Cooking with Cannabis in Malta: Cannabutter, Decarb & Recipes

Learn about cooking with cannabis in Malta, including how to make cannabutter, decarb cannabis for cooking, and fudgy weed brownie recipes.

TL;DR

Spring in Malta calls for citrus zest and balcony dinners, and I’ve curated some delectable cannabis recipes to match. From lemon-blueberry pancakes to cactus salad, pastizzi, brownies, and a Maltese spritz. This guide is about cooking seasonally and using cannabis in a way that enhances the moment instead of overpowering it.

 

Here are the 5 biggest takeaways if you’re skimming:

• Dose like an adult, not a daredevil: Strong edibles flatten conversations and afternoons, while low, calculated doses let you stay present and actually enjoy the meal.
• Start with real Maltese ingredients: Ta’ Qali tomatoes, Suq Tal-Belt produce, citrus, herbs, and ġbejna already carry the dish, cannabis should support them, not bulldoze them.
• Infusion method changes everything: Olive oil works for spring salads, honey is perfect for brunch, butter suits pastry and comfort food, and tinctures give precision in drinks.
• Terpenes matter in the kitchen: Citrus and herbal profiles like limonene and pinene pair naturally with spring flavors, while heavy fuel notes can hijack a dish.
• Connection beats anesthesia: The goal is to enhance brunch, salads, pastizzi, spritzes, and even brownies, not disappear into the sofa and miss the evening.

If you want cannabis to feel like part of your life instead of an escape from it, cook thoughtfully and keep it light. Ready to dive deeper? Let’s get into it.

 

Every spring, Malta’s markets get louder, balconies get busier, and suddenly everyone remembers they own olive oil. Now, this is not your run-of-the-mill “weed brownies and morning regret” page. This guide is built around Maltese flavors, local produce, and infusions that support fresh food instead of bulldozing it.

Don’t worry, I know what everyone is dying to know: “Andi, what are your best cannabis recipes?”
Well, buckle up, bucko.

Join me as I explore cooking with cannabis in Malta, share seasonal cannabis recipes, how to make cannabutter properly, and exactly how to decarb cannabis for cooking so your edibles actually work. If you’ve ever wondered how to make weed brownies without losing your afternoon, or how to infuse olive oil without sacrificing a perfectly good salad, you’re in the right place.

 

Brownies, Ego, and Lost Saturdays

For a long time, my idea of cooking with cannabis was embarrassingly simple. I’d grab whatever boxed brownie mix was cheapest, dump in way too much cannabutter, bake it, eat one or two, and cancel the rest of my day without ever admitting that’s what I had just done.

At the time, I thought that was the point. Strong meant good. If I wasn’t slightly disoriented afterward, I assumed I’d failed. Looking back, I wasn’t really cooking. I was using sugar and fat as a delivery system to get as high as possible.

It worked, in the narrowest sense. I got very high. I also lost entire Saturdays without consciously choosing to. I’d sit down “for a bit” and look up three hours later with nothing to show for it except half-finished YouTube videos, cold coffee, and the vague sense that I’d just time-skipped my own life. At the time, I told myself that was relaxation. In reality, it was closer to disengagement.

 

My First Lesson in Edibles (Featuring my Mom)

Before I had any theories about moderation, I started my journey with a bang.

When I was around twenty, my mom had knee surgery and was prescribed medical marijuana for the pain. One afternoon she came into my room and said, completely straight-faced, “Andi, do you want to make weed brownies?”

We laughed. We were close, but this was not a common occurrence, neither of us really smoked. Still, I said yes.
We googled instructions and clumsily infused butter. We giggled the whole time like kids sneaking around after bedtime. I remember the kitchen smelled like cocoa powder and weed.

When they were done, we each ate one, fully expecting to be knocked off our feet.
Thirty minutes passed. Nothing.
An hour passed. Still nothing.
“Should we take another?” she asked. Ahhh, yes, classic.

We obviously took another. And then we were GONE.
I was having full conversations with my dog. I remember standing in the shower trying to hold on to the jet of water.
It’s still one of my fondest memories of my mom. But looking back, that afternoon taught me two things at once: how powerful edibles can be when you underestimate them, and how meaningful cannabis can be when it’s shared intentionally, and rooted in connection instead of escape.

Somewhere along the way, I forgot the second part.

 

Start Where the Good Food Lives: Ta’ Qali and Is-Suq Tal-Belt

If you want spring food to taste like spring, you don’t start with a recipe. You start with ingredients that already have a pulse.

On a good morning, that means Ta’ Qali Farmers Market. Tomatoes that smell like someone’s uncle grew them. Lemons that announce themselves from three stalls away. This is where the “I’m becoming a better person” version of you shops.

