With Christmas just days away, those who celebrate are gearing up to enjoy the festive fun and time-honored traditions. Two things that go hand in hand at this time of year are decorations and tasty treats. Another two things that pair well with Christmas are group activities, and cannabis! Seedsman rolls four into one in this special blog to add an extra layer of merriment to the season by infusing a classic holiday tradition with a hint of green cheer – a cannabis-infused Gingerbread House (or if you prefer, a ganjabread house!)
Cannabis And Christmas: A Fusion Of Festivity
In the spirit of warmth and togetherness that defines Christmas, this a fun and creative way to bring cannabis to the festivities. It's not about turning your gingerbread house into a psychedelic wonderland, but rather an adult-friendly enhancement to make your holiday experience uniquely enjoyable. Whether you go it alone or rope in some of your best buds for this task, it's a killer way to up your game. Baking, decorating, and cannabis? Nail this, and you should have your own TV show!
SeedsmanTip #1: Don’t let the grandparents near this one, unless your grandparents are Cheech and Chong. And don’t let the little ‘uns near it either. This is strictly an adults-only recipe, for adults that like cannabis. This isn't your everyday gingerbread house. This is more like Willie Nelson's Christmas Cabin.
Seedsman Tip #2: Carry out this project sober, because you'll be using a sharp knife later on to cut your gingerbread pieces to shape. Christmas may be a time of magic and miracles, but fingers don't typically grow back.
How To Make A Cannabis-Infused Gingerbread House: Step By Step
Before we lay out the delectable details of the recipe, let's infuse our cannabis responsibly. Start by preparing your cannabis and making cannabutter. Fortunately, we have a fabulous guide on how to make cannabutter right here, which is well worth a read before you get started on this project. But if you’re in a rush, here’s a condensed version of the infusion process:
Wait! How Much Cannabis Should You Use?
An important question to ask. Experienced consumers know that edibles take longer to kick in, and slap a little bit harder. For that reason, the rule of thumb we always repeat when it comes to dosing for edibles is (altogether now) start low, go slow. In a recipe such as this, 3-4g of cannabis should make sure you get a kick without collapsing, but it's up to you. You and your apprentice bakers will have a good idea of your tolerance, so ultimately you decide if you want to keep it safe, or if you want to roll the dice and be heroes. We always recommend you err on the side of caution with edibles, purely because they tend to be a bit more powerful. If you overdo it, don't panic - we have a guide to recovering from cannabis edibles right here. Anyway, back to business:
Decarboxylation: This crucial step activates the cannabinoids in your cannabis. Preheat your oven to 240°F (115°C), grind your cannabis buds, and spread them evenly on a baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes, ensuring a consistent, golden-brown color.
Infusion: In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Stir in the decarboxylated cannabis and let it simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Strain the mixture through cheesecloth or a very fine sieve, creating a cannabis-infused butter ready for your gingerbread adventure.
Now, onto the gingerbread recipe:
Ingredients For Making Cannabis-Infused Gingerbread:
- 3 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 cup of brown sugar
- 1/2 cup of molasses
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1 tablespoon of ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1 cup of cannabis-infused butter (adjust potency as desired)
- 1 large egg
Make sure you have additional ingredients you can use for decorating once the house is built. Go with THC gummies if you wish, or keep it to regular candies like Smarties, M&Ms, or whatever takes your fancy. Once you've gathered the above goodies together, it's mixin' time. Wash those hands thoroughly, and grab the following utensils:
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 medium-sized bowl
- A wooden spoon or spatula (or a whisk, if you have one)
- 1 rolling pin
Instructions For Making A Cannabis-Infused Gingerbread House:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and spices.
In a separate bowl, cream together the cannabis-infused butter, brown sugar, molasses, and egg until smooth.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until a stiff dough forms.
Divide the dough, roll it out, and cut the shapes needed for your gingerbread house. Four walls and two big pieces for your roof should do the trick for a simple gingerbread house, but if you’re an experienced baker, feel free to take it to the next level in any way you see fit. See the template below to help you shape your gingerbread pieces, and use a sharp knife to cut to size.
Bake the pieces at 350°F (175°C) for 10-12 minutes until the edges are lightly browned.
Let the pieces cool and harden so they're firm enough to stand up and allow decoration without collapsing.
Ideas For Decorating Your Gingerbread House
That's the hard part done - now comes the fun part. Now that your gingerbread pieces are ready, let's turn our attention to the decor. Use icing sugar (frosting) like an edible glue to stick your gingerbread pieces together. If you're new to this, make things easy and adhere to the classic gingerbread house design, saving your true artistic expression for the exterior decoration. Picture a gummy bear family basking on the gingerbread porch or THC-infused snowflakes gracing the roof – the possibilities are as endless as your imagination.
Regular icing sugar or powdered sugar will work perfectly for your finishing touches like a snow-covered roof, and judicious use of red and green food colorings will add the perfect festive feel. Get creative and use any combination of colors and designs. A piping bag won’t set you back much more than a cup of coffee does these days and you can use it to fancy up your gingerbread house like a pro. If you have any THC candies or gummies, use these to add any manner of finishing touches – or keep it simple with regular sweets and let the gingerbread pack the THC punch.
Cannabis - The Perfect Finishing Touch
How's this for a finishing touch - if you have buds to spare, why not use them to create a little foliage around your gingerbread house for that super-homely aesthetic? You can use them to make bushes in the garden, or get creative with cinnamon sticks and turn them into miniature trees! Then, snap a couple of photos and share them with us on our social media and let's see your hard work.
Building a cannabis-infused gingerbread house is a fun project that combines cannabis, creativity and a touch of holiday magic. Share this experience with friends, and savor the moments as you create your very own masterpiece. Remember to enjoy the infusion of cannabis responsibly and relish the festive spirit. May your holidays be filled with love, laughter, and magnificent marijuana magic.
