Making cannabis edibles is something you have to try at least once. For some, other consumption methods are preferable; for others, combining cannabis and the kitchen becomes a true pleasure with endless possibilities.

In this article, we look at how to make and use cannabis flour. This lesser-known ingredient offers culinary possibilities which cannabutter and cannaoil simply cannot match, making it a must-have ingredient for the enthusiastic cannabis chef.

What is Cannabis Flour?

Cannabis flour is a flour substitute made with cannabis flowers, stalks or leaves (commonly referred to as trim). It can be used in much the same way as other forms of flour, but shouldn't be used as a complete like-for-like replacement. Instead, you should mix a ¼ of cannaflour with ¾ cooking flour. This is because cannaflour is highly potent, so you don't want to overdo it. And second, it's just finely ground and baked cannabis, so it doesn't have the same properties as other flours, making baking tricky.

That said, Cannaflour is a fantastic alternative to cannaoil or cannabutter, as it stores for long periods. Another advantage of cannabis flour is that it doesn't have a very strong aroma, meaning your dishes won't smell strongly of weed (which can be the case with cannaoil).

On the other hand, it can leave a strong cannabis after-taste, which many consider to outweigh the reduced aroma. So, if you cook with this ingredient, be aware that your dishes will taste strongly of weed. After all, you are throwing in a bucket-load of ground-up bud.

Why Use Cannabis Flour?

Cannabis flour is worth making and using for the following reasons:

• It's a versatile ingredient which can be used in various recipes

• It stores for a very long time under optimal conditions

• It has very little smell

• It's an excellent way to use up cannabis trim

• It's straightforward to make

How to Make Cannaflour

Making cannaflour is incredibly easy and won't take you much time at all. You need very little in the way of equipment and no other ingredients!

Equipment & Ingredients

You'll need:

• Cannabis (flowers and trim)

• Baking parchment

• Grinder

• Food processor

Instructions

• Step 1: First, you need to decarboxylate your weed so that when you come to eat it later on, the THC is activated. To do this, grind it up and spread it evenly on baking parchment. Then, cook it in the oven at 110°C for 30–40 minutes.

• Step 2: Place it in a food processor and blend it until it is as fine as you can get it.

• Step 3: Use it or store it for later.

How to Store Cannaflour

Some people choose to store cannaflour by itself and then mix it with flour when it's time to bake. Others choose to mix it with flour immediately and store them together. If you opt for the former option, store it in an airtight container somewhere cool and dry.

If you mix it with flour, you should (as mentioned) use a ratio of ¾ flour with ¼ cannaflour. Then, when you come to use it, the mixture is ready to go. Note that cannaflour doesn't necessarily have the same shelf life as normal flour, so keep that in mind when planning your baking sessions.

The better you dry your cannaflour initially, the longer it's shelflife. Unfortunately, if there's moisture present in the ground cannabis, then your herb will degrade over time. The good news is that grinding your weed properly—before decarboxylating it—should remove any excess moisture.

Recipe Suggestions for Cannabis Flour

Really, the possibilities are as broad as they are for regular flour. However, here are some of our favourite ways to use cannaflour:

• Cookies/brownies: These edible classics have to top the list, even though they're a bit cheesy. Easy to make, tasty and simple to dose, cookies and brownies remain some of the best cannabis edibles available.

• Bread: Psychotropic bread seems odd, and there is something a little weird about it, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try it, especially as cannaflour is perfect for baking into cannabread. Play around with different toppings to see what you can find to match the intense cannabis flavours.

• Pasta: Again, a novel idea, but quite a lot of fun. How about a canna-bolognese, or maybe canna-gnocchi?

• Pancakes: If you have more of a sweet tooth, you can use your cannaflour to make pancakes, before smothering them in whatever you please.

• Pastry: This is probably one of the strangest ways to use cannaflour, but why not make pastry and bake a pie? As you can see, the possibilities for cannaflour are limitless!

Cannabis Flour: A Novel, Vegan-Friendly Ingredient

Cannabis flour is a novel and versatile ingredient that opens up a new world of possibilities when making cannabis edibles. Plus, you can view cannaflour as a culinary challenge. Although it will give your dishes a distinctive weed taste, why not experiment with ways to enhance and compliment it?

Cannaflour is great to have in the cupboard and can be used in unusual and exciting ways. See what you can do!