On lazy days, there’s Is-Suq Tal-Belt Food Market in Valletta. We both know you’re going there in your sweats and sunglasses. Minimal effort, still great produce. (And too many pastries if we’re honest.)

 

How to Infuse Cannabis

Food already affects mood, energy, and focus. Adding THC just turns the volume up. Heavy dessert plus high dose usually equals sedation. A light meal plus a low dose tends to produce a gentle lift.
That shift, from “get high” to “enhance this,” is what made everything else in this article possible.

Now I calculate, even roughly. I look at the starting material, estimate total THC, divide by servings, and then round down. Always down.

Edibles don’t hit like smoking. In the liver, THC becomes 11-hydroxy-THC, which is more potent. It crosses the blood-brain barrier more easily, which is why edibles feel heavier and longer-lasting than smoking the same dose.

Use cannabis like you’d use a strong spice. You can always add more. You can’t un-add it.

Choosing the right infusion method

• Cannabutter / coconut oil: best for baking, pastry, richer cooking. Anything where the fat is doing real work.
• Olive oil infusion: Malta’s spring MVP. Dressings, drizzles, finishing oil, herb-forward dishes. Mediterranean, not “college apartment.”
• Cannabis honey: spring cheat code. Easy dosing. Perfect for finishing (and for people who can’t be trusted with “just eat half”).
• Tinctures / THC syrups: best for drinks and precision. A couple drops are a totally different experience than “I think the tray is… medium?”

 

How to Decarb Weed (Don’t Skip!)

If you cook with raw cannabis, you’ll get flavor and very little effect. If you want the THC to actually show up, you need to decarboxylate first. This is the quiet, unsexy step that makes the rest worth it.

Here’s the simple version:

• Preheat your oven to 115°C (THC begins converting efficiently between 105–120°C. Low, steady heat matters more than rushing.
• Spread cannabis on a baking tray (ground, but not dust)
• Bake 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally
• When it’s golden and aromatic, you’re ready to infuse

That’s it. No ritual chanting required.

 

Simple Cannabutter Recipe (How to Make Cannabutter at Home)

Your bread and… well, butter. If you aspire to cook anything cannabis-related, you need to learn how to make cannabutter. This easy cannabutter recipe lets you make it without turning it into a whole weekend project. It’s fast, reliable, and it scales.

Also: don’t wander off and forget it’s simmering.

 

Simple cannabutter (Makes ½ cup)

Ingredients:

• ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter
• 4 grams cannabis buds, finely ground
• Optional: substitute margarine for butter if you want cannamargarine

Instructions:

1. Melt the butter on low heat in a saucepan.
2. Add ground cannabis and let it simmer on low heat for 45 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Strain into a glass dish with a tight-fitting lid. Push the back of a spoon against the plant matter and press firmly to squeeze out every last drop. Discard the plant matter.
4. Use immediately, or refrigerate or freeze until needed.

Scaling note: You can scale this up easily. A larger batch like 500g of butter (4 sticks) can absorb 14-28g of cannabis, though you may want to simmer closer to 60 minutes.

Risk note: If you’re cooking for others, especially people new to edibles, 2-3 grams of low-potency cannabis per ½ cup is often plenty.

This is the kind of butter you can melt over pasta, spoon onto vegetables, or keep in the freezer so you always have a “turn this meal into a vibe” option available.

 

The Terpenes That Shine in Spring

If you want your infused spring cooking to taste bright and intentional, terpenes matter. They’re not just “weed flavor.” They’re aroma compounds that can lean citrusy, herbal, piney, sweet, earthy, and everything in between.

Spring is where a few profiles really shine:

• Limonene: citrus-forward, lively, perfect with lemon zest, berries, honey, herbal drinks.
• Myrcene: earthier warmth. Great with pastries, chocolate, buttery dough.
• Pinene: fresh, green, herbal. Rosemary, thyme, garlic, olive oil, citrus. The “this tastes like real food” terpene.

If you’re part of a social club in Malta, ask your friendly neighborhood budtenders for recommendations. Aim for citrusy or zesty terpene profiles for spring cooking.

 

Top Strains for Cooking (And Actually Taste Good)

You can technically cook with any cannabis. You can also technically put ketchup on pasta. Malta is a free country, but we should still have standards.

These strains make sense because their terpene profiles can complement food instead of fighting it:

 

BubbleGummieZ

Genetics: Rainbow Belts 20 x Original BubbleGum

Popular for a reason. Sweet, candy-like terpenes that play beautifully in desserts, syrups, sauces, and infused butters.

