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indica
sativaOctober 2, 2026
From Brownies to Gummies: The History of Cannabis Edibles
October 2, 2026
From Brownies to Gummies: The History of Cannabis Edibles
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- Brownies became cannabis icons through culture and necessity: Early edible traditions span centuries, but brownies rose to prominence after Alice B. Toklas’s cookbook and the 1968 film I Love You, Alice B. Toklas, while chocolate helped mask the strong flavor of homemade cannabutter.
- Brownies also played a role in cannabis advocacy: Activist Mary Jane “Brownie Mary” Rathbun provided cannabis brownies to AIDS patients and helped advance medical cannabis reform, contributing to California’s landmark Proposition 215.
- Legalization helped gummies take the spotlight: Professional manufacturing brought more consistent potency, improved flavors, and a wider range of formats; gummies became especially popular for their discretion, portability, long shelf life, and lack of cannabis scent, though brownies remain a beloved homemade option.
Take a moment to close your eyes and picture a cannabis edible.
Most likely, it’s a gummy.
But in the not-too-distant past, you might have thought of brownies.
So why and when did gummies usurp brownies as the poster child of edibles? And how did brownies become so synonymous with cannabis to begin with? Well, that’s exactly what we’re going to cover in this article.
We’ll even show you a really simple way to turn your favorite brownie mix into an edible.
Let’s go.
Why Brownies in the First Place?
People have been eating cannabis for almost as long as they’ve been cultivating the plant. According to High Times, ancient Chinese emperors brewed cannabis tea, Hindus drank bhang, and nomadic tribes in Morocco ate jam made with hashish.
But the popularity of brownies was more or less a 20th-century phenomenon, tracing back to The Alice B. Toklas Cook Book in 1954, written by (of course) Alice B. Toklas, an American-born member of the Parisian avant-garde and life partner of writer Gertrude Stein.
The recipe, which can be found on Literary Hub, goes as follows:
Haschich Fudge (which anyone could whip up on a rainy day)
This is the food of Paradise—of Baudelaire’s Artificial Paradises: it might provide an entertaining refreshment for a Ladies’ Bridge Club or a chapter meeting of the DAR. In Morocco it is thought to be good for warding off the common cold in damp winter weather and is, indeed, more effective if taken with large quantities of hot mint tea. Euphoria and brilliant storms of laughter; ecstatic reveries and extension of one’s personality on several simultaneous planes are to be complacently expected. Almost anything Saint Theresa did, you can do better if you can bear to be ravished by “un évanouissement reveillé.”Take 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, 1 whole nutmeg, 4 average sticks of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon coriander. These should all be pulverised in a mortar. About a handful each of stoned dates, dried figs, shelled almonds and peanuts: chop these and mix them together. A bunch of cannabis sativa can be pulverised. This along with the spices should be dusted over the mixed fruit and nuts, kneaded together. About a cup of sugar dissolved in a big pat of butter. Rolled into a cake and cut into pieces or made into balls about the size of a walnut, it should be eaten with care. Two pieces are quite sufficient.Obtaining the cannabis may present certain difficulties, but the variety known as cannabis sativa grows as a common weed, often unrecognized, everywhere in Europe, Asia and parts of Africa; besides being cultivated as a crop for the manufacture of rope. In the Americas, while often discouraged, its cousin, called cannabis indica, has been observed even in city window boxes. It should be picked and dried as soon as it has gone to seed and while the plant is still green.
And yes, you read that correctly: it wasn’t really a brownie recipe, as it’s more of a fudge that consists of fruits, nuts, and spices.
However, brownies themselves jumped into the spotlight with the release of the 1968 Peter Sellers film I Love You, Alice B. Toklas, a romantic comedy about a lawyer who falls in love with a hippie. In the movie, the main character, Herbie, consumes brownies made by his love interest, Nancy, not knowing that the brownies were infused with cannabis.
After that, cannabis brownies began showing up in session circles and in popular culture alike.
The Rise of Brownies
After making their way onto the big screen in 1968, brownies became the symbol of cannabis edibles. Much like Peter Sellers’ character in “I Love You, Alice B. Toklas,” the trope of someone unexpectedly eating edible brownies to a comedic effect has been used in movies and shows such as “Barney Miller,” “Eurotrip,” “Degrassi,” “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” “This Is 40,” “Shameless,” Frasier,” and “That 70’s Show.”
And yes, in fiction, this mishap is funny. In real life? Not so much. Please keep your edibles out of reach and clearly labeled.
However, cannabis brownies aren’t just some gag.
