Top 6 Christmas cannabis recipes

The season of giving and eating is upon us. And if you love weed, what better way to celebrate the holidays than with cannabis-infused edibles and drinks? If you're looking to infuse your Christmas dinner and drinks with marijuana, look no further than our top 6 cannabis Christmas recipes.

Important things to know before cooking with cannabis

Cooking with cannabis is a simple pleasure. However, there are a few tricks of the trade that you'll want to wrap your head around in order to ensure your recipes turn out as tasty and potent as possible. These include:

1. Wash your weed! It might sound contradictory, but trust us, no matter how careful you are when you grow and harvest your weed, your buds will be rife with impurities (especially if you grow outdoors). Before you cook with cannabis, gently wash it in cold water to remove dust, hair, and other debris that'll otherwise end up in your food/drink.
2. Decarb, decarb, decarb. We cannot stress this enough; if you want to ensure your Christmas cannabis edibles are nice and potent, you must decarboxylate your weed before cooking with it. The process of decarboxylation breaks down carbon bonds in cannabinoid acids such as THCA and CBDA (present in live cannabis), turning them into the cannabinoids we know and love: THC, CBD, etc.
3. Use oil extracts to trap cannabinoids. THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids are fat soluble and hydrophobic. That means they bind to fat molecules and repel water molecules. In order for your edibles and drinks to be properly infused with cannabinoids, you'll want to first infuse butter, oil, or another kind of cooking fat (such as ghee, for example) with cannabis before using the infused cannabutter or oil to prepare your recipes.
4. Watch your cooking temperatures. Cannabinoids and terpenes are volatile compounds with low boiling points. To avoid cooking off the cannabinoids and terpenes in your cannabis edibles/drinks, do not expose them to temperatures above 185°C (THC boils and evaporates at 186°C).
5. Use the right strain. Different cannabis strains can produce notably different effects. And there's nothing worse than feeling couch-locked in the middle of a Christmas party or super energetic and hyperactive when you're about to crawl into bed. When preparing your cannabis recipes, make sure to use a cannabis strain that you're familiar with. Also, pick the right strain for the right recipe. For your appetisers (which are served at the beginning of the evening), for example, consider using an uplifting, energising sativa strain. Meanwhile, consider using a more relaxing strain to infuse the desserts you'll serve at the end of the night.
6. Store your edibles properly. Once cooked, cannabis edibles typically have the same shelf-life as their non-infused counterparts (i.e. weed brownies will typically keep as long as regular brownies, and weed-infused eggnog will last the same as regular eggnog). When storing your edibles, take extra care to label them so no one ends up accidentally high for hours on end because they got into your stash of super-strong pot cookies. Also, make sure to keep your edibles out of reach of children and pets!
7. Mind your dose, and take your edibles early. Unlike smoked or vaped cannabis, edibles can take up to 60 minutes or more to take effect, and typically reach their peak potency roughly 3 hours after administration. Hence, dosing your edibles properly and taking them at the right time is important to ensure you have an enjoyable experience. If you're new to edibles, start with small doses—you can always increase the amount if need be.

The best cannabis-infused Christmas recipes

Now that you're up to speed with the most important aspects of cooking with weed, it's time to get in the kitchen and start cooking up your Xmas feast. Below you'll find a collection of our favourite Christmas dishes infused with a healthy dose of cannabis. We’ve divided them into three categories: appetisers, main courses, and desserts.

Note: Most of the recipes below call for cannabis butter or oil. Check out our recipes for canna-oil and cannabutter to prepare yours in advance and cut down the effort required to make your Christmas feast.

Appetiser 1: Cheesy Cannabis Stuffing Balls

Who doesn't love traditional Xmas stuffing? If you're a fan of this holiday favourite, here's a simple way to take it to the next level:

Ingredients

For the stuffing:

• 2 onions, diced
• 1 clove garlic, finely diced
• 4 celery sticks, diced
• ½ tsp dry thyme
• ¼ tsp dry rosemary
• ½ tsp dry oregano
• ¼ tsp dry sage
• 130g butter
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 litre chicken stock
• 600g bread cubes
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil
• Extra butter

For the cheesy stuffing balls:

• 3 eggs
• 280g gouda cheese, cut into cubes
• 230g panko bread crumbs
• 1 tbsp canna-oil
• Vegetable or canola oil (for frying)

Equipment

• Large skillet
• 2 large bowls
• Spoon
• Large baking tray
• Deep saucepan
• Food processor

Instructions

To make the stuffing:

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C.
2. Melt the butter in a large skillet or saucepan. Once it starts to foam, add in the celery, onion, garlic, and dried seasoning (thyme, rosemary, oregano, and sage). Season with salt and pepper, and cook on low heat till soft (do not brown).
3. In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes with the cooked onion, celery, and garlic mixture, and fresh chopped parsley. Mix well, taste the bread, and season if need be.
4. Gradually add small amounts of chicken stock to the bread cubes and toss. The bread cubes should be moist but not soggy.
5. Butter all sides of a large baking tray. Add the bread cubes to the tray and drizzle with olive oil. Cover the tray with aluminium foil and bake for 20–30 minutes.
6. Uncover, and bake for an extra 5–10 minutes until the bread crumbs are golden brown and crisp.
7. Blend in a food processor into a fine stuffing mix.
8. Refrigerate till cool.

