Cannasugar

Cannasugar Recipe: How to Make Infused Sugar with CBD, CBG, or THC

By Mellow Moose | Updated 04/17/2026

Quick Answer

Cannasugar is granulated sugar coated with cannabinoids dissolved in food-grade alcohol. Using 5g of CBD or CBG isolate (or 2.5g THC extract) and 25 mL of Everclear, you'll produce 1 cup of infused sugar at ~5,000mg total cannabinoids — roughly 104mg per teaspoon. Total active time is 30 minutes, with 4–8 hours of drying. No decarboxylation needed when using isolate.

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Why Make Cannasugar?

Cannasugar offers something most cannabis edibles don't: precise, scalable dosing in a format that drops into any recipe. Unlike cannabutter or canna-oil — which lock you into fat-based recipes — cannasugar works in coffee, cocktails, baked goods, oatmeal, yogurt, lemonade, and direct sprinkle applications. It's also smoke-free, which makes it discreet and shelf-stable.

The other reason to make your own: commercial edibles cost 3–10x more per milligram than DIY. A 20g jar of organic CBG isolate at $59.99 produces enough cannasugar for ~195 servings at 100mg each. Try finding that ratio in a retail edible.

Recipe Overview

• Yield: 1 cup infused sugar
• Active time: 30 minutes
• Drying time: 4–8 hours
• Difficulty: Beginner

Equipment

• Mason jar with tight-fitting lid
• Mixing bowl (glass or stainless preferred)
• Spoon or silicone spatula
• Baking sheet with parchment paper
• Small spray bottle (glass preferred — alcohol can degrade some plastics over time)
• Bowl of warm water (optional, helps dissolve isolate faster)

Ingredients

• 5g CBD Isolate OR 5g CBG Isolate OR 2.5g THC extract
• 1 cup granulated sugar (white sugar gives the cleanest result; raw or turbinado works but gives uneven coating)
• 25 mL Everclear (190 proof / 95% ethanol — anything lower won't dissolve isolate efficiently)

Instructions

1. Dissolve the cannabinoid. In a mason jar, combine your isolate (or THC extract) with the Everclear. Seal tightly and shake until fully dissolved. If isolate isn't dissolving, place the sealed jar in a bowl of warm water for 2–3 minutes — heat speeds dissolution significantly. Don't heat directly on a stove.
2. Transfer to spray bottle. Pour the infused alcohol solution into a clean small spray bottle.
3. Coat the sugar. Place sugar in a mixing bowl. Spray the infused solution evenly over the sugar while stirring constantly with your other hand. The goal is uniform coating — not pooling. Plan on 30–40 sprays distributed across the surface.
4. Spread to dry. Transfer the coated sugar to a parchment-lined baking sheet and spread in a thin, even layer. Let dry uncovered in a cool, dry place for 4–8 hours. The alcohol evaporates and leaves the cannabinoids bonded to the sugar crystals.
5. Break up and store. Once fully dry, gently break up any clumps with a fork or your fingers. Transfer to an airtight container. Stored properly, cannasugar holds potency for 6+ months.

Why This Recipe Works (And Why Most Online Cannasugar Recipes Don't)

Most cannasugar recipes online tell you to use flower or concentrate, then either bake it into the sugar in an oven or simmer it on a stovetop. Both approaches have problems:

• Oven baking the sugar itself can degrade cannabinoids if held at high heat for extended periods. Sustained heat above ~340°F starts breaking down the alcohol-binding step and exposing cannabinoids directly to heat and oxygen. The water-bath / spray method here keeps everything below the danger zone.
• Flower-based recipes leave plant material behind. You end up with green-tinted, slightly bitter sugar. Fine for cookies, ruins coffee.
• Decarboxylation is often skipped or done incorrectly. If you start with raw flower or non-decarbed extract, the cannabinoids in your sugar are largely inactive (THCA, CBDA) — meaning weak or unpredictable effects.

Using already-decarboxylated isolate sidesteps all three issues. Our CBD and CBG isolates are produced through a patented water-only extraction process and arrive activated and ready to use. You skip the decarb step entirely.

The Everclear-as-carrier approach matters because cannabinoids are fat-soluble and alcohol-soluble. Alcohol gives you a uniform liquid that sprays evenly, then evaporates cleanly — leaving a thin film of cannabinoid crystals coating each sugar granule. The result is consistent dosing across the whole batch, not the hot-spot/cold-spot problem you get with mixed-and-baked methods.