Mary Jane Rathbun, better known as Brownie Mary, was a longtime San Francisco activist who sold cannabis brownies in the 1970s. After several arrests, she became deeply involved with AIDS patients while volunteering at the Shanti Project (a support group for people with HIV/AIDS) and the San Francisco General Hospital.
According to some reports, she baked upwards of hundreds of cannabis brownies to help AIDS patients, which helped them with symptoms ranging from appetite issues to inflammation to chronic nerve pain.
And just to clarify, none of our products at Hometown Hero are intended to treat or diagnose any condition. If you are experiencing any medical difficulties, please consult a doctor.
But back to the main story.
Brownie Mary was eventually arrested again in 1992, and her case garnered international media attention as the Sonoma County district attorney tried to charge her with two marijuana possession felonies.
Alongside activist Dennis Peron, Brownie Mary helped get California Proposition 215 passed in 1996, making California the first state to legalize medical cannabis and paving the way for legalization across the country.
Legalization & The Growing Landscape
The popularity of the cannabis brownie can be directly tied to prohibition. Back in the day, to make an edible, you’d often use butter infused with flower and work it into a recipe. However, this “cannabutter” often had a strong, grassy taste.
The solution? Mask the unpleasant taste of ground cannabis buds with chocolate, or in other words, use it to make brownies.
But as cannabis became legalized, this illicit cottage industry of making edibles shifted from homes to professional manufacturers.
This, in turn, resulted in not only a greater variety of edibles being made, but better flavor, texture, and most importantly, consistent potency. The popular cannabis brownie went from being the edible to just one of many edibles.
The Rise of Gummies
The popularity of THC gummies coincides with the legalization of cannabis and the improvement of manufacturing processes.
Advantages of Gummies Over Brownies
There is no exact reason we can say that people gravitated towards gummies, but compared to brownies, they offer several advantages:
- Lacks a scent (compared to traditionally made brownies)
- Easier to store/transport
- Have a longer shelf-life
- Discreetness
With modern distillate production and infusion (the technique we use at Hometown Hero), you can even make gummies that lack the grassier taste of traditional baked goods.
So, in short, gummies took off because they no longer had to make cannabis edibles at home anymore, and it became a favorite format among consumers and distributors alike. Nowadays, you’re more likely to encounter gummies at a cannabis session, or see them used as part of a gag on TV.
Bonus: Easy Fast-Acting Brownie Recipe
You didn’t think we were going to write an entire article about brownies and leave you empty-handed…did you?
Now, if you’re looking for gummies, we’ve got you covered with a wide selection of potencies, flavors, and blends.
But if you’re in the mood for making brownies at home, we have an easy recipe that uses our new variety of natural Agave THC Syrup, with 360mg of fast-acting THC per bottle.
Simply put? Just buy your favorite brownie mix from the store, and swirl some of it in while mixing the batter.
Usually, it might look something like this:
Ingredients:
- 1 box of brownie mix
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- Extra Strength Agave THC Syrup: 1 teaspoon = 15mg, 1 tablespoon = 45mg, Shot glass = 135mg
Directions:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F
- Grease the bottom of your pan with cooking spray
- Combine brownie mix, water, oil, eggs, and Agave THC Syrup in a bowl
- Stir until well-blended or smooth
- Spread batter on the pan
- Bake for 21-25 minutes
- Leave them to cool off and enjoy.
This is just an example of how you can easily convert your favorite brownie mix into edibles; be sure to check the box for specific instructions. And finally, it cannot be overstated how important it is that you mix the batter well so that the THC can be more easily distributed throughout your edibles.
You’re not going to get a precise potency as you would with factory-made edibles; however, based on how much THC you add and how many pieces you cut, you can get an approximate idea.
For example, a 6-brownie batch made with 1 tablespoon of our Extra Strength THC Agave Syrup should yield about 7.6mg THC per piece.
And finally, if you see yourself using our Agave THC Syrup in the kitchen quite a bit, you can save with our Buy 4, Get 1 Free Bundle.
Brownies Walked So That Gummies Could Run
Brownies once reigned as the poster child of cannabis edibles because, for decades, they were one of the easiest and most practical ways to turn cannabis into something you can eat.
This iconic edible was just a favorite or some type of gag you’d see on television or in the movie theater. It helped pave the way for cannabis legalization.
But legalization changed the whole edible landscape, expanding possibilities for both quality and formats. And sooner or later, cannabis enthusiasts drifted towards gummies because of factors like convenience and shelf life.
So did gummies replace brownies completely?
No. Of course not. Brownies are just no longer the only cannabis edible. Plus, who can turn down a freshly baked cannabis brownie? And now, more than ever, it's easy to make brownies at home with fast-acting mix-ins like THC powder or syrup.
Until next time.