To make the cheesy stuffing balls:

1. In a large bowl, combine roughly 500g of stuffing with 1 beaten egg and the canna-oil. Mix well.
2. Beat the remaining eggs and set aside. Prepare the panko bread crumbs in a large tray or bowl.
3. Take a cube of cheese and shape a ball around it with the stuffing. Dip the ball in the beaten egg mixture, then cover with panko bread crumbs.
4. Heat the vegetable oil in a deep saucepan or frying pan to 175°C.
5. Fry the stuffing balls for 5–7 minutes or until golden brown. Be sure not to overcrowd your pan to avoid the temperature of the oil dropping.
6. Drain the fried balls on a drying rack or a kitchen towel. Serve hot with your favourite dressing or dipping sauce.

Appetiser 2: Bruschetta Indica

Want something fresh and easy to prepare for your Christmas festivities? This cannabis-infused bruschetta is sure to blow both you and your guests away!

Ingredients

• 1 loaf of sourdough bread, sliced
• 6–8 ripe red tomatoes, diced
• 1 red onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 20g fresh basil, chopped
• Dry oregano
• Dry thyme
• 1 tbsp cannabis oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Equipment

• Chef’s knife
• Large bowl

Instructions

1. Combine the diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, and half of the chopped basil in a large bowl; mix well.
2. Season the mixture with 1 tbsp of cannabis oil, more olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Set the mixture aside in the fridge to cool.
4. Lightly toast both slices of sourdough bread.
5. Spoon the tomato mixture onto the toasted slices of bread.
6. Arrange the bruschetta slices on a serving platter and garnish with the remaining chopped basil, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of salt and freshly cracked pepper.

Main Course 1: Weedy Christmas Braised Beef

Christmas main courses are meant to be hearty and wholesome—and this delicious braised beef recipe ticks all the boxes. Here's how to make delicious braised beef with a nice cannabis kick.

Ingredients

• 1.5kg boneless beef short ribs, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and roughly sliced
• 300g fresh pumpkin, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 250ml red wine
• 250ml beef stock
• 3 tbsp canola oil
• 2 tbsp cannabis oil or cannabutter
• 25g flour
• 1 twig fresh sage
• 1 twig fresh rosemary
• 1 twig fresh thyme
• 1–2 bay leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

• Large skillet
• Large bowl
• Wooden spoon
• Tongs

Instructions

1. Take your beef out of the fridge 1 hour before cooking.
2. Liberally salt all sides of the beef chunks, then cover in flour.
3. Place a large skillet or frying pan on high heat. Once the pan starts to gently smoke, add in your oil and move the pan around so the oil covers all sides. ¨
4. Brown your beef ribs on high heat. Be patient—do not overcrowd the pan. Depending on the size of your pan, you will likely have to cook the beef in batches. Set the browned ribs aside in a large bowl to rest, and move on with the recipe.
5. Remove the pan from the heat for 30 seconds to 1 minute to let the temperature drop slightly. Discard 2–3 tablespoons of the cooking fat from the pan, depending on how fatty your ribs were.
6. Add the onion and carrots into the pan and cook on medium heat, stirring regularly. Season with salt.
7. Once the onion and carrot begin to brown, add in the garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, then deglaze the pan with the red wine.
8. Once the wine has reduced slightly, add the ribs back into the pan along with the canna-oil; mix everything well. Cook for 1 minute, then add in your diced tomatoes and beef stock to completely cover the ribs.
9. Bring to a simmer, add in all the herbs, then cover the pan and cook for 1 hour.
10. After 1 hour, remove the herbs, cover, and continue cooking. Note that the stew should never boil, only simmer.
11. After 40 minutes, taste the stew and season with salt and pepper if need be. Add in the cubed pumpkin, combine well, and top up with water if necessary.
12. Continue cooking for 20–30 minutes until the beef and pumpkin are fork-tender.
13. Serve hot with rice, mash, butter noodles, or polenta.

Main Course 2: Ganja Lasagne

Who doesn't love lasagne? Whether you cook it for Christmas dinner or as a staple weeknight meal, here's a delicious weed-infused lasagne recipe.

