Best Strains for Edibles: 10 Picks and How to Dose

The honest answer first: almost any strain works for edibles, because what you eat is mostly THC dissolved in fat. Flavor and aroma can get muted in butter, oil and sugar. What makes a strain a good choice for the kitchen is a reliable THC level, so you can dose the same way batch after batch, and a taste that suits the recipe. The ten strains below come from our range, with THC figures taken from our own catalog. Decarboxylation and dosing matter more than which one you pick.

What to look for in an edibles strain

Raw cannabis contains very little THC. Most of it sits in the plant as THCA, an acid form that has to be heated before it does much. A study from the University of Mississippi describes how the main cannabinoids, THC among them, "do not occur in significant concentrations in cannabis but can be formed by decarboxylation of their corresponding acids, the predominant cannabinoids in the plant" (Wang et al., 2016). That is why you bake or "decarb" your flower before you infuse it.

After that, three things count:

• THC level you can plan around. A stronger strain means you need less flower for the same dose. It also means mistakes hit harder.
• Taste. Earthy, piney strains suit savory food and brownies. Sweet, fruity or citrus strains are easier to hide in cakes and cookies.
• The kind of evening you want. Our catalog lists the effects growers most often report for each strain. These are reports, not promises, and an edible feels different from a joint anyway.

The THC figures below are the "up to" values in our catalog. Your own harvest can come out lower, depending on how you grow, when you harvest and how you dry and store the buds.

Ten strains that work well in the kitchen

1. White Widow

A classic. White Widow XTRM is a hybrid listed at up to 25% THC, with an earthy, peppery, woody taste. That flavor holds up in dark chocolate and in savory butter. With a strain this strong, a small amount of flower goes a long way.

2. O.G. Kush XTRM

O.G. Kush XTRM is an Indica listed at up to 21% THC. The catalog describes citrus, earthy, pine and woody notes. Pine and citrus work well in brownies and in savory dishes where you don't want sweet fruit flavors.

3. Super Silver Haze

A Sativa listed at up to 21% THC, with citrus, earthy and sweet notes. The reported effects in our catalog lean creative and uplifting. If you want a daytime edible, this is one to look at, but keep the dose small.

4. Blue Dream XTRM

Blue Dream XTRM is a Sativa listed at up to 21% THC. Its flavor is berries and fruit, which is easy to work into muffins, cookies or a berry jam.

5. Blue Cheese Feminized

An Indica listed at up to 20% THC. Our catalog describes a sweet taste from the Blueberry side first, then the musky, spicy, earthy notes of the Cheese parent. The reported effects are relaxed and sleepy, so this is an evening strain. The strong smell is worth knowing about if you decarb at home: your kitchen will smell of it.

6. Girl Scout Cookies XTRM

Girl Scout Cookies XTRM is listed at up to 21% THC, with chocolate, citrus, earthy, mint and sweet notes. Chocolate and mint make it an obvious match for brownies and cookies.

7. Gelato XTRM Feminized

Gelato XTRM is a hybrid listed at up to 25% THC. The flavor list is long: citrus, herbs, mint, peppery, pine and sweet. It is one of the stronger strains here, so measure carefully.

8. Purple Power

Purple Power XTRM is a Dutch Dope x Super Skunk cross, according to our catalog, listed at up to 20% THC. It is a Sativa-dominant hybrid with an earthy, flowery, skunky and sweet taste. Our catalog says it was stabilized to stand up to mold and caterpillars, which can help if you grow outdoors in a damp climate. Older articles call it a cross with Purple Haze; our own catalog says otherwise.

9. AK 47 XTRM

AK 47 XTRM feminized is a Sativa listed at up to 24% THC, with citrus, earthy, pine and woody notes. Keep in mind that the strain name does not set how strong your edible turns out. The amount of flower, your decarb and your dose do.

10. Durban Poison

A landrace Sativa, listed at up to 23% THC, with citrus, earthy, licorice, peppery and sweet notes. The reported effects are creative, productive and uplifting. Strong, very uplifting strains can make some people anxious, and with an edible that feeling comes on slowly and lasts. If that sounds like you, pick an Indica from this list instead.

Decarboxylation basics

Decarboxylation is simply heating the flower so THCA turns into THC. In the University of Mississippi study, cannabis extracts were heated in a vacuum oven at temperatures between 80 °C and 145 °C, for up to 60 minutes, and the conversion of THCA was straightforward, with no side reactions or by-products (Wang et al., 2016). That was a lab setup with extracts, not buds on a baking tray, so treat it as background and not as a recipe.

What tends to go wrong in home kitchens is heat. Butter that is left to boil, or an oven that runs hotter than its dial says, gives an edible that smells and tastes burnt. Use a cheap oven thermometer, keep the temperature low and steady, and keep the butter or oil from boiling while you infuse. For recipes, see our cannabis cuisine recipes.

Are marijuana edibles safe for everyone?

No, and the strain is not the main reason. Edibles work differently from smoking. Health Canada notes that when you eat or drink cannabis, the effects "can occur within 30 minutes to 2 hours and can last up to 24 hours" (Health Canada, Health effects of cannabis, modified 25 March 2024).

That delay is a common reason for bad experiences. Someone eats a brownie, feels nothing after half an hour, and eats a second one. Our advice is simple: start with a small piece, wait at least two hours before you take more, and don't mix edibles with alcohol.

Children are a serious risk. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that children who consume THC-containing products "can become very sick", and advises keeping cannabis products "in a locked childproof container and out of the sight and reach of children" (CDC, Cannabis Health Effects). A homemade brownie looks exactly like a normal brownie. Label it, lock it away, and keep it out of reach of pets as well.

If you take medication, are pregnant or have a heart condition or another health problem, talk to a doctor before you use cannabis edibles.

Growing your own for edibles

Every strain in our range has been grown by us at least once, and all our base genetics are kept in-house. If you grow for the kitchen, an easy strain with a taste you like beats the highest THC figure you can find. Blue Cheese and Purple Power are listed as easy to grow; Durban Poison is listed as moderate to expert.

The seeds from this list: White Widow XTRM, O.G. Kush XTRM, Super Silver Haze, Blue Dream XTRM, Blue Cheese, Girl Scout Cookies XTRM, Gelato XTRM Feminized, Purple Power, AK 47 XTRM and Durban Poison.

Medical Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Cannabis and its compounds (including CBD and THC) have not been evaluated by the FDA, EMA, or any other medical or regulatory authority for the treatment, cure, or prevention of any disease. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using cannabis for any medical condition.