Weed Infused Cheesecake Recipe 

This is a classic New York-style weed infused cheesecake.  Of course MOST New York cheesecakes do not have cannabis in the mix, but aside from that, this cheesecake resembles a New York style cheesecake.

Personally, I am a cheesecake purist and I likewise love plain cheesecake.  So I developed this recipe that way.  However, I realize everyone is not me and you might want to dress up your cannabis infused cheesecake.  No problem, I provide lots of suggestions how below.

How to add Cannabis to Cheesecake

My favorite way to add cannabis cheesecake is via using cannabutter in the crust, which makes it a cannabutter cheesecake. My 4 Foolproof Ways to make Cannabutter tutorial can help you make this important cannabis culinary staple.

That said, there are other ways to add cannabis depending on your needs.  For instance, if you need a stronger dose than the recipe below, consider augmenting the recipe with concentrates, or infuse both the crust and the filling.

• In the crust it is simple to use cannabis infused butter instead of the regular butter called for in most cheesecake recipes.
• Alternately, medicate the filling.  Adding tincture is the simplest way, simply stir in the dose you need.
• To add the cannabis to the weed cheesecake via a concentrate like rosin, kief, hash, hash oils or FECO, gently heat a tablespoon or so of coconut oil or MCT coconut oil.  Stir the concentrate into the warm oil until dissolved and evenly distributed. Then beat the small amount of concentrate infused oil into the cheesecake batter along with the eggs.

Weed Infused Cheesecake Crusts

Graham cracker crusts are the traditional choice for cheesecake crusts.  And you can certainly make a cannabis infused cheesecake with an infused graham cracker crust.  But you don’t have to.  There are other options.

Cookies of all kinds make suitable substitutes.  

Know that in general 8 ounces of cookies will equal about 1 1/3 cups of cookie crumbs.  

Favorite Graham cracker alternatives for weed cheesecake crusts:

• Shortbread cookies
• Chinese style almond cookies
• Gingersnaps
• Chocolate wafer cookies
• Chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreos)

Nut Crusts for Cannabis Cheesecakes

Another alternative to a traditional Graham cracker crust is a nut based crust.  To make one mix 2 ½ cup ground pecans or walnuts with 1/3 cup sugar and up to 4 tablespoons of melted cannabis infused butter.  

Use 1/4 cup butter total, using as much cannabutter as you need to achieve your ideal per serving dosage (see below) and filling out the rest with regular butter.  Mix together and press into the pan as you would a crumb crust.

Cannabis Infused Cheesecake Variations

In addition to altering the type of crust you make for your weed cheesecake, you can also dress up the filling.  You could also choose to adorn the cheesecake with toppings after baking for variety.

One tip though, though don’t go too crazy with the filling extras you mix in as it can affect how the final cheesecake sets.  You also don’t want to add so many extra ingredients that it overflows the pan.   In fact, if you do add ingredients to the filling, I suggest increasing the size of the Springform pan by an inch or two.

Cannabis Cheesecake Filling Variations

Add some fresh fruit such as raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, or diced peaches to the cheesecake batter.  However, keep it to less than 1 cup as more fruit can make your cheesecake batter to watery.  Strawberries tend to have too much water so are better made into a coulis or used as a topping then they are mixed in.

To make a fruit coulis, cook 2 cups chopped fresh fruit or berries with 1/4 cup sugar until it makes a sauce.  Swirl this into your cheesecake batter for a marble effect, or use it to top your cheesecake after baking.

Weed Cheesecake Toppings

You can opt to leave the batter plain but use toppings to adorn your weed cheesecake.

• For a traditional New York style sour cream cheesecake topping, mix 2 cups sour cream with 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.  Spread over cooled cheesecake.  This makes a flavorful way to hide cracks too (see below).
• Try a drizzle of chocolate sauce before serving.
• Caramel or butterscotch sauces make unique toppings.
• For an extra dose boost, served top weed cheesecake with my medicated hot fudge sauce.
• Fruit coulis (see above) also makes a colorful and flavorful topping for weed cheesecake.

Dosages for the Cannabis Infused Cheesecake Recipe

Each of the 16 slices of cannabis cheesecake in this recipe will carry a dosage of about 25 mgs THC, IF you made your cannabutter from average cannabis, meaning 10% THC, and used a half ounce (14 grams) to make 1 cup of cannabutter.

To adjust the recipe for your personal needs and to reflect the strength of the cannabis you are cooking with, take my free cannabis dosing class.  Better still, use my $5.00 dosage calculators that do all the math for you.

Avoiding Cracks in your Cannabis Cheesecake

Cracks in the cheesecake are undoubtedly one of the biggest challenges facing cheesecake makers regardless of whether or not the cheesecake contains cannabis.  However, it is important to note that cracks are not a sign of failure. 

Sometimes no matter what precautions you take, cracks still happen!  Uggh.

But cracks in the weed cheesecake does not mean that it still won’t taste great.  And cracks certainly do not mean that your cannabis cheesecake won’t be effective.

