Precision dosing for professional-looking home edibles
Introduction
Crafting homemade edibles that rival those from professional dispensaries requires more than great recipes—it's about precision. Precision dosing ensures consistent potency, safety, and enjoyable experiences, while professional presentation elevates your creations from amateur to artisanal. Whether you're a home chef experimenting with cannabis-infused chocolates, gummies, or baked goods, mastering dosing and aesthetics can transform your kitchen into a boutique edibles lab. This guide covers the essentials for safe, accurate dosing and stunning visuals.
Why Precision Dosing Matters
Edibles deliver cannabinoids like THC and CBD through digestion, leading to effects that can last 4-12 hours but vary widely based on dosage. Overdosing risks discomfort like anxiety or nausea, while underdosing disappoints. Precision minimizes these issues by standardizing servings.
Key benefits:
- Consistency: Every piece delivers the same 5-10mg THC per serving.
- Safety: Especially for beginners; start low (2.5-5mg) and go slow.
- Professional Appeal: Uniform dosing builds trust and allows for appealing labeling.
Always check local laws—edibles production for personal use is legal in many regions, but sales often require licensing.
Calculating Your Dose
Start with lab-tested cannabis products for accurate cannabinoid percentages (e.g., 20% THC flower or distillate).
Step 1: Decarboxylation
Activate THC by heating raw cannabis:
- Grind flower finely.
- Spread on parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake at 240°F (115°C) for 30-40 minutes, stirring halfway.
Step 2: Infusion Ratio
Use a fat-based carrier like butter, coconut oil, or MCT oil (1:1 ratio by weight for strong potency).
Formula for total milligrams:
```
Total mg THC = (grams cannabis × %THC × 1000) × extraction efficiency (85-95%)
```
Example: 7g of 20% THC flower = (7 × 0.20 × 1000) × 0.90 = 1,260mg THC in infusion.
Divide by servings: For 100mg total potency (10mg × 10 pieces), yield 10 servings.
Step 3: Tools for Accuracy
- Digital Scale: 0.01g precision (e.g., AWS Gemini-20).
- Dosing Calculators: Online tools like TCheck or Leafly's edible calculator.
- Tincture Testers: Devices like tCheck for verifying infusion strength.
Infusion Techniques for Pro Results
Fat Infusion (Butter/Oil)
- Simmer decarbed cannabis in melted fat at 160-200°F (71-93°C) for 1-2 hours.
- Strain through cheesecloth; cool and store.
Distillate Method (Cleanest)
- Heat distillate (90-99% THC) directly into fats or bases—no decarb needed.
- Ideal for gummies or chocolates.
Recipes for Professional-Looking Edibles
THC Chocolate Truffles (10mg/serving, 20 pieces)
Ingredients:
- 200g dark chocolate
- 100g coconut oil infusion (126mg THC total)
- Cocoa powder for rolling
Steps:
1. Melt chocolate and infusion over double boiler.
2. Pour into silicone truffle molds; chill 2 hours.
3. Roll in cocoa; package in foil wrappers.
Pro Tip: Use tempered chocolate for shine—heat to 115°F (46°C), cool to 82°F (28°C), reheat to 90°F (32°C).
Cannabis Gummies (5mg/serving, 40 pieces)
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup fruit juice
- 2 tbsp gelatin
- 1/4 cup tincture (200mg THC total)
- Silicone bear molds
Steps:
1. Bloom gelatin in juice; heat gently.
2. Stir in tincture; pour into molds; refrigerate.
3. Dust with sugar for gloss.
Visual Hack: Layer colors with multiple pours for striped effects.
Packaging and Presentation
- Molds: Silicone for easy release and shapes (hearts, logos).
- Labels: Waterproof stickers with dosage, ingredients, and batch date.
- Storage: Airtight glass jars in cool, dark place (lasts 1-2 months).
- Branding: Custom boxes from Etsy for gifting.
Safety and Best Practices
- Test small doses yourself first.
- Label clearly: "Contains THC – 10mg per piece."
- Avoid mixing with alcohol.
- Consult a doctor for medical use.
Conclusion
Precision dosing turns home edibles into safe, potent, and visually stunning treats. With scales, calculators, and quality molds, anyone can achieve dispensary-level results. Experiment responsibly, and enjoy the craft.
Resources
- Leafly Edibles Calculator
- TCheck Potency Tester
- High Times Infusion Guide
- Wilton Silicone Molds
- ATLRx Distillate Basics