The Ultimate Guide to Massachusetts’ Tastiest Edibles
Welcome to Grassachusetts, where the cannabis-infused options are downright gourmet.
An assortment of local edibles, from chocolate bars to baked goods. / Photo by Nina Gallant and styling by Madison Trapkin for “Eat Your Greens,” Boston, March 2024.
Chocolate, ice cream, gummies, dried mango, root beer… that’s not the shopping list of someone with a sweet tooth; that’s just a small sampling of the almost countless products the cannabis industry infuses with THC these days. Where once edibles were a means to an end—try as you might have, that brownie wasn’t really drowning out the distinctive flavor of weed—now legit chefs with impressive resumes are creating edibles. (The only problem? Some of these products taste so good, you might find it hard to stick to the recommended serving. Just a tablespoon of creamy, delicious ice cream? C’mon.)
Cannabis business is booming in Massachusetts these days—to the tune of billions of dollars—and since the opening of Greater Boston’s first recreational pot shop five years ago, it seems like there’s a dispensary on every corner, not to mention everything from cannabis-infused dinner parties and meal kits to chocolate-making classes. Accordingly, brands of edibles are sprouting up like, well, weeds, and you don’t have to settle for second-rate infused treats. Sure, edibles have to comply with quite a few regulations—they’re limited to 5.5 mg of THC per serving, for example, and they can’t be shaped like animals, humans, or sports equipment (really!)—but the rules aren’t stifling creativity. Plus, they’re sold in beautiful, gift-worthy packaging, perfectly ready for the holidays for your cannabis-enthusiast friends.
This guide is just the tip of the iceberg of some of the most delicious edibles you can find in the Commonwealth, from a food lover’s perspective. (Most products featured here are 100% homegrown, but we’ve also sprinkled in a few that were created by out-of-state brands but are produced and distributed by a Massachusetts-based partner.) In creating this guide, we asked friends, family, and colleagues, from the cannabis-curious to connoisseurs, to taste a variety of edibles and share their thoughts. Strangely, most forgot to give the requested feedback (shrug). But without further ado, here are 20 chocolate bars, gummies, and more that you’ve got to try.
This guide was last updated in March 2024; stay tuned for periodic updates.
Jump to:
- Chocolates: Fancy bars
- Fruity Things: Gummies, chews, and dried fruit
- Baked Goods: Cookies and such
- Other Edibles: Ice cream, seasonings, mints, and more
- Beverages: Seltzers, sodas, and more
- Where to Buy: A cheat sheet to our 2023 Best of Boston winners
- Food for Thought: A Q&A with an entrepreneur in the industry
Chocolates
Bountiful Farms x Plant Jam chocolate bars
Where to find Bountiful Farms products
Cannabis company Bountiful Farms, which runs a medical dispensary in Natick, produces a wide range of edibles, from peppermint chocolate truffle bites to powdered coffee and hot chocolate mixes. In this guide, we’re highlighting a couple of Bountiful Farms’ collaborations with Plant Jam, whose founder and CEO David Yusefzadeh is a chef whose resume includes a stint at the Michelin-starred Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Hong Kong. He’s been using marijuana for years to help manage pain from Crohn’s disease, but in Massachusetts’ early days in the industry, he was less than impressed with the available options. “When I would go to dispensaries, the edibles were garbage,” Yusefzadeh told Boston in 2019. But not anymore: His collaborations with Bountiful Farms and his own projects are at the forefront of all that’s good in the world of edibles these days.
Take the chocolate, for example: Current products include Peanut Butter Hash Time, Catching Some Cherriezzzz, and more, each with 5 mg of THC per serving. The former is a milk chocolate bar amped up with roasted peanuts, peanut butter, and bananas, while the latter is white chocolate with smoked vanilla, cherries, and lavender-toasted almonds. (The cherry bar also has 2.5 mg of the cannabinoid CBN, which, when consumed in combination with THC, might have a sedative effect. Be forewarned: The name of this chocolate bar does not lie.)
