Who doesn’t love a good cookie? We’ll all probably be indulging a little over the holidays, so why not make some sweet treats as a nighttime snack that helps you unwind, relax and sleep.
These cookies are my go-to for helping with my insomnia. Because edible cannabis gets processed through the liver, the marijuana’s effects last longer, so they help keep me asleep at night. When I run out of these cookies, I definitely notice a drop in my quality of sleep.
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These chocolate chip pecan cookies could also make great holiday gifts for the person on your list who’s in need of some delicious medicine. Or they could be a fun addition to your holiday cookie exchange. Just be sure the other participants are on board with a medicated cookie before serving.
The two major ingredients that help make these cookies taste like cookies first and medicine second are the nutmeg and the nuts. Though take care not to add too much nutmeg as it can overpower. Meanwhile, nuts also do an excellent job of masking excess cannabis flavor. I like to use pecans, because not only are they tasty, but they’re also:
- Full of fiber
- Have anti-inflammatory benefits
- Are packed with antioxidants
For anyone with a nut allergy, simply leave out the nuts and add extra chocolate chips. If you don’t like pecans, walnuts work well, too. Feel free to experiment.
A lot in this recipe depends on your cannabutter. You may need more nuts or nutmeg to optimize the flavor of these cookies, depending on how your cannabutter tastes.
Speaking of cannabutter, check out our handy instructions on how to make it if you’re new to cooking with cannabis.
I often make my cannabutter into brown butter or ghee. This not only tastes great, but also significantly extends the life of the butter.
If you want to go with brown butter or ghee, allow it to cool first before you start using it. If mixed in when hot, the dough will spread more, giving you thinner, wider cookies. You’ll also want to add an extra egg and an extra 2 oz of butter if you go this route.
This style of cookie can be used with any varietal of cannabis, so you can use them for different purposes. Because I make these cookies to help me sleep, I use one of my homegrown indica strains to make the cannabutter, and I eat one cookie about an hour before I go to bed.
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Since the butter, a person’s cannabis tolerance and other factors affect the dosage, strength and effects of these cookies, be cautious when trying out your first batch—start low and go slow.
Ingredients for Cannabis-Infused Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
This recipe makes approximately 36 cookies (3–4 inches in diameter)
- 2 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour
- 8 oz cannabutter
- 1 packed cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg (adjust to taste)
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
Adjust filling to preference, but for this recipe:
- 2 cups dark chocolate chips (I use 55–65%, but less is fine)
- 1 cup chopped pecans
How to Make Cannabis-Infused Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Add butter, brown and white sugar, salt, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla extract and nutmeg to a stand mixer bowl.
- Start the stand mixer on low speed until the ingredients look moist and then up to medium speed for approximately 5 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and continue to mix until smooth.
- Reduce speed to lowest setting, then add flour, chocolate chips and nuts.
- Mix until a stiff dough is formed.
- Use an ice cream scoop (or similar) to get a consistent cookie size and drop them onto a cookie sheet. I can fit 8–10 cookies on a normal half sheet pan.
- Bake for about 15 minutes, until the cookies are pale gold on the edges. For crunchier cookies, add 3–5 minutes and wait for the whole cookie to be pale gold in color.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the sheet pan until set. (If you’re going for crispier cookies, the cooling time will be shorter.)
- Transfer to cooling rack once set.
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If you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our Cannabis 101 index of articles. HelloMD can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online.