Dosage Math

CBD or CBG version: ~5,000mg cannabinoids per cup

• ~312.5mg per tablespoon
• ~104.2mg per teaspoon
• ~34.7mg per ⅓ teaspoon (a typical "sprinkle")

THC version: ~2,125mg cannabinoids per cup

• ~132.8mg per tablespoon
• ~44.3mg per teaspoon
• ~14.8mg per ⅓ teaspoon

Always start with a smaller serving than you think you need. Edibles take 30–90 minutes to onset and the effects last 4–8 hours. Use our dosage calculator for personalized dosing guidance.

How to Use Cannasugar

• Coffee or tea: Stir into your morning cup like regular sugar. CBG sugar is especially good here — supports daytime focus without sedation.
• Baking: Substitute 1:1 for regular sugar in cookies, brownies, cakes, and most baked goods. Cannasugar holds up well in standard baking temperatures (350–400°F for typical bake times) because the sugar matrix protects the cannabinoid molecules. The exception is prolonged high-heat work like caramel or hard candy, where sustained exposure above ~340°F gradually degrades cannabinoids.
• Cocktails and lemonade: Dissolves easily in cold liquids. Especially good in citrus-based drinks where the sugar isn't masked by other flavors.
• Sprinkled toppings: Oatmeal, yogurt parfaits, fruit, French toast - anywhere you'd use regular sugar but want a precise cannabinoid dose.

Common Failure Modes

• Clumpy, wet sugar that won't dry. You sprayed too much or too quickly. Spread thinner and add more drying time. In humid environments, run a fan over it.
• Uneven potency between servings. Stirring wasn't continuous during coating. The fix: smaller batches, more aggressive stirring, more passes with the spray bottle.
• Weak or inconsistent effects. Most likely cause: started with non-decarbed material. Solution: use isolate (already activated) or properly decarb your starting material before infusion.
• Sugar tastes like alcohol. Drying time was too short. Let it sit longer in a dry environment until you can't smell Everclear anymore.

FAQs

What is cannasugar? Cannasugar is granulated sugar coated with cannabinoids (CBD, CBG, or THC) dissolved in food-grade alcohol. The alcohol carries the cannabinoid into the sugar crystals and then evaporates, leaving a precisely dosed sweetener for drinks, baking, and direct culinary use.

Do I need to decarboxylate before making cannasugar? Not if you use isolate. Our CBD and CBG isolates are produced in their already-active form, so no decarb is needed. If you're starting with raw flower or non-decarboxylated extract, you must decarb first or your cannasugar will be largely inactive.

Can I substitute another alcohol for Everclear? Only if it's similarly high-proof (190 proof / 95% ethanol or higher). Vodka and standard spirits at 80–100 proof contain too much water — the isolate won't fully dissolve and the sugar won't dry properly. Everclear is the standard for a reason.

How long does cannasugar stay potent? Stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place away from light, cannasugar maintains potency for 6+ months. Heat, humidity, and UV light are the three things that degrade cannabinoids — control those and your batch will last.

Can I use cannasugar in any recipe that calls for sugar? Yes — including high-heat applications like brownies, cookies, and cakes. Once the cannabinoids are bound to the sugar crystals through the alcohol-evaporation process, they're surprisingly heat-stable. You'll see minimal degradation in standard baking temperatures (350–400°F for typical bake times). The exception is sustained, prolonged high heat — caramelization, hard candy, or anything held above ~340°F for extended periods. Even then, degradation is gradual rather than instant. The main thing to keep in mind is dosage: substituting cannasugar 1:1 for regular sugar in a batch of cookies could mean 100mg+ per cookie.

Is cannasugar legal? Federally, hemp-derived CBD, CBG, and Delta-9 THC products containing less than 0.3% THC by dry weight are legal under the 2018 Farm Bill. Hemp-derived cannabinoids are legal in most US states, though some states restrict specific cannabinoids. THC extract from cannabis (not hemp) follows your state's cannabis laws. Our isolates are all federally compliant hemp-derived products.

Can I make a smaller or larger batch? Yes. The ratio is what matters: 1 cup sugar : 5g isolate : 25 mL Everclear. Scale proportionally. For half-batches, use ½ cup sugar, 2.5g isolate, 12.5 mL Everclear.

Related Recipes & Products

• CBD Isolate (20g, USDA Organic) — start here for cannasugar
• CBG Isolate (20g, USDA Organic) — for daytime/focus-oriented cannasugar
• Cannabis Infused Honey — same concept, different sweetener
• Cannabutter Recipe — for fat-based recipes
• Canna-Lean (CBD or THC Syrup) — for liquid applications