CBD Brownies: Easy UK Recipe and How Much CBD Oil per Square

How much CBD oil to put in brownies: dose calculator

Work backwards from the dose you want in each square. Multiply that dose by the number of squares to get the total CBD for the tray, then turn the total into drops or ml for your oil. The table below is for a 20cm square tin cut 4 by 4 into 16 squares.

Choosing an oil to bake with? Our best CBD oil UK guide explains strengths and what each drop contains, which makes the dose maths easier.

The maths, step by step

• CBD per ml = bottle strength ÷ bottle size. A 1,000mg 10ml oil is 100mg per ml.
• CBD per drop = CBD per ml ÷ 20, because a standard dropper gives about 20 drops per ml. So 100mg per ml is about 5mg a drop.
• CBD per square = (drops added × CBD per drop) ÷ number of squares. For example, 32 drops × 5mg = 160mg, and 160mg ÷ 16 = 10mg a square.

Droppers vary, so for accuracy measure by the ml markings on the pipette or use a small syringe. If your bottle shows a different strength, or you want to know what each strength means, see CBD oil strengths explained.

Keep a square at or under 10mg

If you are new to CBD, start at 2.5mg to 5mg a square and eat one square as one serving. A 10mg square on its own matches the FSA’s daily figure, so remember to count any other CBD you have that day: a 10mg capsule in the morning plus a 5mg square in the evening is 15mg. The FSA’s 10mg a day figure is precautionary advice rather than a legal limit, set while longer-term safety research continues. At Evopure we think it is a very cautious figure, and many adults use more. If you go above it, increase slowly, and check with your GP or pharmacist first if you take any medication. Our CBD dosage guide covers how to find your amount.

Does baking destroy CBD? Temperature and the evidence

Normal baking looks fine, but the evidence is thin, so it is worth being honest about what we know.

• What one lab study found. Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University baked brownies containing CBD and THC at 300°F (about 150°C) until a skewer came out clean. They reported that the baking process did not degrade the CBD, and the brownies stayed stable at room temperature for at least three months.
• What it doesn’t tell us. It was a small lab study using tiny amounts of CBD and one oven temperature. We haven’t found good published data on exactly how much CBD, if any, is lost in a home oven at higher settings, so treat any precise “CBD breaks down at X degrees” figure you see online with caution.
• What we suggest. Bake at a moderate temperature (170°C, 150°C fan, gas mark 3 is plenty for brownies), add the CBD off the heat, and don’t overbake. Never add CBD to a sizzling pan or heat the oil on its own.

For frying, sauces and other dishes, see our wider guide to cooking with CBD oil.

How to bake with CBD: 7 tips

1. Add CBD to fat. CBD dissolves in fat, so stir it into melted butter, oil or melted chocolate for an even spread.
2. Add it off the heat. Melt the butter or chocolate gently, take it off the heat, let it cool for a few minutes, then stir in the CBD.
3. Keep the oven moderate. 170°C (150°C fan, gas mark 3) bakes a fudgy brownie without blasting it.
4. Mix thoroughly so every square gets the same amount.
5. Cut evenly. Your dose per square only works if the squares are the same size. A ruler helps: a 20cm tin cut 4 by 4 gives 5cm squares.
6. Use dark chocolate. Hemp extract can taste earthy, and 70% chocolate covers it well. More on that in what CBD oil tastes like.
7. Label them and keep them away from children and pets, who won’t know they contain CBD.

Prefer to make a batch you can use in anything? See how to make CBD butter, or try our CBD cake recipes for a bigger bake.

Easy fudgy CBD brownies recipe

Makes 16 squares, 5mg CBD each (for 10mg a square, double the CBD only)

Ingredients

• 185g unsalted butter
• 185g dark chocolate (70%), broken up
• 80mg CBD in total (16 drops of a 1,000mg 10ml oil; see the dose calculator for other strengths)
• 275g caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 85g plain flour
• 40g cocoa powder
• Pinch of salt
• Optional: 75g chopped walnuts or chocolate chips

Method

1. Heat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan, gas mark 3) and line a 20cm square tin with baking paper.
2. Melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Take off the heat and leave for 5 minutes.
3. Count the CBD drops into the warm chocolate mix and stir until fully combined.
4. Whisk the sugar and eggs until pale and thick, about 3 minutes. Fold in the chocolate mix.
5. Sift in the flour, cocoa and salt and fold gently. Add nuts or chips if using.
6. Pour into the tin, level the top and bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until the top is set but the middle still has a slight wobble.
7. Cool completely in the tin, then cut 4 by 4 into 16 equal squares.

Variations: vegan, gluten-free, chocolate orange and boxed mix

Keep the same total CBD and the same 16 squares, and the dose per square stays the same whichever version you make.

Vegan CBD brownies

Swap the butter for a dairy-free baking block, check your dark chocolate is dairy-free, and replace the 3 eggs with 3 “flax eggs” (3 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 9 tbsp water, left for 10 minutes). The brownies come out denser and fudgier. Our CBD oils are vegan, so the CBD doesn’t change anything.

Gluten-free CBD brownies

Use the same weight of gluten-free plain flour in place of the plain flour. Brownies have so little flour that the texture barely changes. Check the labels on your chocolate and cocoa if you need to avoid gluten strictly.

