Making Chocolate Bars with Cannabis Oil

Are you a cannabis-oil chef? Are you looking to make your own infused chocolate using your favorite strain’s extracted oil?

Nearly any food can be infused with cannabis oil these days. Canna-chefs are on the rise, and many make their own cannabis oils at home – kudos to those dedicated individuals! But most of us simply buy what we see in the dispensaries, which carry a multitude of pure oil products that are already decarboxylated. Regardless of how you obtained your oil, you’re here to figure out how to use it to infuse it into chocolate!

There are a variety of ways to do it, including making it from scratch with infused coconut oil or melting pre-made chocolate with some infused butter. (See our article: DIY Cannabis-Infused Milk Chocolate).

But we’re talking about using cannabis oil here. Let’s dive into two different methods – the easy route, and the “made from scratch” route.

The Easy Route: Melting Chocolate & Combining with Cannabis Oil

Chocolate naturally melts at around 80 or 90 degrees (Fahrenheit). This is perfect for mixing with cannabis oil since we don’t have to use high temperatures that could vaporize its cannabinoids (like THC or CBD). All you have to do is melt your favorite brand of chocolate in a pot (the cooking utensil) on low/medium heat, add the cannabis oil, stir, then pour it into silicone molds before placing it in the fridge or on the counter to set.

The main question here would be: How much oil do I put in my chocolate? Take into consideration the cannabinoid concentration levels within the oil. This information should be available from the store where you purchased it and on the label attached to the packaging. It is not suggested that you work with any cannabis product for which you do not have verified lab data.

Consider your preferred serving size of the oil. Many suggest that when fist cooking with oil, you should start with a smaller amount to keep the cannabinoid concentration lower. As you get more familiar with the effects of various concentration levels, you can adjust.

Next, consider your personal serving size of chocolate. A typical Hersey bar is about 1.55 ounces. Assuming you eat the whole bar in one serving, just add one measure of your preferred serving of oil to 1.55 ounces of chocolate. If you melt 6 ounces of chocolate and want to infuse it with the same concentration, then put 3.8 servings of oil in the melted chocolate.

Everyone’s cannabis oil serving preference differs – Check out this article if you need to find out your own: Finding Your Cannabis Serving Size & Tolerance Level

*Note: Keep in mind that adding cannabis oil to chocolate will change the taste of the chocolate.

Chocolate Bars with Cannabis Oil Made From Scratch

Here’s an easy recipe you can follow to create your own chocolate bars infused with cannabis oil at home.

*Creates about 5 servings but this depends on your personal serving size. Adjust amount of cannabis oil accordingly.

Materials Needed:

1 saucepan
Stirring spoon
Measuring cup & teaspoon
Silicone mold for bars

Ingredients Needed:

Cannabis oil of choice
¾ cup coconut oil OR shortening
¾ cup cocoa powder
¼ cup milk powder
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla or chocolate extract

*Note: Feel free to stir in nuts or other extras such as raspberries or coconut shavings or rice crispies, etc. after the ingredients have been stirred and you’re about to pour them into the molds.

Directions:

1. Melt the coconut oil/shortening in the saucepan over medium heat. Ensure the temperature never exceeds 325F to avoid vaporizing the cannabinoids which are about to be added.
2. Add sugar and gently stir.
3. Add cannabis oil, continuing to stir gently.
4. Add cocoa and milk powder by folding them in while stirring.
5. Add the vanilla or chocolate extract (or any other extracts you’ve chosen to enhance the flavor such as almond, rum, butter, cherry, cinnamon, coffee, peppermint, raspberry – you get the picture) and continue to stir gently.
6. Mix until chocolate is of smooth/silky consistency.
7. Pour the chocolate into your silicon bar molds.
8. Shake or tap the molds to ensure that any air bubbles surface and dissipate.
9. Refrigerate chocolate in their molds for about two hours or until the chocolate hardens.
10. Pop the infused chocolate out of their molds/trays and enjoy!

If you choose to save some chocolate bars in the fridge and notice a thin white layer forming on the surface, don’t panic. It happens to normal chocolate as well and is known as fat bloom. It’s caused by the coconut oil or shortening (fat) migrating through the chocolate and crystalizing on the candy’s surface, happening when moisture comes into contact with the chocolate (condensation from being stored in the fridge). Don’t toss it – it’s still edible!

Have you fashioned your own chocolate bars infused with cannabis oil at home? Share your experience and tips for other canna-chefs in the comments below!