 

MOB™ (Mother of Berries)

As the name suggests, a nutty, savory profile. No, I’m kidding, of course. It’s berry-heavy and sweet. The profile transfers nicely into oils, butters, syrups, and desserts without harsh fuel notes hijacking the dish.

 

London Mint Cake

Genetics: London Pound Cake X Kushmints x Pure afghani

Mmm, already sounds delicious.

For the freaks among you who are into mint chocolate (yugh). If you love cooling herbal mint, it’s brilliant in chocolates, desserts, and minty oils.

 

BubbleBananaGum

Genetics: Bubblegum X Banana Pudding F2 male

Tropical, sweet, mellow, and honestly just fun. Great for sweets, smoothies, tropical sauces, or honey infusions. Tropical terpenes make infused edibles taste more like dessert and less like herb.

 

Mona Lisa

Complex, aromatic, balanced, and layered. Adds depth to savory infusions and makes your butter feel like it has a personality beyond “weed butter.” Also just a lovely name.

 

Jelly Rancher x White Truffle

A redditor from this thread swears by a homegrown Jelly Rancher x White Truffle cross for citrusy kick. I’m not saying let’s go rob this guy, but keep an eye out for similar genetics.

 

Easy Cannabis Recipes for Beginners (Malta Edition)

The best cannabis recipes don’t feel like “edibles.” They feel like food you’d make anyway, with one small upgrade that turns it into a slightly different experience.

You’re not trying to hide or overdo the infusion. You’re trying to cook.
Well, enough greasing you up. You’re ready.

 

Wake & Bake Brunch:

1) Lemon-Blueberry Pancakes With Infused Honey

These pancakes are bright, soft, and perfect for spring mornings when the sun is out and you have nowhere urgent to be. Prepare them normally and finish with a pat of infused butter or a drizzle of warm cannabis honey. It keeps dosing easy and lets the lemon and blueberries do their thing.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• ½ tablespoon butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 lemon, zested
• 2 teaspoons oil, or as needed
• 1 cup frozen blueberries, thawed (or fresh if you’re feeling fancy)

 

Instructions:

1. Sift together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
2. Whisk milk and egg together in a small bowl, then whisk into the flour mixture until blended. Stir in melted butter and lemon zest.
3. Heat a lightly oiled griddle over medium-high heat. Drop batter by ¼ cupfuls onto the griddle, add a few blueberries, then cover each with a little more batter.
4. Cook until bubbles form and edges look dry (3-4 minutes), flip, and cook until browned (2-3 minutes). Repeat.

Infused finishing move
Serve with:

• a small pat of cannabutter, or
• a drizzle of cannabis honey, warmed slightly so it pours like a dream

 

2) Foraged Maltese Cactus Salad With THC-Infused Vinaigrette

If you’ve ever gone for a walk in the Maltese countryside, you were surrounded by delicious possibilities the whole time. Cactus is one of those ingredients that sounds like a dare until you try it properly. Prepared well, it’s fresh, tangy, and surprisingly fun as a salad base, especially with tomatoes, onion, and ġbejna.

Ingredients (Makes 2-3 servings):

• 5 young cactus pads (nopales)
• 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. fresh coriander, chopped
• Soft ġbejna cheese, crumbled
• 1 tsp. salt
• Water, for boiling

Prep (Important):
Harvest young, light-green cactus pads from a clean, roadside-free area. Handle carefully, because cactus pads come with fine, nearly invisible thorns that are extremely committed to ruining your day.

Instructions:

1. Using a sharp knife and fork, scrape off all visible and fine spines from both sides. Trim a thin slice from the rounded edges. Rinse and place the cleaned pads in water.
2. Transfer the cleaned pads to a plastic bag and refrigerate overnight.
3. Chop pads into small pieces. Place in a pot with a few inches of water and sprinkle with salt. Cover and simmer gently over low heat until the pieces turn pale green and tender. Avoid high heat to prevent sliminess.
4. Remove the lid and simmer for 10 more minutes. Drain well without rinsing to preserve flavor.
5. In a bowl, combine cactus pieces with tomatoes, onion, coriander, and ġbejna. Toss gently.

Serving ideas
Serve as a salad, or spread over toasted Maltese bread with tomato kunserva and canned fish for a local-style variation.

THC-infused vinaigrette
This salad loves a balsamic dressing with infused olive oil, because the herbal notes sit beautifully against the tang of cactus and the creaminess of ġbejna.

Quick infused olive oil method
Olive oil infusion is the spring MVP. Combine decarboxylated cannabis with olive oil in a saucepan, bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and let it steep for 30 minutes more, then strain. Use as part of your dressing.

