What Makes Each One Different?

Herbal butter

Herbal butter is ordinary butter infused with botanicals so the fat carries their flavour into your food. Use it anywhere you would use butter: on warm toast, in a pan sauce, or creamed into cookie dough. Butter is about 80% fat, with the rest mostly water and milk solids, which gives it that classic creamy taste but also means it burns more easily at higher heat.

Herbal coconut oil

Coconut oil is almost pure fat and stays stable when heated, which makes it a favourite carrier for infusions. It is firm in a cool kitchen and turns to clear liquid when warm. That makes it handy for chocolates, gummies, smoothies and dairy-free baking, and refined versions bring almost no coconut taste at all.

Which One Makes a Stronger Infusion?

It depends on how you make it, not which base you pick. Four things matter most:

1. Decarboxylation. Activating your botanicals properly first has a bigger effect than the base. Learn how in our decarboxylation guide, or use the DecarBox Thermometer Combo Pack.
2. Fat content. Fat is what carries botanical compounds. Coconut oil is nearly all fat, so many people like it for concentrated infusions, while butter's water and milk solids make it slightly less concentrated.
3. Time and temperature. Steady, controlled heat for the right length of time extracts more reliably than a rushed or uneven cook.
4. Mixing. Thorough blending, plus an emulsifier such as lecithin, helps everything combine evenly.

That is why a machine that grinds, heats and stirs for you tends to beat a pot on the stove for consistency.

Which One Should You Choose?

• Go with butter for brownies, cookies, breads, pan sauces and anything where you want a rich, buttery taste.
• Go with coconut oil for dairy-free or vegan recipes, a neutral flavour, or chocolates, gummies and no-bake bites.
• Not sure? Start with whichever you already cook with. You can always make a small batch of each.

Planning gummies? An oil-based infusion works well. Browse our gummy recipes and take a look at the Magical Gummy Maker, which works from a prepared infusion.

Making Both in the MagicalButter MB2e

The MB2e does the grinding, heating, stirring and steeping, so butter and oil follow nearly the same steps. Always follow your owner's manual and recipe for exact amounts.

[IMAGE 3: Your real MB2e product photo]

1. Decarb your botanicals first. This is done separately, in the oven or a DecarBox.
2. Load the pitcher. Add your decarbed botanicals, your melted butter or coconut oil and a little lecithin, staying within the fill lines.
3. Choose the cycle. Pick the butter cycle (about 2 hours, with a temperature around 160°F / 71°C) or the oil cycle (about 1 hour), then press start.
4. Strain. When the cycle finishes, strain the mixture into a container. The Magical Filter Press helps you get more out of every batch, and the LoveGlove keeps your hands safe from the hot pitcher.
5. Let it set. Butter firms up in the fridge, and coconut oil firms up as it cools in your kitchen.

Prefer the stovetop? A slow cooker on low for a couple of hours with occasional stirring also works, but you will need to watch the temperature carefully and results are harder to repeat from batch to batch.

Making infused recipes? Our Dosage Calculator can help you portion servings consistently. Follow the cannabis and edible rules in your province or territory, and keep infused foods away from children and pets.

Storing Your Infusions

• Herbal butter: Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for roughly two to three weeks, or freeze small portions for several months.
• Herbal coconut oil: Keep it in a tightly sealed jar in a cool, dark cupboard. It generally lasts a few months, and the fridge can stretch that further.
• For both: Use clean glass jars, label them with the date and contents, keep them away from the stove and sunny windowsills, and toss anything that smells off or shows mould.

FAQ

Should I use butter or coconut oil for herbal infusions?

It depends on your recipe. Butter suits rich, baked and savoury dishes, while coconut oil suits dairy-free, no-bake, chocolate and gummy recipes.

Is infused coconut oil stronger than infused butter?

Not automatically. Strength depends mostly on decarboxylation, time, temperature, mixing and fat content. Coconut oil is nearly all fat, which some people find extracts efficiently, but a well-made butter infusion can work just as well.

Can one machine make both butter and oil?

Yes. The MagicalButter MB2e has preset cycles for butter (about 2 hours) and oil (about 1 hour).

Is coconut oil a good choice for a dairy-free diet?

Yes. Coconut oil has no dairy, so it works well for dairy-free and vegan recipes.

Do I really need lecithin?

Lecithin is an emulsifier that helps botanicals blend smoothly into the fat. It is optional, but many recipes include it, so check your owner's manual.

How long will infused butter keep?

About two to three weeks in the fridge, or several months in the freezer in an airtight container. Check for off smells or mould before using it.

How long will infused coconut oil keep?

A few months in a sealed jar in a cool, dark place, and longer in the fridge.

Can I make gummies with infused coconut oil?

Yes. Oil-based infusions work well in gummies and chocolates, and the Magical Gummy Maker heats and stirs the mixture for you.

Final Thoughts

Butter and coconut oil are both great carriers, so there is no wrong answer here, only the right one for your recipe. Reach for butter when you want rich, baked or savoury results, and coconut oil when you want dairy-free, no-bake or gummy-friendly infusions. With the MagicalButter MB2e, you can make either one at the touch of a button. Ready to try it? Explore the MagicalButter MB2e and start your first batch. We ship to every province.