Cannabis corn syrup is a thick, sweet ingredient made by gently steeping cannabis in light corn syrup. This traditional method is easy to follow, but its THC strength cannot be measured from the recipe alone.
This four-hour method uses light corn syrup and cannabis flower. Follow the recipe card below for the preparation, and read the mixing, potency and storage cautions before using it in food.
Timing and yield are approximate; actual results vary with equipment, ingredient temperature and portion size.
Ingredients
Set up the cheesecloth, sieve and clean heat-safe container before you warm the syrup.
Instructions
1
Set up the equipment and gently warm the syrup
Prepare clean equipment: a heavy-bottomed saucepan or slow cooker, heat-safe spoon, fine cheesecloth, a sieve, and a clean lidded container. Decarboxylate the flower separately if preparing an activated-THC recipe.
Measure 3 US cups of light corn syrup into the pan or slow cooker. Use gentle, low heat until it flows easily; do not boil or scorch the syrup.
2
Stir in the flower and steep on low
Stir in the finely ground flower. Keep the mixture warm on low heat for approximately 4 hours, stirring regularly. Do not allow it to bubble; reduce the heat if needed.
3
Cool enough to strain safely
Turn off the heat. Let the syrup cool enough to handle safely, then strain through two layers of food-safe cheesecloth over a sieve into a clean heat-safe container. Do not squeeze hot syrup by hand.
4
Seal, label and refrigerate
If pieces of plant remain, strain again. Let cool, seal, label prominently as containing cannabis, and refrigerate according to safe food-handling practices. Keep locked away from children and pets.
Before you start
This is a slow-steeped corn syrup, not a reliable way to measure THC. Corn syrup is primarily a water-based sugar mixture; cannabinoids do not dissolve or distribute in it as readily as they do in fats (see cannabinoid solubility research). Four hours of warming does not establish the strength or evenness of the finished syrup. Measure three US cups of syrup with a measuring cup; drinking glasses vary in capacity and can change the ingredient ratio.
For recipes that need a predictable measured infusion, use a commercially prepared, labeled, water-compatible cannabis ingredient exactly as its manufacturer directs. Do not assume plain cannabis oil will mix evenly into corn syrup.
Equipment
Heavy-bottomed saucepan or slow cooker and a heat-safe spoon
Fine sieve, two layers of food-safe cheesecloth, and a heat-safe bowl
Clean, tightly lidded storage container and clear cannabis label
Texture and technique
Warm the syrup only until it loosens enough to stir. Keep it below a bubbling boil. It should remain glossy and pourable, not darken, smell burned, or become candy-thick. If it boils vigorously or starts to scorch, take it off the heat; continued boiling will not make dosing more accurate. Straining removes plant particles, not dissolved THC.
How strong is it?
There is no defensible milligrams-per-teaspoon figure for this method. The amount of flower, its tested THC content, decarboxylation, extraction losses, mixing, final volume, and serving size all matter. The original 1-ounce proportion can represent a large amount of THC-containing material; it must not be treated as standard dosing guidance. For a known, measured ingredient, explore the THC potency calculator; its estimate is only as dependable as your inputs and cannot measure this syrup's extraction efficiency.
Refrigerate the homemade mixture in a closed, clearly marked container rather than assuming it is shelf-stable. Keep it locked away from children and pets, separate from ordinary pancake or dessert syrup. Cannabis edibles can take up to two hours to be felt, so do not take more because effects have not started. Never drive while impaired.
For accidental ingestion or concerning symptoms, contact Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 (US), or emergency services for an emergency. See CDC edible-poisoning guidance.
Common questions
Can I substitute honey or simple syrup? Not without changing the preparation: sweetness, water content, and viscosity differ. Neither substitute automatically fixes the cannabinoid-mixing limitation.
Can I use it for hard candy? Corn syrup can be an ingredient in candy, but candy-making temperature and dosing must be established by the specific candy recipe. This mixture does not provide a verified dose.