Byky chocolate bonbons
Byky founder Kyleen (Ky) Keenan is a chef and holistic health coach, so her focus on sustainable farming practices and careful ingredient sourcing is no surprise. Keenan’s delectable chocolate bonbons—which happen to be vegan, paleo, and gluten-free—showcase raw cacao and adaptogens, a.k.a. plant substances that promote well-being. Take the mint ganache bonbons, for example: Mushrooms and moringa join the cannabis-and-cacao party for what Keenan describes as restorative and relaxing benefits.
Coast Cannabis Co. chocolate bars
Where to find Coast Cannabis Co. products
Coast Cannabis Co. chocolate bars: raspberry (dark chocolate), s’mores (milk chocolate), and birthday cake (white chocolate). / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
You’ll also see a couple products from Wareham-based Coast Cannabis Co. on this list. Founders and spouses Angela Brown and Brian Cusick—who lay claim to running the state’s first independently owned cannabis manufacturer—are obsessed with keeping ingredients simple. No additives, no artificial dyes, just the good stuff.
The chocolate bars feature organic, fair-trade chocolate from South America and come in milk, dark, and white chocolate varieties. Our current favorite? The s’mores milk chocolate bar. But don’t skip the white chocolate bars, even if you normally eschew this variety of chocolate—the birthday cake bar, full of rainbow sprinkles, is especially fun.
Insa chocolate bars
Insa chocolate bars: Coffee & Donuts and 420 Pretzel Bar. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
Founded by lifelong friends who grew up in Springfield, Insa has been around for a decade now, producing a variety of edibles and other goods and operating four dispensaries. The company takes its edibles seriously, with an experienced confectioner, Julian Rose, heading up culinary operations. Rose worked in his family’s pastry shop from a very young age, eventually going on to study pastries and confection professionally.
Rose and the team create luscious chocolate bars with European chocolate, letting the cannabis distillate slowly infuse over 24 hours to yield a consistent—and consistently delicious—flavor. We love core varieties like mint dark chocolate, but watch for limited-edition specials, too: If Coffee & Donuts reappears, grab it while it lasts. That one featured a blend of Colombian and espresso roasts from Western Massachusetts icon Shelburne Falls Coffee Roasters, with “natural doughnut flavors” and a cinnamon-sugar sprinkle rounding out the bold coffee taste.
Fruity Things
Betty’s Eddies fruit chews
Where to find Betty’s Eddies products
Betty’s Eddies fruit chews. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
Remember saltwater taffy? Betty’s Eddies fruit chews are basically that—but infused with THC, of course, and available in flavors like cherry and passionfruit. Produced by Norwood-based MariMed—which now has grow operations, dispensaries, and brand distribution in several states—the Betty’s Eddies lineup includes a range of cannabinoid blends purporting to help you feel a certain way—with the expected fine print about lack of FDA approval, etc. Watermelon Eddies, for example, are marketed as “for energy,” with a blend of THC and THCV, plus L-theanine, an amino acid found in tea that might help with attention and alertness. Need help sleeping? The lemon agave Bedtime Betty’s chews might fit the bill—they’ve got added melatonin.
Coast Cannabis Co. gummies
Where to find Coast Cannabis Co. products
Sour watermelon and tangerine gummies from Coast Cannabis Co. / Photo by Nina Gallant and styling by Madison Trapkin for “Eat Your Greens,” Boston magazine, March 2024.
You read about Coast’s enviable chocolate bars above, but we also want to highlight the company’s gummies. Made without high fructose corn syrup or artificial colors and flavors, the gummies, infused with distilled cannabis oil, let their fruity flavors shine; we’re partial to the sour watermelon and tangerine varieties. Several of Coast’s gummies feature combinations of other cannabinoids in addition to THC, should you feel like experimenting with, say, CBD and CBN. Whichever you choose, pop one in your mouth and then settle in for this photo essay that’ll take you through Coast’s production process for its gummies.
