What is a THC Tincture?
A THC tincture is a cannabis-infused alcohol* that’s dominant in THC. Cannabis resin loves alcohol (and fat), so infusing alcohol with high THC cannabis is an efficient way to get the most out of your medicine. *When you buy a tincture in a dispensary, it may not be alcohol-based. Many companies are selling MCT oil cannabis tinctures, that are packaged and used the same way as traditional tinctures, without the alcohol (see below for a non-alcoholic MCT tincture recipe).THC tincture benefits

1. Cannabis Tinctures are Easy to Dose
The effects don’t last as long as edibles but last longer than smoking, so it’s easy to find a dose that works for you. Great for beginners or for anyone wanting to explore more controlled dosing.2. THC Tinctures are Fast-Acting
When used sublingually (held under the tongue), tinctures can come into full effect in 15-30 minutes.3. Cannabis Tincture Recipes are Easy to Make
You don’t need to be a chemistry major to make homemade tinctures. It’s a simple 3 step process that takes less than a couple of hours. All you need is a mason jar, alcohol, or MCT Oil and plant material.4. Cannabis Tinctures are Endlessly Customizable
Nonalcoholic? Sure. Want to make a CBD THC tincture? Go for it. What if you want to add other herbs to complement “the herb”? Do it! Once you know the basics, you can use the ingredients and cannabinoids that work best for you.5. Cannabis tinctures can save you money
Like all things on this blog, my goal is always to help folks save money and get healthier by using methods that work. My hope is that you’ll be using those savings to invest in higher quality, organic, and local ingredients (when possible), or to nab cool tools that make your journey with cannabis easier and more fun. Because you’re not lighting your plant material on fire, lower doses go further. And because cannabis tinctures are so easy to make, you can save a lot compared to the cost of THC tinctures at dispensaries. For a deeper explanation, check out this post: 5 Benefits of Cannabis TincturesCan you smoke THC tincture?
Is this a crazy question? Yes. Do we get asked about stuff like this? Also, yes. The answer to “can you smoke a THC tincture?” is no. Please do not try to set cannabis in alcohol on fire and inhale it. Just, please no.How to use a THC Tincture

THC Cannabis Tincture Recipe
1. Fill a quart jar with:
- 1 oz (28g) decarboxylated cannabis* (Sign up and get the lifetime access to the free edibles dosage calculator first, do the dosage math, and adjust the amount of plant material and alcohol to get your desired strength)
2. Add:
- 2 Cups Everclear, Moonshine, Vodka, or Brandy
3. Cover with a lid and shake vigorously. Place in a dark cupboard or in a paper bag on a shelf.
4. Shake the mixture vigorously again before straining. If steeping for longer, shake every couple of days.
5. Steep for anywhere from 2 days to several months. Test periodically to determine if the tincture is at your desired strength.**
6. Strain out plant material. Save the “raffinate” for a rainy day.
7. Pour into dropper bottles.
8. Make sure to calculate your dosage and label your finished product.**Note on steeping length: Some people say that longer tinctures are better and more medicinal, but new research is showing that you don’t need to leave your tincture for weeks or months on end to extract most of the cannabinoids from your plant material. If you come across any data that shows optimal steeping length or method, feel free to drop it in the comments below and let the community know 🙂
Non-alcoholic THC Tincture Recipe
While technically not a cannabis tincture, this “tincture” has many of the same benefits without the alcohol.1. Fill your crockpot about halfway with water (or just enough to cover the herb).
2. Fill a mason jar with:
- 1 cup of organic MCT oil
- anywhere from 3.5-7g decarboxylated cannabis (depending on the density and dosage of your plant material) with at least enough oil to cover the cannabis completely
- 1 teaspoon – 1 Tablespoon sunflower lecithin
3. Cover with lid. Alternatively, cut a piece of foil to cover the jar opening. Seal with the ring. Poke a thermometer through the foil so you can regulate the temperature.
4. Place the mason jar in the crockpot and put the crockpot on high.
5. Burp the jar and shake vigorously after about a half hour to make sure that there’s not too much pressure building up. If you get a lot of pressure on the first burp, make sure to burp the jar often.
6. Strain (save material for making High Chai).
For other methods of making cannabis tinctures and non-alcoholic cannabis tinctures, check out those posts.What’s your favorite way to make and take THC tinctures? Let us know in the comments below and don’t hesitate to reach out to [email protected]. We’re here to help!
Any input on making tincture in the Magic Butter Machine? I have made tincture using 60gm decarbed bud and leaf, plus 4 cups alcohol, put in the MGM for 8 hrs at 130degrees. Let cool, strained and put the 28 oz of green liquid into an electric rice cooker, with 4 oz water (to keep the oil from frying on the bottom). Reduced the liquid into a heavy black “goop” to which I added 2 oz peppermint infused vodka, 1-1/2 oz vitamin E oil and 5 gm powdered CBD isolate. Put this mixture into the Ardent to heat and combine for two hours. I am ready to package into 1oz bottles with droppers. What do you think the dosage calculations should be? Any input about this recipe and technique is greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!
I took your master class and have been making tinctures ever since. Thanks. Great info!!!
What temp are you aiming for when using the crockpot/MCT method and how long do you “cook” it for?
I colud really use this. Love the edibles but they are so expensive. Especially in my state.
A lot of great information. I am a beginner to this field and am having a great time.
I find it efficient to make an alcohol tincture (Everyclear) and then evaporate it into oil. I seem to get most ot the alcohol out of the plant material while only getting 2/3 of the oil out.
Thanks for the recipes, they both work good.
Thank you so much for sharing all your knowledge, truly appreciated ! I have been able to do lots of things thanks to your wisdom !
I have a question about making tinctures, have you tried making them in the Nova ?
Hey Maya!
We do not recommend heating up the alcohol tinctures in the Ardent devices.
I hope this helps!
With love,
Maddie (Team W+B)
Everything I’ve read says that you must dilute Everclear with water before you can drink it, even in tinctures. You don’t do this in your recipes. Isn’t the tincture too strong to ingest? Thank you!
Hey Tamara,
You can dilute your tincture in water, juice, honey, or whatever carrier you’d like 🙂
With love,
Maddie (Team W+B)
Thank you!!
I can’t get the book list for January
Hey hannah! January’s book is the Rebel’s apothecary. Have you signed up here to get the list and reminders: https://www.cannabiscoachinginstitute.com/live/
I’m a retired USAF Sergeant (20 years) and living in Michigan. I’m trying to find the best recipe for Green Dragon. I have no problem getting the ingredients, pot is legal and everclear is available. I bake the marijuana on 240 degrees for 45-50 minutes, let cool, put in a mason jar, fill with a liter of 190 proof Everclear, shake daily for at least a month. Strain in eye drop bottles ( dark ) and use. It seems to not have the effect I want. I want to make it with as much THC as possible. Sorry, I should of said I use at least an ounce of marijuana per batch. We are not supposed to smoke pot in public, so I want to make Green Dragon to consume when traveling. I am not affiliated with any law enforcement agencies. Just an old soldier dealing with pain. Thanks for any information or help you can provide.