Table of contents
- What is cannabis honey?
- Making cannabis honey yourself: the basic recipe
- Cannabis honey effects: what happens in the body?
- Cannabis honey dosage: how much is right?
- Cannabis honey: which oil, coconut oil or MCT oil?
- Buy cannabis honey or make it yourself?
- Cannabis honey shelf life: how long does it keep?
- Cannabis honey compared to other cannabinoid products
Cannabis and honey: two of the oldest natural products in the world, combined into one of the most popular DIY preparations in the cannabis kitchen. Cannabis honey is versatile, easy to make and offers a discreet, tasty alternative to other forms of intake. If you have never made honey with cannabis yourself, you will be surprised how uncomplicated the basic recipe is.
In this guide we explain how making cannabis honey works step by step, which oil is the best choice, what the effect looks like, and what to keep in mind regarding dosage and shelf life. We also look at which cannabinoid variants are suitable for cannabis honey and how it compares to other products from our range.
Quick overview: Cannabis honey is made by combining cannabinoids (via a fat vehicle such as coconut oil or MCT oil) with honey. It is easy to make yourself and versatile to use, whether eaten, in tea or as a topping, and offers a pleasant, natural form of consumption without smoking or vaping.
What is cannabis honey?
Cannabis honey is not honey that bees have produced from cannabis flowers, even though the term cannabis bee honey suggests that. In practice, cannabis honey means a preparation in which cannabinoids (from CBD flower, CBD isolate or other extracts) are worked into honey together with a fat-soluble carrier.
The reason for the fat vehicle: cannabinoids are fat-soluble, not water-soluble. Honey alone would not absorb the active substances. Only the combination with coconut oil, MCT oil or butter creates a homogeneous mixture that distributes the cannabinoids evenly in the honey and makes them available to the body.
"Cannabis honey is one of the most pleasant oral forms of consumption. It combines the natural antimicrobial properties of honey with the cannabinoids from the hemp plant. Decisive for quality is the choice of the right fat vehicle and gentle processing at low temperature, to ensure decarboxylation and the preservation of the active substances."
Making cannabis honey yourself: the basic recipe
The cannabis honey recipe is easier than many think. It needs no special equipment, just a bit of patience and the right temperature. Here is the proven basic recipe:
Ingredients (basic recipe for approx. 250 g cannabis honey)
Honey
200 g natural, liquid honey. Acacia honey or wildflower honey work best, as they are mild in taste and do not overpower the cannabis aromas.
↳ Liquid, natural, mild in taste
BaseCoconut oil or MCT oil
2 to 3 tablespoons of coconut oil (solid at room temperature) or MCT oil (liquid). Both are excellent fat vehicles for cannabinoids, and MCT oil offers a more neutral consistency in honey.
↳ Fat vehicle for cannabinoids, essential
Fat vehicleCBD flower or CBD isolate
For a CBD-based cannabis honey recipe: 2 to 5 g CBD flower (decarboxylated) or 0.5 to 1 g CBD isolate powder. CBD isolate is easier to dose and leaves no plant taste.
↳ CBD isolate recommended for precise dosing
Active ingredientPreparation step by step
Decarboxylation (for flower)
Heat CBD flower in the oven at 110 to 120 °C for 30 to 40 minutes. This step activates the cannabinoids. With CBD isolate, this step is omitted entirely.
↳ Only necessary for raw flower, not for isolate
Step 1Combine oil & cannabis
Melt or warm coconut oil or MCT oil at low temperature (max. 60 to 70 °C). Stir in CBD isolate or crushed, decarboxylated flower and let it steep for 20 to 30 minutes.
↳ Never above 80 °C, cannabinoids degrade
Step 2Strain the oil (for flower)
Strain the oil through a fine sieve or cheesecloth to remove plant residue. With CBD isolate this step is also omitted, as the powder dissolves completely.
↳ Clean oil = clean cannabis honey
Step 3Mix honey & oil
Warm the honey slightly (max. 40 °C) so it flows well. Stir in the cannabis oil and mix well, ideally with a hand blender or vigorous stirring for a homogeneous emulsion.
↳ Stir thoroughly for even dosing
Step 4Fill & store
Fill the finished cannabis honey into a dark, airtight jar. Store cool and dark, the fridge is ideal. The cannabis honey shelf life is then 3 to 6 months.
↳ Dark, cool, airtight = maximum shelf life
StorageTip: If you want a simpler recipe without flower, use CBD isolate directly as a base. The powder dissolves cleanly in warm oil, leaves no plant taste and can be dosed to the milligram, ideal for anyone who wants to make cannabis honey without elaborate preparation.
Cannabis honey effects: what happens in the body?
The cannabis honey effect depends directly on the cannabinoids used. With a CBD-based cannabis honey (from CBD flower or CBD isolate), the effect is not psychoactive. The body absorbs the CBD through the digestive tract, which leads to a delayed but longer-lasting effect than with vaping.
Onset of effect
Orally taken CBD (via cannabis honey) has to pass through the gastrointestinal tract. Onset of effect: 30 to 90 minutes after intake, depending on stomach and meal.
↳ Slower onset, but longer duration
All recipesDuration of effect
The effect of orally taken CBD lasts significantly longer than with vaping: 3 to 6 hours are typical, longer with higher doses.
↳ Ideal for lasting relaxation or a quiet night
EveningRelaxation & balance
CBD-based cannabis honey has a balancing, stress-reducing and relaxing effect, without psychoactive effects. No "high", no loss of control.