Forbidden Fruit dehydrated fruit
Where to find Forbidden Fruit products
Forbidden Fruit dried mango slices. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
Do you like dried fruit? Do you like cannabis? Forbidden Fruit simply puts the two together, infusing dried mango, apple, pineapple, kiwi, and papaya with THC. They taste just like the dried fruit you’d get at the supermarket, but with the tiniest hint of weed in the aftertaste. Try the mango slices; the company suggests pairing them with salsa, honey, or Champagne. (Note: This is a Denver-based company, but its items are produced and distributed in Massachusetts via Fall River’s Northeast Alternatives.)
I Am Edible gummies
Where to find I Am Edible products (scroll down on their site to the section titled “Our Partners”)
I Am Edible gummies. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
If we had to pick a favorite in the gummies category, this product line from Fitchburg-based Rev Brands would be the one—in particular, the peach mango fruit chews. Fruity and fabulous, with barely a trace of weed flavor, this is candy you’ll want to eat in big handfuls. But, uh, don’t forget that it’s infused with THC. Vegan, gluten-free, and made with organic, fair-trade sugar, the I Am Edible fruit chews come in tasty flavors like honey peach bourbon, blue raspberry, mimosa, plum honeydew, and lots more. The citric acid and sugar coating gives these a little zing.
Insa gummies
An uninfused sample of Insa’s tropical citrus gumdrops. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
Remember Insa from the chocolate section above? The company also has a line of sugar-coated fruit gummies called Drops, made with actual fruit purees. (Bonus: They’re vegetarian—no gelatin—and gluten-free.) You’ll find different flavors offering different purported effects, like the raspberry energy drops, which only have 2.5 mg of THC and 40 mg of extended-release caffeine. On the other end of the spectrum, there are black cherry gummies with added melatonin, which might aid in sleep. Sour candy lover? Try the sour strawberry and sour green apple varieties.
Lost Farm gummies
Where to find Lost Farm products
Lost Farm gummies. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
California-based Kiva Confections dreamt up the Lost Farm line of gummies, but here in Massachusetts, they’re produced and distributed via a partnership with Rev Brands. The cool thing about these gummies—which are made with live resin and solventless live rosin—is that each flavor features a specific weed strain and prominently mentions it on the packaging, so you can really nerd out and get exactly what you want, whether that’s “island punch”-flavored gummies featuring the indica strain Dosi Jam or raspberry gummies made with the hybrid strain Wedding Cake. “Novices need not apply,” as the Lost Farms tagline says, although we’d argue that these still taste great without in-depth knowledge of specific strains.
Baked Goods
Bubby’s Baked baked good bites
Where to find Bubby’s Baked products
Bubby’s Baked products. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
In a world where edibles have gone above and beyond old-school brownies, Bubby’s Baked—another MariMed brand—is a wave of nostalgia, drawing inspiration from those treats of yore. The product line includes soft, chewy bites of brownie, snickerdoodle, and more. Sorry to mention the word “moist,” but you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how not-dry these are. Try warming up the small-batch, full-spectrum treats briefly for that homemade feel. And continue onto the “Other Edibles” section below for a fun pairing suggestion…
@loudgirlgoodies chocolate chip cookies
Where to find @loudgirlgoodies products
Infused chocolate chip cookies by @loudgirlgoodies. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
@loudgirlgoodies founder Carolyn Alexander spent years testing recipes at home for vegan, infused baked goods, and now she’s cooking up her treats out of a licensed facility, Freshly Baked in Taunton. The product line starts with these chewy bite-sized chocolate chip cookies; for that fresh-baked vibe, try storing them in the freezer and heating them up in the toaster oven. (A non-infused version is available, too.) We can’t wait to see what she does next: Alexander’s future product plans include items such as oatmeal raisin cookies and butter toffee cookies, as well as gluten-free options.
Other Edibles
Cloud Creamery ice cream, sorbet, and cookie dough
Where to find Cloud Creamery products
Cloud Creamery’s infused strawberry shortcake ice cream is the ideal warm-weather treat. / Photo by Nina Gallant and styling by Madison Trapkin for “Eat Your Greens,” Boston magazine, March 2024.