 

Munchie Meals

3) Pastizzi

Yes, this is a Malta-focused cooking blog. Yes, you can make pastizzi with cannabis. It would be criminal not to mention them here.

Pastizzi are basically built on fat. That’s why they’re flaky and addictive. Traditionally, it’s margarine or lard, and that means they’re almost comically easy to adapt for cannabis, because cannabinoids bind to fat like they’ve been waiting their whole lives for the opportunity.

How to Infuse Pastizzi (Simple Approach):

• The dough: Replace the butter/margarine used in the pastry dough with homemade high-fat cannabutter.
• The filling: Incorporate cannabis-infused oil or butter into the ricotta mixture or pea filling.
• Application: Follow your grandma’s top-secret pastizzi recipe that has been passed down for generations. Now properly incorporate the infused fat into the dough so you keep that flaky texture.

 

4) Hot Snoop Doggy Dogs

This one comes straight from the High Times Cannabis Cookbook, and it’s the kind of recipe that feels like it was invented at a house party. It is, of course named after green-loving hip-hop legend Snoop Doggy Dogg, whom you can also catch cooking up some stoner cuisine on YouTube, thanks to his infamous appearance on the Martha Stewart TV show.

The recipe is stoner-simple, crowd-friendly, and works with turkey/chicken hot dogs or veggie substitutes if that’s your vibe.

Ingredients:

• 5 hot dog buns
• ¼ cup melted Simple Cannabutter
• 2 tablespoons dried ground oregano
• 5 turkey or chicken hot dogs
• 5 slices bacon
• ¼ cup grated pepper jack cheese (plus extra for topping if desired)
• 2 cups canola oil for deep-frying
• ½ cup relish
• Ketchup and mustard to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Cut hot dog buns crosswise into thirds. Arrange open buns on a baking sheet. Brush the inside with melted cannabutter and sprinkle with oregano. Toast 5-8 minutes until golden.
3. Cut hot dogs crosswise into thirds. Then cut each piece lengthwise about ¾ of the way through. Cut each bacon slice crosswise into thirds. Stuff grated cheese inside each hot dog piece, wrap with bacon, and secure the ends with a toothpick.
4. Pour oil into a heavy-bottomed saucepan to a depth of 1 inch. Heat over medium-high until hot but not smoking (180°C if using a thermometer). Fry bacon-wrapped hot dog pieces until bacon is crispy and brown. Drain on paper towels.
5. Remove toothpicks. Place hot dog pieces on toasted buns. Top with relish, extra cheese if you want chaos, and ketchup/mustard to taste.

This is not spring produce. This is spring party food. Malta contains multitudes.

 

STONER SWEETS:

5) Ganja-Dipped Chocolate Strawberries

It’s Valentine’s season and our little stoner hearts are beating faster. Since all of our readers are scientifically proven to be extremely good looking, I’m going to assume you all have dates lined up. This recipe is for you.

Chocolate strawberries are already romantic, and cannabis acts as a gentle aphrodisiac. We believe couples that smoke together stay together. Enjoy them with a nice bottle of Champagne.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Simple Cannabutter
• 450 grams milk chocolate
• 2 cups large strawberries

Instructions:

1. In a double boiler, melt the cannabutter over low flame. Once melted, set it aside.
2. Using the same double boiler, melt the chocolate until smooth. Pay attention so it doesn’t burn. Add cannabutter while melting and stir gently but thoroughly until fully combined.
3. Dip each strawberry into the canna-chocolate while hot, then place it on wax paper and refrigerate for 2 hours.

 

6) Fudgy Weed Brownies Recipe (Yes, We’re Doing This)

I know, I know. You want your delicious weed brownies recipe. Who am I to deny you?

Brownies are not particularly spring food. They are year-round emotional support. Sometimes you just want brownies, and spring can mind its business.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cannabis-infused butter
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 175°C. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Melt cannabis-infused butter in a saucepan over low heat. Remove and cool slightly.
3. Stir in sugar until well combined.
4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. In a separate bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
6. Slowly add dry ingredients to the butter-egg mixture and stir until just combined.
7. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts if using. Add vanilla.
8. Pour batter into the pan and bake 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
9. Cool, then cut into squares.

 

A Refreshing Cannabis Cocktail

7) The Maltese Spritz (Infused Method)

The spritz is the perfect springtime refreshment. This version keeps it local with prickly pear liqueur and finishes with tincture for dosing control.

Ingredients:

• 1 generous shot (30-45ml) prickly pear liqueur (e.g. Zeppi’s)
• Rosé sparkling wine or Prosecco
• Splash of lime cordial
• 5-10mg cannabis tincture/oil (CBD or low-THC)
• Soda water
• Garnish: fresh mint, orange slices, cocktail cherries

Method
Build over ice, add tincture, stir gently, top with soda, garnish like you mean it, then drink it on a balcony or by the sea like a respectable adult with excellent hobbies.

