How to Calculate Homemade Infusion Potency

How to Calculate Homemade Infusion Potency

Learning how to calculate homemade infusion potency helps you portion recipes more consistently and lowers the chance of accidentally consuming more THC than intended. The math is not difficult, but it requires a few numbers from your cannabis label and accurate measurements from your kitchen.

This guide will walk you through the calculation from flower to finished serving. You will learn how to estimate:

• Total potential THC in your cannabis
• THC remaining after processing
• THC per teaspoon or tablespoon of infusion
• THC used in a complete recipe
• THC per serving

The result is still an estimate. Home infusions are not lab-tested, and cannabinoid extraction is not always complete or perfectly even. Research on cannabis edibles notes that homemade oil potency can be difficult to determine because extraction varies and may be incomplete (National Library of Medicine).

Responsible-use reminder: Clearly label every infusion and finished edible. Store them securely away from children, pets, and regular food. Start with a small portion and wait for the full effects before consuming more.What you need before calculating potency.

What you need before calculating potency

Gather these five numbers before opening your calculator:

1. Grams of cannabis used
2. THC percentage from the product label
3. Estimated processing or retention factor
4. Final amount of butter or oil recovered
5. Number of servings in the finished recipe

Use the THC information printed on the original packaging whenever possible. Do not rely on a strain name alone, since potency can vary between harvests and products.

You will also need to measure the amount of finished infusion that you actually recovered. If you started with two cups of oil but recovered less after straining, use the final measured amount in your calculation.

The homemade infusion potency formula

The calculation has four main stages:

Calculate the theoretical THC in the flower

Theoretical THC in mg=grams of cannabis×1,000×THC percentage as a decimal

For example, 20% THC becomes 0.20 in the formula.
If you use 7 grams of flower labeled 20% THC:

7×1,000×0.20=1,400 mg THC

The flower contains a theoretical maximum of 1,400 mg THC before accounting for decarboxylation, infusion, straining, and other losses.

Apply a processing estimate

Home extraction does not transfer every milligram into the final butter or oil. Some potency calculators use a planning factor such as 0.80 to represent an estimated 20% combined loss during decarboxylation and infusion (Veriheal conversion guide).

Estimated THC after processing=theoretical THC×retention factor

Using a 0.80 estimate:

1,400 x 0.80 = 1,120mg estimated THC

This factor is an assumption, not a promise. Your actual result can change based on the flower, equipment, temperature, time, straining, handling, and testing accuracy.

Calculate THC per unit of infusion

Next, divide the estimated THC by the amount of butter or oil you recovered.

THC per teaspoon=total teaspoons recovered/ estimated THC in the infusion

Useful kitchen conversions:

• 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons
• 1 fluid ounce = 2 tablespoons
• 1 cup = 16 tablespoons
• 1 cup = 48 teaspoons

If the example batch produced 2 cups of infused oil:

2 cups×48=96 teaspoons

1,120/96 = 11.67mg THC per teaspoon

The estimated THC per serving unit is about 11.7 mg per teaspoon or 35 mg per tablespoon.

Calculate THC per edible

Most recipes use only part of an infusion batch. Calculate the amount of THC added to the recipe before dividing by the number of portions.

THC in recipe=THC per teaspoon×teaspoons of infusion used
THC per serving=number of equal servings/THC in recipe

Suppose your brownie recipe uses 1/2 cup of the example oil:
1/2 cup=24 teaspoons
11.67×24=280.08 mg THC in the recipe

If you cut the brownies into 24 equal pieces:

280.08/24 = 11.67 mg THC per brownie

Each brownie would contain an estimated 11.7 mg THC if the infused oil was distributed evenly.

Quick potency example

Here is the complete calculation in one place:

Calculation step ExampleCannabis used7 gramsLabel potency20% THCTheoretical THC1,400 mgPlanning factor0.80Estimated THC after processing1,120 mgFinal infusion recovered2 cups or 96 teaspoonsEstimated THC per teaspoon11.67 mgInfusion used in recipe1/2 cup or 24 teaspoonsEstimated THC in recipe280.08 mgRecipe portions24 browniesEstimated THC per brownie11.67mg

What if the label lists THCA instead of total THC?

Some flower labels list THCA and Delta-9 THC separately. THCA loses molecular mass when it converts to THC during decarboxylation, so the two percentages should not simply be added together. The commonly used 0.877 conversion factor accounts for that change (Veriheal conversion guide).

A commonly used potential-THC calculation is:

Potential THC percentage=(THCA percentage×0.877)+Delta-9 THC percentage

For example, if a label lists 20% THCA and 1% Delta-9 THC:

(20×0.877)+1=18.54% potential THC

Convert 18.54% to 0.1854 before using it in the main potency formula.

If the label already provides “Total THC,” use that value instead of recalculating THCA and Delta-9 THC.

Simple infusion potency worksheet

Copy these lines into your notes and fill in your own numbers:

1. Grams of cannabis:
2. THC percentage as a decimal:
3. Grams × 1,000 × THC decimal:
4. Retention factor used:
5. Theoretical THC × retention factor:
6. Final teaspoons of infusion recovered:
7. Estimated THC ÷ teaspoons recovered:
8. Teaspoons of infusion used in recipe:
9. Mg per teaspoon × teaspoons used:
10. Number of equal servings:
11. Mg in recipe ÷ servings: 

Keep this worksheet with the finished infusion. Record the cannabis label information, infusion date, amount recovered, and assumptions used.