Chocolate orange CBD brownies

Add the finely grated zest of one orange to the egg and sugar mix. Our Evolabs Orange CBD Oil works especially well here, because its orange flavour blends straight into the chocolate. With a 30ml 1,000mg bottle, 80mg (5mg a square) is 2.4ml, or about 48 drops.

Using a boxed brownie mix

Make the mix as the packet says, and stir the CBD into the melted butter or oil it asks for before you combine everything. Then divide your total CBD by the number of squares you cut. Packet trays are often smaller than 20cm, so measure and count your squares rather than assuming 16.

No-bake CBD brownie bites

Makes 16 bites, 5mg CBD each

Ingredients

• 200g pitted dates (soaked in hot water for 10 minutes if dry)
• 100g walnuts or almonds
• 30g cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 80mg CBD in total (16 drops of a 1,000mg 10ml oil)
• Pinch of sea salt

Method

1. Stir the CBD into the melted coconut oil.
2. Blitz the nuts in a food processor until crumbly, then add the dates, cocoa, salt and CBD coconut oil and blend into a sticky dough.
3. Weigh the dough, divide it into 16 equal pieces and roll into balls, or press into a lined loaf tin and cut into 16. Chill for an hour.

Because there’s no oven, this is the gentlest way to use CBD in a treat, and it’s naturally free from eggs and dairy. Fancy a warm drink instead? Our healthy hot chocolate recipe is another easy chocolate option.

CBD brownie effects and how long they take

CBD brownies won’t get you high, because CBD isn’t intoxicating and broad spectrum oils contain 0% THC. They are not the same as cannabis brownies, which contain THC. More on this in can CBD get you high?

We won’t promise what a brownie will do for you. CBD isn’t a treatment for any condition, and people describe very different experiences, from noticing nothing much to feeling a bit more settled. What we can say plainly:

• Eaten CBD is slower than drops. A brownie has to be digested before the CBD reaches your bloodstream, so it takes longer to notice than oil held under the tongue. In a trial in healthy adults, swallowed CBD peaked in the blood about 4 to 5 hours after a dose. See how long CBD takes to work.
• Food matters. In the same trial, taking CBD with a high-fat meal raised blood levels around four to five times compared with taking it fasted. A buttery brownie is a fatty food, so this is another reason not to go heavy on the dose.
• Don’t take extra. Don’t have a second square because you can’t feel the first. Wait until the next day before changing your dose.
• Side effects. In that trial, at doses far higher than anything in a brownie (750mg and up), the most common side effects were diarrhoea, nausea, headache and sleepiness.

If you’d rather have a fixed, pre-measured amount without baking, compare CBD oil vs gummies.

Safety: children, pets, pregnancy, medication and drug tests

• Adults only. Our products are for adults aged 18 and over, and the FSA doesn’t recommend CBD for under-18s. CBD brownies look exactly like ordinary brownies, so label the tin and keep it out of sight and reach of children. We explain why in CBD and children.
• Never give them to pets. Chocolate contains theobromine, which is toxic to dogs, cats and rabbits, and dark chocolate and cocoa are the most dangerous. If your dog eats a brownie, keep the packaging and call your vet straight away. Our products are not for pets.
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding. We don’t recommend our products during pregnancy or breastfeeding. The FSA also advises against CBD at these times.
• Medication. CBD can interact with some medicines, so speak to your GP or pharmacist first if you take any. See will CBD interact with medication?
• Drug tests. Our oils are broad spectrum with 0% THC, but no CBD product can guarantee a negative test, so if you are tested at work or in sport, read CBD and drug tests first. The difference between oil types is explained in full spectrum vs broad spectrum CBD oil.

How long do CBD brownies last?

As long as normal brownies: about 3 to 4 days in an airtight tin at room temperature, up to a week in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer. Wrap squares individually so you can defrost one at a time and keep track of your dose. Keep them in a clearly labelled container, out of reach of children and pets. Store the bottle itself somewhere cool and dark; see how to store CBD oil.

Are CBD brownies legal in the UK?

Yes, making them at home with a legal CBD oil for yourself is fine. Use a broad spectrum or isolate oil with THC “not detected”, from a brand on the FSA public list of CBD products. Ours are linked to validated novel food applications RP438, RP821 and RP47; our guide to the FSA’s CBD approvals explains what that means.

Can I sell CBD brownies or buy them online?

Selling is different. In the UK, CBD in food is a novel food, and the FSA says CBD foods need authorisation before they are sold, with new CBD products not placed on the market until they are authorised. So you can’t simply sell homemade CBD brownies at a market, café or bake sale, and food hygiene rules apply too. If you buy ready-made CBD brownies, check the product appears on the FSA public list and that the seller can show a lab report. More in is CBD legal in the UK?

Can you use THC oil or cannabis oil to make brownies?

Not legally. Cannabis is a Class B drug in the UK, and oils containing THC are controlled. The penalty for possession is up to 5 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both, and up to 14 years for supply or production. The NHS warns that many cannabis oils sold online are likely to be illegal and may contain THC. Cannabis-based medicines can only be prescribed on the NHS by a specialist hospital doctor. Legal CBD oils sold as food supplements are a different product, and they are the only kind to use in your baking.

Related guides

• For something lighter, try our CBD smoothie recipes.
• For another chocolate bake, see our pumpkin chocolate protein cake recipe.
• Only got hot chocolate powder in the cupboard? Here’s whether it works instead of cocoa powder.