 

Why I Don’t Do “Nuclear” Edibles Anymore

Every so often, someone still hands me a brownie and says, “Careful, it’s strong.”
I used to hear that as a challenge. Now I hear it as a warning.

When edibles are too strong, I disengage. Conversations slide past me, and ideas lose their edges. Even good moments flatten out.

It’s not pleasure. It’s anesthesia. And once you recognize that feeling, it’s hard to unsee how often people mistake numbness for relaxation.

Once you’ve felt the difference between being lightly lifted and completely checked out, it’s hard to go back.

 

Pro Tips for Spring Cannabis Cooking

Spring cooking has a different energy. It’s lighter, brighter, and usually happens when people are more social, which means your infused food needs to behave. These aren’t rules. They’re just the kind of tips you pick up after one too many “wow, this is strong” moments.

• Store infusions properly: keep cannabutter in the fridge, olive oil in a cool dark place, and tinctures away from sunlight. Malta is beautiful, but it’s not gentle on things you leave on a windowsill.
• Pair cannabis like any ingredient: basil, thyme, and rosemary amplify herbal terpenes. Citrus, berries, and honey love limonene-heavy infusions. Balance it the same way you would salt or spice.

It’s not complicated. It’s just cooking with one extra variable.

 

The Whole Point of Spring Cannabis Cooking in Malta

The best part about doing this in Malta is that the island almost forces you into a certain pace. Better produce leads to longer evenings, leading to more shared meals.
Cooking with cannabis can either fight that energy or match it.

If you go heavy and reckless, you’ll spend the whole evening waiting to come back down. If you keep it light and thoughtful, it becomes a companion to the meal instead of a distraction from it.

Cannabis works best when it’s integrated, not escalated. When it fits into your life instead of quietly replacing parts of it. The edibles escapade with my mom still reminds me of that. Cannabis at its best isn’t about disappearing. It’s about being present together.

So yeah. Hit Ta’ Qali. Or Suq Tal-Belt in your sweats. Grab lemons, herbs, tomatoes, something flaky and not diet-appropriate. Make butter. Make oil. Start with brunch. End with a spritz.

And if anyone asks what you’re doing, you can tell them you’re just cooking seasonal Maltese food. Which is technically true.

Bong Appétit.

 

FAQ

How many hours does it take to infuse cannabutter?

For a small batch like ½ cup of butter with 4 grams of cannabis, about 45 minutes on very low heat is enough. If you scale up to larger amounts, you can stretch that to around 60 minutes.

What are common mistakes when making cannabutter?

The big ones are skipping decarboxylation, cooking on heat that is too high, and guessing dosage. If you do not decarb first, you get flavor without much effect. If you cook too hot, you risk degrading cannabinoids.

Does cannabutter get stronger the longer you cook it?

Not really. After a certain point, most of the available cannabinoids have already infused into the fat. Cooking far longer will not magically double potency, and excessive heat can actually reduce strength. Focus on proper decarbing and consistent low heat instead of chasing intensity through time.

Can you boil cannabis to activate it?

No. Boiling raw cannabis in water will not properly activate THC because cannabinoids are not water-soluble and activation requires dry heat. To activate THC, you need to decarboxylate in the oven at around 115°C for 30 to 40 minutes before infusing into butter or oil.

Does cannabis smell when you cook it?

Yes. Decarbing and infusing both produce a noticeable herbal smell. It is not subtle. If you are cooking in an apartment with open windows, expect that aroma to travel. Good ventilation helps, and shorter infusion times on low heat can reduce how intense it becomes.

Do you need to dry cannabis to make edibles?

If you are using properly cured cannabis, it is already dry enough. You do not need to dry it again. What you do need is decarboxylation. Fresh, wet plant material is harder to dose and less predictable, so most home cooks stick with cured flower for consistency.

Is it normal to feel nothing at first and then suddenly feel very high?

Yes, especially with edibles. Effects can take 30 to 90 minutes to appear because THC is processed in the liver. Taking more too soon is the classic mistake. Wait at least 90 minutes before increasing your dose, unless you enjoy having deep philosophical conversations with your showerhead.

Is cannabutter stronger than cannabis oil?

Neither is automatically stronger. Potency depends on how much cannabis you use, its THC content, and how well you infuse it. Butter works well for baking and pastry. Olive oil is great for spring salads and Mediterranean dishes. Choose based on the recipe and calculate the dose either way.