Ingredients

• 500g minced pork
• 500g minced beef
• 200g white or red wine
• 700g tomato passata
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 3 carrots, finely diced
• 3 celery stalks, finely diced
• 2 bay leaves
• Lasagne sheets
• 250g mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 250g parmesan cheese, grated
• 450g ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 1–2 tbsp cooking oil
• 2 tbsp canna-oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

• Medium saucepan
• Wooden spoon
• Large baking pan
• Spatula

Instructions

For the sauce and filling:

1. Bring a medium saucepan to medium heat.
2. Add in 1–2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Once hot, add the onions, celery and carrots. Season and cook on medium heat till soft.
3. Add the minced pork and beef. Use a wooden spoon to break apart the meat. Season liberally with salt and cook till brown, stirring regularly. Be patient; this can take some time.
4. Deglaze the pan with the wine, and let it cook until it evaporates.
5. Move the mixture to one side of the pan and add the tomato paste. Turn up the heat to medium-high and cook the paste for 2–3 minutes, stirring it with a spoon. This will remove some of the tartness of the tomato paste and bring out more of its sweetness.
6. Add the passata, 250g of water and the bay leaves.
7. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 1 hour, tasting regularly. If the sauce is too acidic from the tomatoes, sweeten it to taste with some sugar. If it becomes too dry, add in more water.
8. Remove from the heat and set aside. Remember to remove the bay leaves before assembling the lasagne.
9. In a separate bowl, combine the ricotta and canna-oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add in the egg and stir with a spatula until well combined.

Assembling the lasagne:

1. Most lasagne sheets do not need to be boiled; they are thin enough that they'll cook in the juice of the lasagne in the oven. If the lasagne sheets you're using need to be precooked, however, do so according to the instructions on the packet.
2. Line a baking pan with a small amount of sauce.
3. Place a layer of lasagne sheets on top of the sauce.
4. Top with roughly 1cm of the ricotta mixture, followed by a thin layer of grated mozzarella. Top with roughly 1cm of sauce, and sprinkle with parmesan.
5. Add on your next layer of lasagne sheets, and repeat step 4.
6. Continue building layers until your tray is full or you've run out of ingredients. Top off your lasagne with the ricotta mixture, mozzarella, and grated parmesan.
7. Cover with aluminium foil and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 25 minutes.
8. Remove the foil and continue cooking until the cheese has browned.
9. Cut and serve.

Dessert 1: Weedy Eggnog

No Christmas dinner would be complete without a batch of eggnog. Here's how to make delicious, creamy eggnog with a potent cannabis kick.

Ingredients

• 250ml whole milk
• 250ml heavy cream
• 6 eggs yolks
• 70g sugar
• 2 tbsp cannabutter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2–3 fresh cinnamon sticks
• 8–10 whole cloves
• Fresh nutmeg

Equipment

• 2 large bowls
• Whisk
• Medium saucepan

Instructions

1. Add the egg yolks and sugar into a large bowl and whisk until completely combined.
2. In a saucepan, heat the milk, cannabutter, cinnamon, and cloves on low heat. Stir constantly.
3. After 5–10 minutes, remove the spices.
4. Whisk the egg yolk mixture and slowly add the hot, fragrant milk to it (this is called tempering). Make sure to add the milk very slowly, or you will cook and curdle the yolks.
5. Once fully combined, the mixture should have a thick, smooth, custard-like texture. Add it to the saucepan and cook on low heat until it reaches 70°C.
6. Pour the eggnog into a bowl to cool completely.
7. Whisk in the cream and vanilla.
8. Serve either hot or cold, garnished with a sprinkle of fresh nutmeg and a cinnamon stick.

Dessert 2: Cannabis Cranberry Panna Cotta

Last, but definitely not least, on our list of weedy Xmas recipes is this delicious panna cotta. Here's how to make it.

Ingredients

For the panna cotta:

• 250ml cream
• 70g sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, cut in half
• 2 tbsp cold water
• 1 sachet of gelatin
• Cooking spray

For the cranberry sauce:

• 2 tbsp cannabis coconut oil
• 500g fresh or frozen cranberries
• 300g sugar
• 250ml fresh-squeezed orange juice
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 180ml bourbon

Equipment

• Small bowl
• Medium saucepan
• Silicone muffin moulds
• Butter knife

Instructions

To make the panna cotta:

1. Add cold water into a small bowl and sprinkle in the gelatine. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.
2. Whisk together the sugar, cream, and vanilla in a saucepan and bring to a simmer on low heat. Stir constantly.
3. Once simmering, add in the gelatine and stir to combine.
4. Spray some silicone muffin moulds with cooking spray.
5. Pour the mixture through a strainer into the moulds and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
6. To serve, run the bottom of the moulds under warm water for a few seconds, then use a butter knife to separate the panna cotta, and serve it on a plate or in a bowl.

To make the infused cranberry sauce:

1. Gently heat the cranberries, sugar, orange juice, cinnamon, and cannabis oil in a saucepan until the mixture begins to simmer.
2. Add in the bourbon and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
3. Serve with the panna cotta, either on the side or poured over the top.

Organising the perfect cannabis Christmas dinner

There you have it; all the recipes you could need to throw the perfect cannabis-infused Christmas dinner party. If you want to take the spirit of giving even further, check out this collection of our favourite gift ideas for weed lovers.