Edibles have long been – and continue to be – a popular way to consume marijuana, and new, exciting, and tasty recipes are introduced on a constant basis. In fact, there are so many different types of edibles on the market today that you could literally fill your entire fridge and pantry with cannabis-infused foods and drinks.
Of all the different types of edibles that are on the market, candies and sweets are, undoubtedly, the most popular, and of all the different types of marijuana-infused candies and lollipops that are on the market, weed gummy bears are one of the most beloved.
Remember those carefree days of childhood when you’d munch on a bag of gummy bears? The chewy, sweet goodness of those friendly little bears instantly brought a smile to your face. Now that you’re an adult who uses cannabis, whether for anxiety, pain relief, focus or recreationally, combining the weed and gummy bears is the perfect nostalgic indulgence.
While weed gummy bears may be one of the most popular types of edibles, there are a couple of problems with getting them pre-made. For one thing, they can get pretty pricy. We always advocate supporting your local dispensary and if you’re just testing the waters this route is great, but long-term paying retail prices for THC-infused candies isn’t very cost effective.
Another issue with pre-made candies, you don’t know exactly what they’re made of. While we’re stoked for the cannabis industries massive growth this has also attracted fly-by-night operators using questionable extraction and production methods. Making your own edibles eliminates the risk of getting potentially dodgy product.
Great, safety and cost savings, two great reasons to get into DIY edibles. Don’t worry, if you are thinking that making cannabis-infused gummy bears is prohibitively difficult, think again! With a few simple ingredients and a couple of basic steps, you can whip up your very own brand of these sweet treats.
What are the Benefits of Cannabis Edibles?
Before we jump in and explore how to make your own weed gummy bears, let’s take a minute to discuss the benefits of cannabis edibles.
-Ingestion is healthier than inhaling smoke
When it comes to consuming weed, smoking a joint, ripping a bong, or a bowl is probably the first thing that comes to mind in terms of the “method” of consumption.
While burning premium cannabis flower is certainly one of the most popular ways to use weed – and it can be fun, as there are so many different ways to toke it – smoking isn’t exactly healthy. In order to smoke weed, it needs to be combusted so that it can be inhaled. While cannabis offers a myriad of health benefits, combusting the plant matter and inhaling the hot smoke and the carcinogens that it contains, has been found to cause adverse respiratory health effects; this is particularly true for those who suffer from pre-existing respiratory conditions, such as asthma, COPD, or even allergies.
Edibles offer a smoke-free alternative to more safely consume cannabis. If you suffer from a respiratory condition or you want to be mindful of the health of your lungs, edibles are a great way to enjoy the benefits that cannabis offers without having to worry about the negative effects of smoking such as decreased cardiovascular performance.
-Edibles can be consumed discreetly
Smoking weed isn’t exactly discreet, especially that loud loud. The dank produces a very distinctive odor that’s virtually impossible to disguise short of hanging out in a skunk farm. If you’re in a situation or region of the world where smoking isn’t an option, with edibles, you can enjoy the goodness of cannabis without having to deal with a big cloud of pungent-smelling smoke swirling around your head.
-Edibles are (almost) idiot-proof
With edibles, there’s no need to worry about prepping your weed; no bowl to pack or joint/blunt to roll, or bong lighter to find. Just pop them in your mouth, chew, swallow, and in about 15 to 20 minutes, you’ll start to feel the effects. Don’t get us wrong, grinding, packing, and perfectly lighting a water-pipe bowl with a hemp-wick for maximum terpene flavor is still our most favorite consumption method, but short of taking too many edibles present a much simpler form of intake.
-Edibles can be more intense and last longer
When you smoke or vape weed, the cannabinoids enter the lungs quickly, travel throughout the bloodstream, hit the brain, and then flow through the rest of the body. The effects are quick and relatively short-lived. When you eat your weed, however, the THC enters your system via the digestive tract and is metabolized in the liver before it disperses through the rest of the body. This translates to more potent effects that last much longer.
-They provide a whole wide variety of relief benefits
Numerous scientific studies have confirmed that cannabis edibles offer several health benefits. Among the most commonly noted benefits include the following:
- Pain relief
- Stress relief
- Improved sleep quality
- Cancer pain reduction
- Tumor suppression
- Neuroprotective properties that prevent epileptic seizures and muscle spasms, as well as potential reduction in the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
- Inflammation management
- Diabetes management
- Appetite stimulation
- Endless laughing
How to Make Your Own Cannabis Gummy Bears
Okay, so now that we’ve covered some of the benefits that edibles provide, let’s take a look at a quick and easy recipe that you can use to make your very own weed-infused gummy bears. (we don’t think that we need to go over the benefits of weed-laced gummy bears, as we think the benefits are kind of self-evident).
Kitchen Supplies That You’ll Need
In order to DIY your weed gummy bears, you’re going to want to make sure that you have the following on-hand:
- A cooking pot
- Plain, flavor-free gelatin
- 1 package of flavored jello or gelatin mix
- ½ teaspoon of sunflower or soy lecithin oil (optional)
- A gummy bear mold
- A whisk
- Cannabis-infused coconut oil CBD or THC (you can buy tinctures from a dispensary or you can make your own with an home infuser)
The type of cooking pot doesn’t really matter, because gummy bears are so small you won’t be making a large volume of gelatin. Additionally its worth mentioning if you like these type of gummies investing in your own oil infuser to make your own active additives is a big money saver long-run.
Simple Weed Gummy Bear Recipe
So now that you have all of the stuff you’ll need, it’s time to have some fun and start making your weed gummy bears.
Prep time – 5 minutes
Cook time – 15 minutes
Cooling time – 25 minutes
Total time – 45 minutes
Instructions
- In the cooking pot, combine cannabis-infused coconut oil, water, and the sunflower or soy lecithin oil. Set the pot onto a stove set to a low heat.
- Constantly stir the mixture until the coconut oil has completely melted and the mixture has achieved a consistent texture.
- Next, mix in the unflavored and flavored gelatin, constantly stirring as you do.
- Whisk the mixture constantly and well on low heat for about 10 to 15 minutes until the gelatin has dissolved completely. Take care not to let the mixture come to a boil, but do make sure that the ingredients are well-mixed.
- Use a mini turkey baster to fill the gummy bear mold with the jello mixture. Move quickly, as you don’t want the mixture to cool too fast. Also, make sure you continue to whisk the mixture in the stove, otherwise it will start to harden.
- Put the gummy bear mold into the freezer for about 25 minutes.
Voila! Once the gummy bears are set, you can start enjoying your cannabis-infused goodies!
Herb CEO Summary
Weed gummies are one of our favorite edible types. It can take a little while to dial in your dosages, and if you are worried about making them too strong investing in an at-home testing device might be a worthwhile investment.
Gummies are a fun form of edible that are easy to share and easy to measure out doses vs cookies or brownies where you often want to finish the whole thing to prevent it from going stale.
It’s important to remember too that THC gummies are indistinguishable from regular candy found at the store and for that reason it is critically important to clearly label your homemade weed gummies as such to avoid inadvertent ingestion. It may seem like a funny idea, but given the total number of gummies people usually consume could result in a really traumatic experience, not to mention the danger presented to kids.
So, keep your edibles in child-proof containers, labelled, and out of reach where they could accidentally cause problems. Consuming responsibly is the most important part about enjoying cannabis.
