Small Batch Cannabutter Recipe — 3.5g in 4 Hours

This small batch cannabutter recipe uses 3.5g of decarboxylated cannabis and 113g of clarified ghee to produce one stick of potent cannabutter in a slow cooker mason jar. It’s the perfect starting recipe — small enough to test potency without committing a large amount of flower, and ready in 4 hours with minimal equipment. Here’s the full method, step by step.

Why Use Ghee for Small Batch Cannabutter?

This small batch cannabutter recipe uses ghee instead of regular butter. Ghee is clarified butter — the milk solids and water have been removed, leaving pure butterfat. This means ghee cannabutter won’t burn when you cook with it, has a higher smoke point than regular butter, and produces a clearer, more refined final product. Regular unsalted butter works too, but ghee is a superior base for how to make small batch cannabutter 3.5 grams style.

Small Batch Cannabutter Recipe — Ingredients

• 3.5g (1/8 oz) decarboxylated cannabis — finely ground
• 113–115g (1 stick / ½ cup) clarified ghee or unsalted butter
• Small mason jar with lid
• Slow cooker (crockpot)
• Water for the slow cooker bath (2 inches / 5cm deep)
• Oven mitt or jar tongs
• Fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth
• Butter mould or small container for setting

How to Make Small Batch Cannabutter — Step by Step

Step 1: Decarboxylate Your Cannabis

Before making your ghee cannabutter recipe, decarboxylate the cannabis to activate the THC. Grind 3.5g of cannabis to a fine powder, spread on parchment paper, and bake at 110–120°C (230–248°F) for 30–40 minutes. Let it cool completely before use. This step is non-negotiable — skipping decarboxylation produces inactive butter with no psychoactive effect.

Step 2: Soften the Ghee and Combine with Cannabis

Measure 113g of ghee into a small mason jar. Microwave for 30 seconds to soften (you want it workable, not fully liquid). Add the 3.5g of decarboxylated cannabis directly to the jar and stir to combine. This decarbed cannabis butter single serving method concentrates the full 3.5g into a single stick of butter — a potent ratio ideal for baked edibles like brownies or sugar cookies.

Step 3: Set Up the Slow Cooker Water Bath

Pour about 2 inches (5cm) of water into the slow cooker. Place the mason jar in the water — the water level should reach roughly the same level as the butter inside the jar. Set the slow cooker to HIGH. The cannabutter slow cooker mason jar method provides gentle, consistent heat that protects the cannabinoids from overheating while extracting them fully into the fat.

Step 4: Infuse for 4 Hours — Shake Every Hour

Let the small batch cannabutter recipe infuse for 4 hours total. After the first hour, use an oven mitt to remove the jar and shake it vigorously for 30 seconds, then return it to the slow cooker. Repeat every hour. After 2 hours, reduce the heat from HIGH to LOW to prevent overheating. The butter will turn green as the cannabinoids and chlorophyll infuse into the fat — that colour is a sign it’s working.

Step 5: Strain Through Sieve

After 4 hours, remove the jar using oven mitts. Set up a fine mesh sieve over a clean glass or container. Pour the infused butter through the sieve, pressing down with a spatula to squeeze out every last drop of cannabutter. For an extra-clear result, strain a second time through cheesecloth — though for most baking applications, a single fine-mesh strain is sufficient for this ghee cannabutter recipe.

Step 6: Mould and Refrigerate

Pour the strained cannabutter into a butter mould or small airtight container. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until fully set. The butter will solidify into blocks you can easily portion. Once set, this small batch cannabutter recipe produces approximately 1 stick of cannabis butter — enough for 1 batch of brownies or 1 batch of sugar cookies, using 3.5g of cannabis.

How Potent Is This Small Batch Cannabutter?

Using 3.5g of quality decarbed cannabis in 113g of butter produces a very potent cannabutter. When used in a cookie or brownie recipe, even a small portion can produce a strong effect. Always test with a small amount first — eat one cookie or one small brownie square and wait 90 minutes before assessing the effect. The potency will vary depending on the THC percentage of your starting cannabis and how well it was decarboxylated.