Can You Freeze Cannabutter? – HØJ

Can You Freeze Cannabutter?

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Time to read 7 min

One of the tastiest ways to consume cannabis is in its edible form. And for this, we like to use cannabutter, an ingredient that will allow you to control the amount of cannabinoids you want in your body.


It doesn’t matter if your cannabutter is store-bought or homemade, you will always have more than you need for your specific recipe. Maybe you made a batch of delicious edibles for a meeting with friends, and some of them were left behind for you to take home. If you do not want to waste your time, money, or weed, your best choice is to store them properly.


In case you don’t know how to freeze cannabutter, this article will give you several tips to preserve this important ingredient to make the most out of it in your next cooking session.


Can You Freeze Cannabutter After Cooking?

Perhaps you infused a big batch of cannabutter, and you need to preserve it for a long time. In that case, your freezer is the place to go. As with not-infused food, the low temperatures of the freezer will prevent the chemical degrading of your cannabutter, keeping it fresh without losing any potency for a few months.


Try not to use plastic containers to store your cannabutter or edibles. Plastic can affect the flavor of your food, infused or not. Cannabutter and weed oil are best stored in glass jars and protected from the light inside opaque bags. On the other hand, baked goods can be wrapped in wax paper and placed in resealable Ziploc bags. If you do not have a vacuum pump, close the bag up to half an inch and suck the air out before closing it.


When you feel like indulging, use a clean knife or spoon to take the piece you want to eat instead of biting into it and saving the rest. The saliva in our mouths will degrade the edibles and leave them exposed to bacteria.


How Long until You can Freeze Cannabutter?

It is tempting to dump your freshly made cannabutter in the freezer right away. However, it is not safe to freeze hot or warm food since it can raise the inner temperature of your freezer and put the rest of the food there at risk of bacterial contamination.


Gather a bit of patience and wait until your cannabutter cools to room temperature before freezing it. You can chill it quickly and safely by placing the container inside a larger pot with cold water and ice. When your cannabutter achieves 70°F (20°C), it will be safe to put it in the freezer.


If you choose to freeze cannabutter in a glass jar, do not fill it to the top, close the lid lightly, and put it inside an opaque bag to keep it protected from light. Some water-containing substances dilate when frozen, so if your cannabutter has not enough space to “grow,” it may crack your jar.


Another way to safely freeze your cannabutter or infused oil is to place it in a silicone ice cube tray. BPA-free silicone will not leak into your butter, preserving the flavor. Let your cannabutter freeze overnight and remove it the next day. Then, wrap the cubes individually in wax paper and keep them in the freezer in an air-tight Ziploc bag. The cube shapes will let you take only the amount you need without the need to reheat the rest of the batch and put it at risk. You can even get fancy and place chopped herbs inside some cubes to use in savory recipes. 


How Long Does Cannabutter Last in the Freezer?

Cannabutter and edibles can stay fresh for up to six months when stored properly.

That is why you must label your cannabutter batches with the date you made them. This will help you follow up on your cubes and be sure when it is still safe to use them in your preparations. 


When you take your frozen cannabutter out of the freezer to cook, let it melt in the microwave or put it in the pan at the lowest heat. While cooking or baking, do not let the butter reach temperatures higher than 320°F. The THC molecules will start breaking down at this temperature, and you will lose the desired effects. If you need cold or softened butter for cookies or pie crust, do not use the microwave. Instead, transfer it from the freezer to the fridge the night before making your recipe. If you don’t have the time for a slow thaw, try grating it through a vegetable grater. It will soften faster.


Always check for any sign that tells your cannabutter might have gone spoiled. Do not use it if it has any trace of mold or mildew or if it has some discoloration. If you find moisture droplets inside an air-sealed container, it might indicate bacterial activity. Check if the smell has changed into something similar to fermented fruit; the cannabutter has a weird texture, feels brittle, or is too dry. 


Can You Cool Cannabutter in the Freezer?

