Original recipe and photography for Glass House Farms by Christina Wong of Fruit + Flower Co.

Donny Burger is one of my favorite unique, savory cannabis strains. When I close my eyes and take a deep inhale, visions of cheeseburgers with grilled onions dance in my head. The indica-dominant Donny Burger #5 from Glass House Farms has a cheesy, peppery, sharp flavor and aroma. A cross of Han Solo Burger and GMO, which stands for garlic, mushrooms, and onion, its terpene profile is the perfect pairing for soft, fluffy Pesto Cannabis Bread.

Makes two 12-inch breads, each bread serves 16-20

~5mg THC per serving / 50mg THC each bread / 100mg THC total

• 7½ cups (1,060) grams all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup (65 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon (10 grams) active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon (15 grams) salt
• 3 cups (680 grams) choice of milk, lukewarm
• ¼ cup cannabis oil – recipe follows
• 1 cup pesto – recipe follows
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• egg wash (1 egg + 1 tablespoon milk)
• ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese\

Cannabis Oil

• 0.6 grams of Glass House Farms Donny Burger #5 25% THC cannabis flower
• ¼ cup vegetable oil

Cannabis Leaf Pistachio Pesto (or use store-bought pesto)

• 1/4 cup pistachio nuts
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 1/2 cup cannabis leaves, stems removed (optional, substitute with basil if you don’t have cannabis leaves)
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup olive oil

1. The day before: make cannabis oil: Preheat the oven to 240°F. Place coarsely ground cannabis flower into the mason jar. Seal with the metal lid to reduce smell and heat for 40 minutes in the oven to decarb, which activates the THC. Remove from the oven and let cool until the mason jar is safe to touch. The ground flower will look lightly toasted.Add ¼ cup vegetable oil into the mason jar with activated flower. Seal the lid, place into the oven and bake at 170°F for 2-3 hours to infuse THC into the oil. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.

2. Make cannabis leaf pesto: In a food processor, put pistachio, garlic cloves, parmesan cheese, basil leaves, and cannabis leaves (with stems removed). Blend until pulverized. Slowly drizzle in the infused olive oil while the food processor is on until it turns into a creamy paste. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper, and blend to finish. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 7 days. Or freeze until ready to use.

3.Make cannabis bread dough: In a large mixing bowl or pot, mix together flour, sugar, yeast, salt, lukewarm milk, and oil. The milk should be just warm to the touch, do not overheat the milk or it will prevent the yeast from rising. Knead the dough with a dough hook, or using your hands, until the scraggly dough comes together into a soft ball that is slightly sticky to the touch. Cover and let the dough rise in a warm place, about 2 hours to double in size. If it’s too cold, warm the oven at 170 degrees or lower, turn off when it reaches temp and place the dough near or inside the turned off oven.

4. Prepare the cannabis bread: Using a rubber spatula, scrape the side of the bowl or pot to release the risen dough, it will deflate slightly. Pour the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Using a chef’s knife or a pastry butter, cut the dough into 8 equal pieces, approximately ½ pound each. Roll the pieces into balls, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for 15 minutes.Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Take one of the dough balls and using your hands gently pull, flatten, and press the dough into a 12-inch circle, like pizza dough. Place the dough circle onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread a generous spoonful of pesto evenly onto the dough, sprinkle with shredded cheese. Repeat with two more dough balls and place the fourth circle on top. Make the second cannabis bread with the remaining four dough balls, pesto, and cheese.

5. Shape the cannabis leaf bread: Place a small round cookie cutter just below the center of the circle, about two-thirds down. Using a knife or pastry cutter, cut straight lines around the cookie cutter (outwards from the center) into 16 strips – the top two strips will be the tallest for the center leaf, and the bottom two strips will be the stem. Remove the round cookie cutter.Take the bottom two strips of dough and twist them away from each other two times. Pinch the two ends together vertically, so the dough sticks together. Twist slightly to help the ends hold together into points while baking. Repeat with the remaining dough strips around the circle. Twist the largest dough strips three times, and pull the dough outwards a little to make a more pointed leaf shape with the bread dough. You’ll end up with 7 leaves and one stem. Use a pair of kitchen scissors to snip any excess dough and shape into the pointed leaves and stem. Save the dough scraps and roll them into golf-ball sized balls to make pesto bread nugs. Cover with plastic wrap to rise for about an hour.

6. Bake the bread: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Uncover the cannabis leaf bread and pinch the ends that may have puffed and pulled apart during rising to make pointed leaf ends again. Brush the top of the bread with the egg wash, which will give it a shiny, golden crust after baking.Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn halfway through baking to even brown both sides. Bake the bread nugs for 15-20 minutes only. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15-20 minutes. Generously sprinkle finely grated parmesan cheese on top of the cannabis leaf bread and nugs. Best enjoyed warm. Store covered in an airtight container and keep cool for up to 5-7 days.

Christina Wong

Christina Wong is a culinary cannabis writer, educator, recipe developer, content creator, baked baker, and baking show host who’s earned accolades for her imaginative and delectable creations. She’s the Founder & CEO of Fruit + Flower Co., a creative media company that brings together cannabis and food in intriguing and sometimes unexpected ways. Her work has been featured in High Times, Cherry Bombe, CannaCurious, and Kitchen Toke Magazine.