Cooking with cannabis has gone through a serious revolution in recent years. What was once the steeple of hardcore stoners who wanted to spend hours on end tripping on space cakes, has fast developed into a million-dollar industry that even found its way to Netflix.
With more and more US states legalizing recreational adult use of cannabis, it’s about time you learn to cook delicious foods that will both give you and satisfy the munchies. What may come as a surprise to some, cooking with cannabis is far more intricate than just adding weed to any regular recipe. The plant’s rich flavor profile can enrich and elevate a great range of dishes, from savory meals to sweet desserts.
Cannabis dishes are not just fun to make, they’re also a fantastic way to get for anyone that can’t or doesn’t want to smoke. So put away your papers and bong, and whip out your cooking utensils. It’s time to get baked.
Bong Appétit by the Editors of Munchies
Best for connoisseurs
Bong Appétit started life as a spinoff from the Viceland television series. The book itself was written by the editors of Munchies, whose work you’ve undoubtedly seen if you spent even a minute on Facebook. Bong Appétit is a sophisticated guide for cannabis chefs looking to elevate their food game. Sixty-five mouth-watering recipes ranging from weed-infused basted chicken to chimichurri to brownie sundaes not only sound delicious, they will also get you very high.
Edibles by Stephanie Hua
Best for small bites
If the only edible you’ve ever tried is space cakes, you’ll love this book. Stephanie Hua is a big name in the cannabis food industry and is behind popular gourmet edibles line Mellows and the event curation company Cannaisseur Series. While the bites-sized creations in Edibles will definitely get you high, the focus is on presentation and taste. From Spiced Superfood Truffles to Strawberry Jam Pavlovas, Edibles is full of unique recipes and instructions to create base ingredients like cannabutter, oil, honey, and maple syrup.
Cooking With Cannabis by Laurie Wolf
Best for wholesome food
The New Yorker affectionately calls Laurie Wolf “The Martha Stewart of Marijuana,” and the 70 recipes in Cooking With Cannabis: Delicious Recipes for Edibles and Everyday Favorites takes cannabis as seriously as it would any other ingredient. This cookbook is full of information about the benefits of cannabis for relieving the symptoms of certain diseases and even goes into detail about a variety of cannabis strains. If you are looking for a down-to-earth cookbook with wholesome recipes you could also find at a five-star restaurant, this one’s for you.
Sweet Mary Jane by Karin Lazarus
Best for a sweet tooth
The second Martha Stewart on this list (sorry, still not the real one) received her title from New York Magazine, which bestowed on Karin Lazarus the honor of being “the Martha Stewart of weed baking.” And honestly, the 75 high-end cannabis-infused desserts you can find in Sweet Mary Jane are incredible. All 75 originated in Lazarus’ professional bakery in Boulder, Colorado, and are fancy enough to be served at your next dinner party.
Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails, and Tonics by Warren Bobrow
Best for cannabis drinks
If cooking with cannabis is beneath you, Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails, and Tonics will be your guide to getting high without inhaling weed. Warren Bobrow will teach you how to properly de-carb cannabis while at the same time explaining the plant’s history as a social drug of choice. This cannabis cookbook includes much more than THC-laced alcohol, and also covers the world of cannabis coffee, tea, lemonade, and syrups.
The Official High Times Cannabis Cookbook
Best for old-school recipes
If anyone knows how to get high, it’s probably the High Times team behind the Official High Times Cannabis Cookbook. “50 Irresistible Recipes That Will Get You High” have been endorsed by celebrity stoners such as Snoop and Willie Nelson and will most definitely, well… get you high.
Cannabis Cuisine by Andrea Drummer
Best for fine dining
Andrea Drummer is anywhere where high-grade food infused with cannabis can be found. The Le Cordon Bleu alumni is also the founder and chef at the Original Cannabis Cafe in Los Angeles, and formerly co-owned Elevation VIP Co-op, a company that catered private cannabis dinner parties in LA. Cannabis Cuisine looks at cannabis as an enriching ingredient and recommends different strain pairings according to their unique flavor profile. This cookbook includes everything from Southern comfort food to dishes you’d find in Michelin star restaurants.
The Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook by Robin Griggs Lawrence
Best for beginners and experts alike
This cookbook brings together some of the best and brightest chefs of cannabis cuisine and covers every meal of the day 100 tested recipes. Crystal clear step-by-step instructions guide you through making cannabis-infused oils and butters as the base for your dishes, explain proper dosing and even include a guide to strain profiles.
The Vegan Stoner Cookbook by Sarah Conrique and Graham I. Haynes
Best for vegans
Yes, dear vegan stoner, there is something on this list for you as well. While, strangely enough, none of the 100 recipes in this book contain cannabis, they are all “so simple, even a stoner could prepare them.” Thanks for that condescending sentiment, I guess. The Vegan Stoner was born out of Sarah Conrique and Graham I. Haynes’ popular blog of the same name and includes a collection of tasty, meatless recipes. If you know how to make cannabis-infused oil and vegan-butter, you can very easily upgrade these wonderful recipes to cannabis-infused, vegan dishes.
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