Freshly made cannabutter needs to cool down to let the water stay in the bottom while the pure cannabutter floats to the top. A recommended method is to place it inside the fridge overnight in a safe container. You might be able to throw away the water and keep the cannabutter for use or storage.


To cool cannabutter in the freezer, you need to take preventive measures. Ensure that there is no food in the freezer or that the other food items inside it are inside airtight containers. The slight rise in temperature from the cannabutter may put them at risk of bacterial contamination.


Cooling down cannabutter in the freezer takes around 30 minutes. Do not let it inside the freezer for too long because the water might turn into ice, crack your container, and make more complicated to separate the water from the cannabutter.


Can You Freeze Cannabutter Cookies?

Suppose you just made a hearty batch of cannabis-infused cookies, and you know you should not eat them all in one sitting. While they can last a few days in a sealed container inside your fridge, you do not want to risk the possibility of those delicious cookies getting mouldy.


Luckily for you, the freezer is right there. Most homemade cookies are suitable for freezing without any loss of taste, texture, or cannabis potency. However, if you coated your cookies with powdered sugar or chocolate, the freezing process will not be as effective as desired, and they may get ruined. Delicate cookies, such as meringues and pizelles, lose taste and texture while frozen. We do not recommend trying to freeze such delicate pastries.


Wait for your cannabutter cookies to cool before placing them in a single layer on a flat tray. Take care that the cookies do not touch each other. Once they are frozen, you can put them in a flat airtight bag or container, in layers separated with wax paper. Label your container with the date and type of cookies for a careful following. They will keep fresh for up to 3 or 4 weeks.


Can You Freeze Cannabutter Cookie Dough?

Being ready for everything is a virtue. Freezing cannabutter cookie dough will let you host a friend meeting or fall victim to your cravings without much effort.


To freeze your cannabutter cookie dough, we recommend you portion it into small balls. Wrap them individually and put them inside an airtight container. If you made icebox or cutout cookie dough with cannabutter, we advise you to flatten it with a pin, cover it with wax paper, roll it into a log, and air seal it. 

It can be easier for you to cut the shapes into the dough and stack them separated by wax paper. This way, you will be able to take as many as you want to bake and leave the rest untouched. 


If you made your dough from a thin batter, we recommend you bake the cookies first and freeze them when they cool down.


Frozen cannabutter cookie dough can last up to 9 to 12 months in your freezer, as long as you don’t unfreeze it and freeze it again. Breaking the cold run of dough can leave it at risk from bacterial contamination. Label your cannabutter cookie dough with the date and kind of dough, so you can remember to bake them before they run out of time.


Another advantage of pre-cutting your cannabutter cookie dough is that it only will need 15 minutes of thawing on the baking tray before going into the oven. Cannabutter cookie dough in logs or big balls will need to thaw overnight inside your fridge, and you will have to bake the whole batch afterward. Bake your cookies following the original instructions from the recipe regarding the time and temperature of the oven.


Can You Freeze Cannabutter Brownies?

The whole slab of cannabutter brownies you just made is not going to eat it by itself. And, of course, you do not plan on eating it right away. Well, maybe a slice or two before storing the rest.


After quality-testing your baking abilities, the safest storing bet is to freeze the rest of the brownies for a rainy day. Let them cool to room temperature or chill inside the fridge. Freezing warm or hot brownies will burn them. 


Cut them in your preferred size and wrap them individually as tight as you canー any air bubble inside the wrapping will oxidize your brownie, which will dry it out or change its color. Then, you can put the sealed brownies in an opaque container or resealable bag to freeze properly. They will stay fresh for up to three months, given the proper care.

When you want to eat some cannabutter brownies, you can take them out of the container without disturbing the rest. Unwrap them, place them on a plate on the counter, and wait for them to reach room temperature. If you are in a hurry, put them in the microwave at low power for 15-seconds increments, continuously checking that they do not get too hot.


If you filled your brownies with jam, cream cheese, or any liquid ingredient, it would probably sweat out during the thawing process. The extra moisture will affect the texture of your brownies, but the taste and cannabis potency will remain unaffected.


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