do consumers choose

We’ll say it one last time, but the biggest distinction between the two cannabinoids is that CBD is not psychoactive. If you are looking for a high, stick with THC. Some folks avoid THC because the overall sensations can sometimes turn inward, leading to increased anxiety and paranoia for some users.

CBD, on the other hand, acts more on the receptors of the body and tends to focus on more physical responses, rather than mental. 

Here are just a number of CBD’s alleged uses:

• Supports healthy inflammatory function: Numerous studies have examined CBD’s effect on inflammation, and though many of these studies involve animals, the results are promising. It appears that CBD has the potential ability to mitigate inflammation, which folks may experience for a number of reasons and specific conditions.
• Supports focus and clarity: Because CBD interacts with the body’s dopamine receptors, it is alleged to help to regulate our memory, focus, motivation and mental attention.
• Supports a healthy sleep cycle: Poor sleep habits can be due to a number of factors, like stress, mental unrest or pain, though studies support that the consistent use of
  CBD can improve sleep over time
  .
• Supports a calm mood and combats anxiety: Similarly, research has found that patients largely reported a decrease in anxiety and stress after consistent CBD use.

While these are all promising potential benefits of CBD, many of the studies available had a limited scope, involved other cannabinoids or animal test subjects. Bottom line: There’s still a lot more to uncover.

Other Ways to Take CBD

While homemade CBD gummies are a great DIY option, which surely gets easier with practice, there are a number of ways to try out CBD.

• CBD gummies and edibles online or in-store: Homemade CBD gummies and edibles aren’t for everyone, and fortunately, your neighborhood dispensary and numerous outlets online carry CBD gummies, along with other edible varieties like chocolate, drinks, cookies and more.
• Tinctures: You can buy a tincture online, at a dispensary or use the CBD oil recipe above and an eye dropper to make your own. The user will drop their desired dose under their tongue and wait until it is entirely dissolved or swallowed. 
• CBD vape pens
  : If vaping is more your speed, check out your local weed shop or look online for a CBD cartridge. Vaping is a nice way to slowly control your dose of CBD in a discreet way.
• CBD flower: If you find yourself enthralled by your bud, reluctant to grind it up and turn it into an oil, you could always opt for a nice, calming smoke sesh through a pipe, bong, blunt or joint!

CBD products are available online, with no THC or a limited, legal amount, less than 0.3 percent. When shopping at a dispensary, it’s important to note that some products may not be 100 percent CBD and include a certain ratio of THC. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as some THC can help to enhance the effects of CBD without actually providing psychoactive effects. A 10:1 CBD:THC tincture’s 1mg of THC in a single dose won’t get you high, though it will help the 10mg of CBD to do its job. Many dispensaries carry products with even less THC, with ratios like 30:1 or 50:1.

Whichever direction you choose, countless consumers are already enjoying the benefits of CBD, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. As the cannabis boom persists, we’re bound to continue learning even more about this cannabinoid, and the many others that make up this mystifying cannabis plant — and we can’t wait!