So relax.  Cracks are cosmetic.

If they bother you, you can cover them with a topping like the sour cream topping (above) or with fruit and nobody will ever know.  You can also follow the advice in the portion control section and make individual cheesecake instead of one big one and you'll have little to no issues with cracks.

What causes cracks in cheesecake?

Again, cracks are not the end of the world, but here are possible reasons why your weed cheesecake’s surface might crack.

• The cheesecake is done baking and possibly slightly over baked.
• Cracks that show up after baking means that the cheesecake cooled too quickly.  Always shut the oven off and don’t open the door for at least an hour. This allows the cheesecake to cool gradually.
• The baking environment is too dry.  See below for how to remedy this.

Use a Water Bath to Prevent Cracks in the Weed Cheesecake

Most cheesecake recipes have you wrap the springform pan well in aluminum foil then place this in a roasting pan of hot water.  The moisture from this water bath puts more moisture in the oven’s air and prevents the cheesecake from cracking. 

In theory.  Sometimes the cheesecake cracks anyway.  But usually a water bath helps.

However, I find that no matter how well you wrap the pan in foil, there always seems to be leaks.

So after the crust has baked, what I do is use a foil to double wrap the springform pan as well as I can in foil, then cover it all in an oven roasting bag.

To do so, place an 18-inch by 18-inch square of heavy duty aluminum foil on a flat surface and place the springform pan in the center of it.  Fold up the sides of the foil around the pan. Press the foil around the edges of the pan. Place a second large square of foil underneath the pan, and repeat. Then for extra insurance, I usually put the whole thing in an oven roasting bag, like you use to roast a turkey in.  Bags used as liners for slow cookers also work well for this purpose.

Place foil wrapped pan with crust in the bag then tie it in a knot to secure it along the top edge of the pan. Then place this in the hot water filled roasting pan and fill with batter for baking.

Another option, although not quite as effective but certainly less fuss, is to simply place a roasting pan of water on the shelf under your baking cheesecake.  Moisture in the air but no wrapping required!

You could opt to forgo all of this and simply bake the cheesecake, but cracks will be far more likely.

How to know when your weed cheesecake is finished baking

When perfectly cooked the center of the weed cake will be slightly jiggly and edges slightly puffed.  If the center is too liquid to needs more time.  If you see cracks forming it is likely slightly over cooked.

Portioning the Cannabis Cheesecake

Serve cheesecake chilled or at room temperature.  

The recipe below was designed to make one large (10-inch) cheesecake in a springform pan, that you will cut into 16 individual servings after baking and chilling.

However, know that instead of one big cannabis cheesecake, you can make individual cheesecakes.  This makes portion control simple. 

Another advantage to making small individual cheesecakes instead of one big one is that cracks are far less of a problem.  Likewise wrapping the pans and water baths are not necessary.

The entire recipe below makes 11 cups of cheesecake batter. You have several options when making individual weed infused cheesecake instead of one big one.

Depending on the size of the individual pans you choose, you may get more or less than the 16 servings outlined in the recipe below, so calculate your dosages accordingly.  My dosage calculator makes it quick and easy to adjust.

Also, keep in mind, the smaller the weed infused cheesecake, the less baking time it will need.  See the section on how to tell when your cheesecake is baked.

To make individual weed infused cheesecakes, use:

• Small tart pans
• Mason Jar lids -- turn the lid insert upside down so the metal side is inside the lid, and use as a mini cheesecake pan.
• You can also bake the cheesecake directly in small canning jars like above.  Place crust and batter in the jars, put the jars in a roasting pan of water like you do with a large cheesecake, and bake.

How to Make THC Infused Cheesecake Cupcakes

Instead of using one big pan, place crust ingredients and filling in cupcake liners in a cupcake tin and bake.  (It will only take 45 minutes or so so watch for the jiggle test (see notes on how to tell if cheesecake is done).

To make cannabis infused cheesecake bites, use mini cupcake liners and pans. Bake time will be even less.

How to Slice a Large Weed Cheesecake

Never attempt to cut a cheesecake while it's still warm or you’ll end up with a mess.  In fact, if you slightly freeze the cheesecake it will be far easier to cut.  Just be sure to cool completely before putting the freezer.

When ready to slice you have two options:

• Use a large chef’s knife.  To do so it helps to have a glass of very hot water on hand.  After each cut, wipe off any excess from the knife and dip it into the hot water.  Heating the knife will help it slice through the cheesecake more cleanly.
• Dental floss also makes an excellent way to slice cheesecake without the cake sticking.  Hold and piece of dental flow in two hands, bring it though the cake and pull through.  This video shows you how.

How Long Does Cannabis Cheesecake Last?

You can make this weed cheesecake up to five days before you plan to serve it. Keep it in the pan, covered, and in the fridge.  Add toppings just before serving.

You can also freeze cheesecake for up to 3 months.

Cannabis Cheesecake Recipe