Plant Jam’s David Yusefzadeh (see Bountiful Farms above) is also behind infused ice cream and sorbet brand Cloud Creamery, churning out fantastic flavors such as strawberry shortcake and vegan piña colada, which is made with a coconut milk base. Currently in our freezer? Chocolate truffle—rich chocolate ice cream with salted ganache chunks. A warning for cannabis newbies: If you’re going to have trouble keeping to a single serving of an edible, this will probably be the one; it’s just too delicious. (If you’re more of a multi-serving user, might we suggest pairing a small scoop of this ice cream with a Bubby’s Baked brownie bite?)
And new to the brand is infused chocolate chip cookie dough: Eat it raw or try baking it into cookies and combining it with the ice cream for the perfect sandwich.
Mr. Moxey’s mints
Where to find Mr. Moxey’s products
Mr. Moxey’s mints. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
The packaging of Mr. Moxey’s—another brand born out of state but produced and distributed here by Rev Brands—will surely remind you of a famous, non-infused brand of “curiously strong” mints. Mr. Moxey’s hits similar herbal, minty-fresh notes flavor-wise, but our testers were especially fond of them because of how not strong they are, cannabis-wise, at least depending on which variety you choose. If you’re just looking for the tiniest bit of THC, try the Relief mints—5 mg of CBD and just 1 mg of THC each—with chamomile, ginger, and lemongrass flavors. The Zen variety, with peppermint and lemon verbena, also has 1 mg of THC but boosts the CBD to 25 mg, while Dream (lavender, valerian root) balances 2.5 mg THC with 7.5 mg CBD. And there are other combos with more THC, too—options abound!
Muncheas cannabis-infused carbonated candy
Where to find Green Gold Group products
Muncheas Poppin’ Candy. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
Green Gold Group, with locations in Charlton and Marlborough, is behind the Muncheas product line, which also includes fruit gummies in lots of flavors. We’re partial to the Poppin’ Candy; you get that nostalgic Pop Rocks vibe (maybe don’t drink soda at the same time unless you want to burp a lot) with just a touch of weed flavor at the end. Try sticking these to the rim of a glass as a fancy, fun drink garnish.
Beverages
Buzzy THC sodas
Buzzy infused ginger ale. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
With manufacturing facilities in Massachusetts and Maine, this New England-born company is “what happens when fun-loving weed people and fun-loving drink people somehow manage to capture lightning in a bottle.” Or a can, in this case—cans of classic sodas like ginger ale, orange soda, and root beer, infused with a little extra fun (THC). “Why add THC to soda?” asks the team. “Because we can!” Fair point. We’ve tasted the ginger ale and found it to taste, well, just like non-infused ginger ale, leaning toward the sweet side but with a bit of gingery bite; the weed flavor is quite well hidden. The other varieties seem promising, too, particularly if you’re using the root beer to make an ice cream float. (And the orange soda took home a win at NECANN!)
Cantrip seltzers and sodas
Where to find Cantrip products
Cantrip’s orange soda, one of several nostalgic flavors, may have you feeling effects within minutes. / Photo by Nina Gallant and styling by Madison Trapkin for “Eat Your Greens,” Boston magazine, March 2024.
Cantrip touts its nano-emulsion technology (read up on that a bit here) as the reason its infused drinks are much faster-acting than your run-of-the-mill edible, taking effect in as few as 10 minutes. Science aside, these are just delightful drinks. The seltzers come in breezy flavors such as lemon basil, ginger peach, and blackberry lavender, which pair pretty seamlessly with most meals, and there’s also orange soda and root beer for the young-at-heart-but-of-legal-cannabis-consumption-age.
Kelia cordials
Wayland mom Sarah Patel founded this brand in hopes of bringing her positive experiences with cannabis to other women. Accordingly, these non-carbonated drinks are aimed at feel-good wellness, infused with fruit juices and (depending on the flavor) prebiotics and fiber, vitamins, or electrolytes. They’re low in calories and sugar, too. One variety features a hydrating mix of watermelon juice and coconut water, with a healthy boost of electrolytes plus 5 mg of THC.