How to calculate cannabutter potency

The same formula works for cannabutter potency. Measure the final amount of butter after straining and cooling, then divide the estimated total THC by the number of teaspoons recovered.

Example:

• Estimated THC in finished cannabutter: 800 mg
• Butter recovered: 1 cup
• 1 cup: 48 teaspoons

800÷48=16.67 mg THC per teaspoon

A recipe using 6 teaspoons of that cannabutter would contain an estimated 100 mg THC:

16.67 x 6 = 100mg THC

Divide that 100 mg by the number of equal portions to estimate the amount in each serving.

How to calculate infused oil potency

For oil, measure the final liquid volume after straining. Divide the estimated THC by the total teaspoons or milliliters recovered.

If you prefer metric measurements:

• 1 teaspoon is approximately 5 milliliters
• 1 tablespoon is approximately 15 milliliters
• 1 cup is approximately 240 milliliters

Use one measurement system throughout the calculation. Mixing cups, fluid ounces, tablespoons, grams, and milliliters without converting them first is a common source of errors.

Why homemade potency calculations are estimates

An infusion potency calculator can organize the math, but it cannot test your food. Several variables affect the final result.

Label accuracy

Your calculation is only as reliable as the potency information you enter. Use tested, legally purchased cannabis with clearly printed cannabinoid percentages whenever possible.

Decarboxylation

Time and temperature affect cannabinoid conversion. Incomplete or inconsistent decarboxylation can change the amount of active THC available for infusion.

Extraction efficiency

Not every cannabinoid transfers from the plant material into the butter or oil. This is why theoretical potency and estimated finished potency are shown separately.

Final yield

Butter or oil can be lost during heating and straining. Measure what you recovered instead of assuming the starting amount and final amount are identical.

Uneven mixing

The infused ingredient must be mixed thoroughly into the recipe. Poor mixing can create servings with different strengths, even when every piece looks the same.

Uneven portions

A pan cut into “about 12 pieces” may not contain 12 equal doses. Weigh the finished food or use consistent molds when portion accuracy matters.

How to improve consistency

You cannot turn a homemade calculation into a laboratory result, but you can make your process more repeatable.

• Use a digital scale to weigh the cannabis.
• Record the THC or total THC percentage from the label.
• Measure the final infusion after straining.
• Use the same decarboxylation and infusion process for repeat batches.
• Mix the infused ingredient thoroughly into the recipe.
• Portion the finished recipe evenly.
• Write down every measurement and assumption.Label the infusion with the estimated amount per teaspoon.

The Hello High Ultra Infuser combines decarboxylation and infusion in one appliance for making infused butter, oil, honey, and tinctures. A repeatable process can make it easier to compare one homemade batch with the next, but calculating and labeling the estimated potency is still your responsibility.

How much should a beginner consume?

Potency and personal dose are different questions. The math tells you the estimated THC in a portion, but it cannot predict exactly how that portion will affect someone.

Health Canada advises new or occasional consumers to look for edible products containing 2.5 mg THC or less, then wait before consuming more. Effects may begin within 30 minutes to two hours and can take up to four hours to be fully felt (Health Canada).

Colorado's public-health guidance also recommends consuming less than one 10 mg serving when someone is unsure how cannabis will affect them, then waiting at least 90 minutes and up to four hours before having more (Colorado Cannabis).

For a deeper explanation of onset times and experience-based serving ranges, read Cannabis Dosing 101: How Long It Takes to Kick In.

Frequently asked questions

Can I know the exact potency of a homemade infusion?

Not from a kitchen calculation alone. The formula provides an estimate based on the flower label, measurements, and processing assumptions. Laboratory testing is needed to determine actual potency.

Should I use the amount of butter or oil I started with?

Use the amount you recovered after infusion and straining. The final yield may be lower than the starting amount.

What if I use only part of my infusion in a recipe?

Calculate the estimated THC per teaspoon first. Multiply that number by the teaspoons used in the recipe, then divide by the number of portions.

Does the same formula work for infused honey?

The same basic structure can be used: estimate the THC transferred into the full infusion, divide by the final measurable volume, calculate the amount used in the recipe, and divide by equal servings. The actual extraction behavior may differ from butter or oil, so treat the result as an estimate.

Does cooking an edible change its potency?

Additional heat, cooking time, recipe temperature, and storage can affect the finished product. Avoid claiming exact potency unless the final food has been tested.

What is the most common calculation mistake?

Many people calculate the THC in the complete infusion and forget to adjust for the smaller amount used in the recipe. Always calculate the fraction of the batch that actually went into the food.

Calculate first, portion second

The safest way to approach a homemade infusion is to calculate before cooking, measure after straining, and portion carefully. Start with the theoretical THC in the flower, apply a clearly stated processing assumption, divide by the final amount recovered, and then calculate the estimated THC per serving.

Keep your notes, label every container, and remember that the final number is an estimate. If you are ready to create a more repeatable butter or oil infusion process, explore the Hello High Ultra Infuser.