Homegrown to Homemade: How Michigan Gardeners Are Cooking with Cannabis

Homegrown to Homemade: How Michigan Gardeners Are Cooking with Cannabis

Michigan isn’t just a state of Great Lakes and great views - it’s quickly becoming a hub for great grows. Thanks to legal home cultivation, more Michiganders are turning their basements, closets, and backyards into cannabis gardens. But what happens after the harvest? For many, the next step is the kitchen. From infused oils to decadent desserts, Michigan gardeners are taking their homegrown harvests and turning them into delicious, DIY cannabis edibles.

Here's how it’s done - and what you need to know before bringing bud to the baking sheet.

Step 1: Know Your Harvest - It’s Not Ready Yet

Fresh cannabis straight off the plant isn’t edible in the way you might think. You can’t just sprinkle it on a salad and get the effects you’re looking for. First, you’ll need to dry, cure, and decarboxylate your cannabis.
  • Drying & Curing: Hang your trimmed buds in a dark, cool room with good airflow. Once dry, cure in sealed jars for at least two weeks. This improves flavor, potency, and longevity.
  • Decarboxylation: Before cooking with cannabis, you must heat it to activate the THC. This is called decarbing.
How to Decarb:
Break up dried bud and bake on parchment paper at 240°F (115°C) for 35–45 minutes. Your kitchen might smell like a dispensary, but it’s essential for potency.

Step 2: Make Your Infusions

Once decarbed, your cannabis is ready to infuse into fats - the foundation for nearly all edibles.

Cannabutter (Michigan Classic)

What You Need:

  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup water
  • 7–10 grams of decarbed cannabis

How to Make It:

Simmer on low for 2–3 hours, stirring occasionally. Strain through cheesecloth and refrigerate until solid.

Cannaoil (Great for Health-Conscious Michiganders)

Use olive, coconut, or avocado oil and the same process as cannabutter. This version is great for sautéing veggies or infusing salad dressings.

Step 3: Cook It Up - Michigan Style

Now comes the fun part: adding your infused fats into anything you like. Michigan growers love to infuse:
  • Blueberry Muffins (bonus points if they’re made with local berries from the west side)
  • Apple Crisp (perfect during cider mill season)
  • Mac and Cheese (comfort food with a kick)
  • Cider Doughnuts (yes, you can make ‘em at home)
  • Venison Chili (Yooper-tested, homegrown-approved)
Just replace some or all of the regular butter or oil with your infusion. Be mindful of potency - edibles can sneak up on you.

Step 4: Dosing and Safety

Here’s where first-time edible makers often go wrong. Dosing is tricky, especially with homegrown weed. Always start small and label your goodies clearly.

Rule of Thumb:

If you're unsure, assume 1 teaspoon of infused butter = 10mg THC (roughly). But this depends on your strain and how well you decarbed it.

Pro Tip:

Use a THC calculator online or consider a home THC potency test kit to get a better idea.

Step 5: Store Like a Pro

Cannabis edibles, like any homemade food, need proper storage:
  • Keep baked goods in airtight containers.
  • Store in the fridge or freezer for longer shelf life.
  • Clearly label anything infused - especially if you live with others.

Why Michigan Gardeners Love Cooking with Their Grow

It’s not just about the high - it’s about control, creativity, and connection. You choose the strain, the dose, the flavor, and the form. You know what’s in it, and where it came from. And there’s something deeply satisfying about turning a backyard bud into a brownie.

Whether you’re baking cherry cookies with a Traverse City twist or adding a little Green Crack to your green bean casserole, Michigan’s home growers are making cannabis cooking a true local craft.

Grow what you like to eat! Strains with fruity, sweet, or earthy flavors tend to shine in the kitchen - and make your edibles tasty.


At HomeGrow Helpline, we’re a small team of passionate growers, gardeners, and edible enthusiasts who believe cannabis should be personal, local, and fun. From navigating Michigan’s ever-changing weather to baking infused blueberry muffins with your own backyard bud, we’re here to help every step of the way.

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