↳ Ideal for an evening routine or after a long day
CBD baseSleep & recovery
Many users report improved sleep quality with evening intake, especially in combination with a warm herbal tea with cannabis honey.
↳ 1 to 2 tsp in the evening routine tea, 30 min. before bed
Evening routine"Most users' cannabis honey experiences are positive. The uncomplicated intake is especially appreciated: simply in tea, on bread or straight from the spoon. Compared to capsules or oil drops, many find the honey more pleasant in taste and more everyday in use. What matters, though, is even dosing: the honey should be stirred well before each use so that the oil does not settle."
Cannabis honey dosage: how much is right?
The right cannabis honey dosage depends on the amount of cannabinoids used in the recipe and on individual sensitivity. If you make cannabis honey yourself, you should calculate the amount of CBD per serving beforehand.
| Recipe base | CBD per 100 g honey | CBD per tsp (approx. 7 g) |
|---|---|---|
| 0.5 g CBD isolate per 200 g honey | approx. 250 mg | approx. 17 mg |
| 1 g CBD isolate per 200 g honey | approx. 500 mg | approx. 35 mg |
| 2 g CBD isolate per 200 g honey | approx. 1,000 mg | approx. 70 mg |
| 5 g CBD flower (10% CBD) per 200 g honey | approx. 250 mg (estimate) | approx. 17 mg (variable) |
Recommendation for beginners: Start with one teaspoon of cannabis honey (approx. 15 to 20 mg CBD) and wait at least 90 minutes for the effect before taking more. Since the onset of effect is much slower orally than with vaping, this tempts people to overdo it. Patience is the key here.
Cannabis honey: which oil, coconut oil or MCT oil?
One of the most common questions when making cannabis honey yourself: which oil for cannabis honey is better, coconut oil or MCT oil? Both work well as a fat vehicle but have different properties.
| Feature | Cannabis honey with coconut oil | Cannabis honey with MCT oil |
|---|---|---|
| Consistency | Solid at cool temperatures, can become grainy in honey | Liquid, mixes more evenly |
| Taste | Slightly of coconut | Neutral to tasteless |
| CBD bioavailability | Good | Very good (fast absorption in the body) |
| Storage | Can crystallize in the cold | Stays liquid, stable |
| Recommendation | For more rustic recipes, spreads | For even, neutral cannabis honey |
Conclusion: For the classic cannabis honey recipe with the best consistency and neutral taste, we recommend MCT oil. If you like the natural coconut taste and prefer more robust recipes, go for cannabis honey with coconut oil. Both variants deliver good results, and what matters is stirring thoroughly.
Buy cannabis honey or make it yourself?
If you want to buy cannabis honey, you will find a growing selection on the market, from CBD-enriched honey to ready-made products. Still, making it yourself has clear advantages: you know exactly which ingredients are in it, can determine the dosage yourself and use high-quality starting materials.
Buying a ready-made product
Practical, no effort. Look for CoA evidence, THC content, origin of the hemp and a transparently declared amount of CBD per serving. Many products have no reliable dosage information.
↳ Convenient, but quality checks are important
Ready-made productMaking it yourself
Full control over ingredients, dosage and quality. With CBD isolate as a base it is easier than with flower: no straining process, no plant residue, precise dosing.
↳ Recommended for everyone who wants to control quality themselves
DIYFor making it yourself, we recommend using high-quality CBD isolate as a base. Take a look at our detailed guide: CBD isolate: what is it, how does it work and what is it used for?
Cannabis honey shelf life: how long does it keep?
The cannabis honey shelf life is very good with correct storage. Honey itself keeps for a long time by nature, thanks to its high sugar content and antimicrobial properties. Enriched with cannabinoids, it stays stable in quality for 3 to 6 months with correct storage.
"Cannabis honey should always be stored dark, cool and airtight, ideally in the fridge. Light and heat considerably accelerate the breakdown of cannabinoids. At room temperature and with direct light exposure, potency can noticeably decrease within a few weeks. A dark glass jar with a screw cap is the best choice for storage."
| Storage condition | Cannabis honey shelf life | Quality of the cannabinoids |
|---|---|---|
| Fridge, dark, airtight | 4 to 6 months | Very well preserved |
| Room temperature, dark, airtight | 2 to 3 months | Good, slight degradation possible |
| Room temperature, light | 4 to 6 weeks | Clear loss of active substances |
| Heat / sunlight | 2 to 3 weeks | Strong degradation of the cannabinoids |
Cannabis honey compared to other cannabinoid products
Cannabis honey is only one of many ways to take cannabinoids. If you are curious about the alternatives, you will find a wide range at Happy's Amsterdam:
TAC Vapes
For anyone looking for a fast onset of effect (2 to 5 min.), our TAC Vapes are the first choice. No cooking, no waiting, just vape.
↳ Fastest onset of effect, precise dosing
VapesCBD isolate oil
If you want to use cannabis honey as a recipe base, you need high-quality CBD isolate. Read our guide: CBD isolate: what is it and how does it work?
↳ Ideal base for DIY cannabis honey
Base productHHZ Vapes
The new cannabinoid of 2026: clearer, more focused, sold freely in Germany. For everyone who wants to look beyond CBD, our HHZ guide explains everything.
↳ Psychoactive, clearer than HHC
VapesOur tip: Cannabis honey is perfect as a relaxing evening routine, combined with a warm herbal tea and one of our TAC Vapes for a quick start. Take a look at the whole range: all products from Happy's Amsterdam.
