Can You Cook With CBD? How to Add Tinctures to Coffee, Tea and Holiday Recipes

The short answer: Yes, you can cook with CBD, and a tincture is the easiest way to do it. Add a measured amount to your coffee, tea, salad dressing or dessert, stir it into something with a little fat, and keep it away from high heat. No special equipment, no complicated recipes.

The holidays are full of mugs, pies and long dinners. Here's how to bring CBD into all of it.

Why tinctures are the easiest way to infuse

A CBD tincture is CBD extract already blended into a carrier oil, with a dropper that tells you how much you're adding. That makes it simple:

• No prep. It's ready to drop straight into food or drinks.
• You know the amount. The label lists mg of CBD per dropper, so you can measure every serving.
• It mixes well. CBD is fat-soluble, so it blends easily into anything with milk, cream, butter or oil.
• Flavors that pair. Colorado Cures tinctures come in All Natural, Tropical, Strawberry Lemonade, Peppermint and more.

New to tinctures? Our guide Tinctures vs. Gummies vs. Topicals: Which Hemp Format Fits You? covers how they compare to other formats.

CBD in your coffee

The easiest place to start is your morning cup.

1. Brew your coffee like you normally do.
2. Add the tincture to your creamer, milk or butter first, not straight into black coffee. CBD blends better with fat, so it won't just float on top.
3. Stir it in and enjoy.

Flavor pairing: All Natural keeps your coffee tasting like coffee. Peppermint turns it into a holiday mocha with a splash of chocolate.

CBD in your tea

• Hot tea: add the tincture to a spoon of honey or a splash of milk, then stir it into your mug.
• Iced tea and lemonade: shake it in a sealed jar or bottle so it mixes evenly. Strawberry Lemonade works especially well here.
• Hot cocoa: stir it into the milk before you heat it gently, or add it right before serving. Peppermint is made for this.

Looking for more drink ideas? Turnt Up has a list of refreshing mocktail recipes that would work with a few drops added.

Cooking with CBD: the 4 rules

1. Keep the heat low. High heat can break down CBD and change the flavor. Add your tincture at the end of cooking, or use it in no-cook or low-heat recipes.
2. Pair it with fat. Mix the tincture into butter, oil, cream or dressing first, then into the dish. It spreads more evenly.
3. Do the math. Know the mg per dropper, then divide by the number of servings so everyone knows what's in their portion.
4. Stir well. Uneven mixing means one bite has most of the CBD and the next has none.

Easy holiday ideas

Use a real CBD tincture, not hemp seed oil

Hemp seed oil is a great cooking oil, but it contains little to no CBD. If a bottle in the grocery aisle says "hemp oil" and doesn't list mg of CBD, it's probably seed oil. CBD Plus USA explains the difference in Hemp Oil vs. CBD Oil: Are They the Same Thing?

Every Colorado Cures tincture has a QR code that links to its lab report, so you know exactly how much CBD you're adding. Browse them all on our Lab Results page.

Hosting? Label it and keep it separate

If you're serving CBD at a holiday dinner:

• Keep the main menu regular and make infused items an option, like a dessert or a drink station.
• Label every infused dish with "Contains CBD" and the amount per serving.
• Choose the right spectrum for your guests. Full spectrum contains trace THC (0.3% or less). For zero THC, use broad spectrum or isolate.
• Keep infused food away from kids and pets.

Planning an adults-only gathering with THC on the menu instead? Anchored has a guide to hosting a chill-forward holiday gathering and a list of ideas to skip the booze and keep the vibes (21+).

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Talk to your doctor before using CBD, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or take medication. Keep out of reach of children and pets.

FAQ

Can you put CBD oil in coffee? Yes. Mix a CBD tincture into your creamer, milk or butter first, then stir it into your coffee. CBD blends better with fat.

Can you cook with CBD? Yes. Add it at the end of cooking or use it in no-cook and low-heat recipes, since high heat can break down CBD and change the flavor.

How do I know how much CBD is in each serving? Check the mg of CBD per dropper on your tincture's label, then divide by the number of servings in your recipe.

Is hemp seed oil the same as CBD oil for cooking? No. Hemp seed oil contains little to no CBD. For an infused recipe, use a CBD tincture that lists its CBD content in mg.

Which tincture should I use if my guests want zero THC? Use broad spectrum or isolate. Full spectrum contains trace THC (0.3% or less).