Lifestyle

Cannabis recipe 101: salted caramel ice cream

Published on May 20, 2022 · Last updated November 15, 2022
(Noelke/Leafly)

The days are finally getting longer and warmer as summer approaches and with it even more hours in the day to consume two of the best creations known to man: weed and ice cream.

But we’ll do you one better.

The perfect companion to a summer barbecue, day in the water, or afternoon delight is ice cream with weed.

Don’t be deterred; it’s a lot easier than you’d think to create a delicious cannabis ice cream at home. Looking towards a long weekend, we’ve elevated this beautiful ice cream to create the perfect weed dessert.

Our recipe for weed-infused ice cream is an afternoon delight. (Kalynchuk/Leafly)

Equipment you’ll need:

  • Ice cream maker
  • Mixing bowl
  • Large saucepan

There’s no getting around it: you do need an ice cream maker to make restaurant-quality ice cream.

KitchenAid offers both stand-alone units or attachments for mixers already in your kitchen. Ice cream makers also come in a variety of prices to fit all budgets, including brands like Cuisinart and Ninja.

If that is too much of an investment for dabbling in the occasional infused ice cream recipe, there are several machine-free ways to make ice cream (with varying steps and resulting textures).

Pro tip: Chill your mixing bowl for 24 hours ahead of time.

For this recipe, the bowl of the ice cream maker must be cold. Most manufacturers recommend chilling it for 24 hours in the freezer section of your refrigerator, not the deep freeze, before use. If you need to chill it in a deep freezer, aim for 8 hours.

You’ll also need a large saucepan for the caramel sauce and a large bowl for prepping the ice cream base.

Related
Cannabis recipe 101: weed lollipops

Prep time: 20 min

Cook time: 5 min, cool one hour, 20-40 min churning

Total time: 35 min + 25 min to 24 hour chill time

Total servings: 6

Serving size: 1 cup (250 mL)

Ingredients:

  • 2¾ cups (650 mL) of 35% whipping cream
  • 1½ cups (355 mL) of 2% milk
  • 1½ cups (355 mL) of sugar
  • ½ (125 mL) cup of water
  • 4 tablespoons (60 mL) of cannabis-infused butter*
  • 1¼ (5 mL) teaspoons of sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon (5 mL) of vanilla

*We’ve used cannabis-infused butter to make this ice cream. We recommend making sure it’s made to your tolerance level before churning.

Calories673
Fat49.2 (g)
Saturated30.7 (g)
Unsaturated15.8 (g)
Cholesterol174 (mg)
Sodium132 (mg)
Sugar53.4 (g)

Let’s make some weed ice cream!

How to make ooey gooey caramel drizzle

Step 1: Prep the pan

Using a large saucepan for caramel is imperative; if it’s too small, the caramel will overflow when the cream is added. Set it on the stove with medium heat.

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Step 2: Mix the sugar and water

Combine the sugar and water and bring the mixture to a low boil over medium-high heat.  Cook the sugar, without stirring, until it turns amber in colour. 

Step 3: Add the cream

Once it reaches a medium amber colour, remove the sugar from the heat and add ½ cup of room temperature whipping cream. Be careful when adding the cream, as it will cause the mixture to bubble violently with a hot burst of steam.

Step 4: Stir in the cannabutter

After the bubbling stops, stir in the cannabis-infused butter and 1½ teaspoons of sea salt until melted.

Step 5: Let it cool

Once all ingredients are incorporated, set the base aside until fully cooled. It should be a thick pourable consistency once cooled. Store the prepared caramel in a covered container on the counter.  

For consistency:

If your caramel is too thick for your liking, slowly warm it over low heat and stir in a few tablespoons of whipping cream. Add as much cream as needed to achieve a nice smooth caramel. This can take several minutes, so be patient.

A bowl of delicious infused caramel ice cream
Infused caramel ice cream is perfect for summer. (Kalynchuk/Leafly)

How to make “pot” ice cream

Step 1: Mixing the base

Combine the 2¼ cups of cream, milk, and vanilla with half of the cooled caramel in a large bowl. Whisk well until the ingredients are fully incorporated, then cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for a minimum of 1 hour. 

Step 2: Fire up that ice cream maker! 

Once the mixture has set, slowly add the ice cream base and churn following the manufacturer’s directions. This usually takes between 20 – 40 minutes based on the machine’s model and your desired consistency.

For consistency

If you prefer luxuriously smooth soft-serve ice cream, it’s best to enjoy this recipe immediately after churning.

For a firmer weed ice cream, let it freeze to the desired consistency; check on it periodically so it doesn’t get too hard. When ready to serve, drizzle the remaining caramel over top and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt.

Step 3: Add garnishes

Scrape the finished ice cream into a freezer-safe container. You can easily build on this recipe with add-ins and toppings like chopped chocolate, peanuts or toasted pecans.

Important: Stir in the additions immediately after churning, as it will be too firm after it freezing to incorporate nuts or chocolate.

Step 4: Caramel drizzle

Add half of the remaining caramel and lightly swirl it into the ice cream before placing the container into the freezer to firm up. When ready to serve, drizzle the remaining caramel over top and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt.

We hope you enjoy this decadent-infused ice cream. Enjoy it on hot apple pie, in a banana split, or turn it into a tasty caramel milkshake drizzled with your favourite toppings.

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Redawna Kalynchuk
Redawna Kalynchuk
Redawna Kalynchuk is a freelance writer, photographer and visual storyteller from Alberta. Her passion for cannabis comes from years of cannabis gardening and creating incredible infusions. Empowering you to grow, cook and share!
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