Levia seltzers
A selection of Levia seltzers, included limited-edition flavors. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
Levia’s core lineup of flavors includes names like “Dream” and “Achieve,” corresponding to the purported effects of the THC in each. Achieve, for example, features a sativa blend (and a raspberry-lime flavor combo) that aims to energize you, while berry-flavored Dream, with its indica blend, may mellow you out more. But the real fun comes with Levia’s limited-edition flavor releases: Watch for fun stuff like raspberry cheesecake or Pineapple Express. Whichever variety you try, Levia’s seltzers pack strong flavors and a fast-acting effect (between 10 and 20 minutes), not to mention beautiful can art that makes the drinks very giftable.
MXR’s Stir It Up syrups
MXR Stir It Up syrups. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
The other items in this section are canned and ready to drink—once you can figure out how to open them, anyway, since THC-infused products are packaged in a way that requires an advanced engineering degree to break into—but what if you prefer to figure out your own creations? This Rev Brands product line lets you play bartender and make your own THC mocktails. Infused with distilled cannabis oil and terpenes, the syrups come in raspberry, watermelon, and Plasmic Cooler (yep, it’s bright green), with each having different characteristics. Raspberry features the indica-leaning hybrid Sunset Sherbet, for example—purported to help relieve tension. Break out your bar tools and figure out some cool combos.
Where to Buy
Local companies produce infused chocolate bars, fruit chews, sodas, and more. / Photo by Nina Gallant and styling by Madison Trapkin for “Eat Your Greens,” Boston, March 2024.
While we’ve included links with each product above to help you find specific brands, we gave Best of Boston awards to a few local dispensaries in 2023—each worth a visit if you want to do some edible exploring on your own. Here’s a cheat sheet to last year’s winners (and stay tuned for this year’s!):
- Apex Noire, 150 State St., Downtown Boston, apexnoire.com. (Best Place to Stock up on Edibles)
- Alternative Therapies Group, Salem, Amesbury, and Salisbury, atgma.org. (Best Weed Dispensary, North)
- Triple M, Plymouth and Mashpee, triplemdispensary.com. (Best Weed Dispensary, South)
- Bud’s Goods & Provisions, Worcester, Abington, and Watertown, budsgoods.com. (Best Weed Dispensary, West)
Food for Thought
Eric Rogers of Second Act Cannabis. / Courtesy photo
What’s the future of cannabis in Massachusetts? We asked Eric Rogers, who’s about to unveil a new line of edibles after selling his popular infused beverage company, Levia, in 2022.
What is the mission of your new company, Second Act Cannabis?
It’s the continued pursuit of socializing cannabis and securing its place at the dinner table. Pep Step will be our first product, followed by Chef Redbeard’s Fermented Hot Sauce and a collaboration with Dinner at Mary’s to launch a cold-pressed infused olive oil. We’re also working on drinks that are rooted in maple water.
So what exactly is Pep Step?
It’s a snackable dark-chocolate marshmallow treat with a slight crunch and a fast-acting, low-dose cannabis experience. We’ve enhanced the formula with functional ingredients that include lion’s mane, L-theanine, and ginseng. We’re launching with our original flavor, which is expected to hit dispensary shelves in early April 2024, and complementing it with two additional flavors, cherry cordial and caramel.
How do you think the edibles market will evolve over the next five years?
As the industry evolves to include various types of social-consumption lounges, the types of food- and beverage-based products will continue to expand. Consumers will have more choices as to how they are able to consume cannabis, both at home and in what many refer to as a lounge.
Any advice for entrepreneurs looking to get into the cannabis industry?
There are so many different opportunities. Most important, don’t be afraid to fail forward and learn.
A version of this guide was published in the print edition of the March 2024 issue with the headline, “Eat Your Greens.”
