How to Make THC Lollipops and Hard Candies at Home

The rainbow of colors and tantalizing array of flavors have made lollipops and hard candies favorite candies among children since, well… for a really long time. In fact, there’s no doubt that, too, enjoyed suckers when you were a wee one yourself.

Now that you’re older and grow, you’re pastimes have changed, and while you may have traded in your bicycle, sticks and rocks, dolls, and games of hide-and-seek with the neighborhood kids in for adult-only activities (like enjoying cannabis), your love for lollipops and hard candies hasn’t diminished.

We get it, sweet tooths are hard to shake. But, if the candy serves double purpose, then maybe it’s worth it? Sure, your’e getting some refined sugar, but with THC-infused edible lollipops you’re also getting a smoke-free high, which is a plus for your lungs!

If that all sounds awesome to you then it may be worth checking out the hard candy and lollipop selection at your local dispensary to see if they’re right for you. If you do end up liking them, just like with brownies, gummies, and THC syrup, if you like them you can save money by learning to make them yourself!

“Wait, I don’t know the first thing about making cannabis edibles, much less hard candies!” or “I don’t even know my way around the kitchen, so surely I won’t be able to make my own weed lollipops and hard candies!” If you’re saying anything that sounds like these statements to yourself, you’ve come to the right place!

Believe it or not, it is way easier to make DIY hard candies and lollipops than it sounds. Below, you’ll find a list of ingredients you need and a set of simple instructions you can follow to make your very own weed adult-friendly THC suckers!

***It’s worth reminding ourselves, that when it comes to edibles that look like candy it is of critical importance to keep them in child-proof storage containers and out of the reach of anyone under the legal age.***

The Benefits of Hard Candies Over Soft Edibles

Brownies, gummy bears, cookies, cakes, and even chewing gum, the world of edibles is constantly innovating! With so many different types of cannabis-infused edibles, you might be wondering why you should consider making and using weed lollipops and hard candies. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits, including some advantages that are shared with other types of edibles, but some that are unique to weed lollipops and hard candies. 

• Easier to microdose: If you like microdosing, like other types of edibles, it’s pretty easy to do with marijuana-infused suckers. That’s because you’ll know exactly how much weed is in each candy, and thus, you’ll know what dose you’re going to get to avoid getting too high.
• Delayed onset: If you like to experience immediate results, than this may not be appealing to you; however, for those who would rather take your time getting your feet wet, the delayed onset of hard candies and lollipops is definitely a perk that you’ll enjoy. It takes longer to consume suckers than it does other types of edibles – and it takes markedly longer to consumer than toking a joint, bong, or bowl – which means that the effects of the cannabis will come on slowly. 
• Increased potency: When you smoke or vape weed, the THC is processed via the lungs, so the compounds don’t have much time to be absorbed. When you consume edibles, the cannabis is absorbed into the bloodstream via the digestive tract, so it takes longer to breakdown and the impact is often stronger, many reporting it being a stronger body-high as well.
• Convenience: When you want to enjoy the benefits that cannabis provides (relaxation, pain relief, anxiety relief, increased focus, etc.), smoking or vaping isn’t always convenient. In addition to prepping your stash, you have to contend with the smoke and odor. With cannabis-infused hard candies, however, whenever the mood strikes, just pop one in your mouth, and voila! – you’ve dosed yourself! You can literally treat yourself to the goodness of ganja anywhere!
• It’s just fun: Who doesn’t enjoy sucking on a delightfully sweet lollipop or hard candy? That’s exactly why they were one of your favorite treats when you were a kid! As an adult, the added effects of cannabis make consuming these treats even more enjoyable!

Why Make Your Own Weed Hard Candies and Lollies? 

So, why should you DIY cannabis-infused lollipops and hard candies? Because they’re so popular and widely enjoyed by so many, surely you’ll be able to find them at your local dispensary, right? While that may be true, there are several reasons you should make them yourself.

First, what happens if your dispensary runs out of their stash or doesn’t carry them? Second, what if there isn’t a dispensary in your local area? Third, will you know the exact dose you’ll be getting? Fourth, there really isn’t any way to tell what ingredients are in pre-made lollipops and hard candies, even if the distributor declares their transparent. Plus, purchasing them from a dispensary can get pretty pricy after a while. 

To summarize, if you know how to make weed lollipops and hard candies, you’ll be able to enjoy the treats whenever you want, you’ll know the exact dose, you’ll know exactly what ingredients the candies are made of, and you’ll save some cash; plus, you can make your favorite flavors!

DIY Cannabis-Infused Lollipops and Hard Candies

Now let’s get to the good stuff: the recipe and instructions for making your own tasty weed suckers!

Equipment

• Lollipop molds
• Lollipop sticks
• Candy thermometer
• Saucepan
• Stovetop/hot plate

Ingredients

• 2 to 3 tablespoons cannabutter or cannabis tincture (there are a bunch of appliances that simplify the process of making your own cannabutter or THC-infused oils)
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup organic light corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon of flavoring – pick your favorite; cherry, grape, butterscotch, etc.
• ¼ cup filtered water
• 3 drops food coloring (optional)

Time and Serving Size 

• Prep = 10 minutes
• Cooking = 30 minutes
• Total time = 1.5 to 2 hours
• Yields 20 lollipops

Directions

• Fill the saucepan with water, syrup, and sugar and mix. 
• Set on the burner on medium-high heat
• Constantly stir the contents of the pot until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is uniform
• Once the mixture starts to boil, place the thermometer in, and keep an eye on the temp until it reaches about 300 F
• When the temp reaches 300 F, turn off the heat and remove the pot from the stovetop. Leave the thermometer in the pot and wait until the temp dips to about 250 F
• Add in the cannabis oil/tincture and the flavoring and stir until all of the compounds are well-combined
• Fill the lollipop molds with the mixture. Place the sticks in each lollipop. 
• Let the lollipops cool down until hardened; about 20 to 30 minutes (this is critical, if you try to remove them too early they will deform and the sticks will likely fall out).

To make hard candies, follow the same recipe, but just omit the lollipop stick. You can find all different shapes of candy molds to make unique candy types to match your personality!

Herb CEO Summary

Lollipops and suckers with THC in them don’t get the headlines that gummies and brownies do, and we don’t know why. One can only imagine it’s simply lack of awareness because the benefits of suckers over crumbly brownies are multiple.

Don’t get us wrong, we bake dank chocolate-rich brownies on the regular but lollipops have two benefits that brownies and cookies lack. First, you can take very very small doses by sucking on it for just a minute or two. It’s hard to micro-dose a brownie or gummy because of their loose consistencies.

The second benefit is you can rock a cannabis lollipop in public without anyone being any wiser to what you’re getting up to. This is great if you want to go out and do some fun stuff with your friends while high but are worried about finding a low-key place to blaze.

All this said, it’s easy to get carried away with suckers, as many of us prefer to bite into them than lick them until they are finished. Some commercially available suckers have 100mg of THC, which would be a disaster if consumed all at once. Make sure to dose your DIY lollipops carefully to avoid having a bad time.

Likewise, it bears repeating that given the candy-like nature of this edible type it is imperative to keep them out of reach and away from those that are not of a legal age to consume cannabis. Remember, it is all too easy for someone to find a sucker laying around and assume it’s a normal piece of candy.