Edibles in Amsterdam: the ultimate guide [2022]

Welcome to our epic guide to edibles in Amsterdam in 2022 (and yes, we’re telling you where you can get the best spacecake as well, no stress!)

You’ve arrived in Amsterdam and want the full-blown Dutch experience. So you put on clogs, buy a wheel of cheese, bike to the nearest canal, and hire a boat.

But instead of blowing clouds of smoke as you chug along the canal, why not drop a trail of crumbs instead?

Swap out that joint for an edible in Amsterdam!

But first, you might be wondering:

Edibles can seem a little intimidating sometimes — so here’s all you need to know about edibles in Amsterdam.

What are edibles?

Edibles are food items that are infused with cannabis with the goal to get high.

They are typically sweet items like brownies or gummies, but almost any food item can be turned into an edible treat. We’ve seen weed biscuits, weed shakes and even weed pasta to name a few.

So why not just eat straight weed (vegetables, right?)? Well, the part of the marijuana that gets you high is called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and it needs heat to kickstart it.

This is why if you just eat straight cannabis, you won’t feel its intoxicating effects — but just eat a kinda weird salad instead.

Edibles and strains: the different types of edibles in Amsterdam

Not all edibles are created equal. In fact, like the different types of weed in Amsterdam, edibles vary depending on what strain is used.

Weed vs. hash-based edibles

Weed is the dried cannabis plant, cultivated mainly from flowering buds. Hash, on the other hand, is a paste made from resin and sap from the plant.

Hash produces stronger effects because it possesses a higher concentration of THC than the dried plant — so an edible made with hash may give you a stronger high (depending on the quantity used and consumed).

Indica vs. sativa-based edibles

There are two sub-species of cannabis. Indica-based weed will provide more of a body high and sativa-based cannabis will produce more of a head high.

You can also get hybrid cannabis and many shops will sell a blend of the two.

THC vs. CBD in edibles

Finally, there are thousands of possible cannabinoids that weed can contain but the most common cannabinoids are THC and CBD (cannabidiol).

THC produces psychoactive effects while CBD doesn’t produce a head high. CBD is, however, hailed as a miracle worker for pain relief, easing mental stress, and assisting sleep.

Why should you eat your way to a high?

Have you not heard that smoking is bad for you? As well as not exercising, binge drinking, eating junk food, and.. well, the list goes on.

Smoking a joint will make you feel high almost instantly, but will fade fast. In comparison, an edible can take a few hours before you feel the effects but you’ll feel high for much longer.

Edibles are also a more discreet way to consume marijuana. If you’re heading to the movies and don’t want to stink of smoke, then eating an edible will do the trick.

Or if you’re home and don’t want to spark complaints of a weedy smell from neighbours, edibles are a great alternative.

Where to buy the best edibles in Amsterdam

While you can buy edibles in virtually any coffeeshop you come across, not all edibles in Amsterdam are created equal.

The title of best edible in the Netherlands in the 2019 inaugural cannabis awards the Jack Herer Cup was awarded to Boerejongens — and luckily, there’s a bunch of options for Boerejongens in Amsterdam.

We particularly like these stores because they’re not a dark, dank coffeeshop. Instead, the buildings are fresh, modern, and kinda ridiculously clean. They also welcome everyone: tourists, locals, first-timers, grandmas, neighbours — whoever! And just check out those cakes. 😍

Amsterdam Genetics, the parent company of Boerejongens, has spent time perfecting edibles: now they’re fit to serve alongside a cup of tea to the Queen. No joke: these edibles are next level.

The Spacetrys (like a pastry, get it?) are delicious on their own, but the high you get from them is top-notch. The range is stocked at Boerejongens, CoffeeshopAmsterdam, Tweede Kamer, and Het Ballonnetje coffeeshops.

Eating edibles in Amsterdam: what you need to know

Ready to go and stock up on the best edibles that can be found in Amsterdam? Here are a few quick tips first.

Edibles absorb differently in your body

Some people don’t notice a difference but others say they do. Even the best weed connoisseurs have been caught off-guard by edibles.

The main aspect of edibles to be wary of is the delayed high. It will come on much slower compared to smoking a joint or inhaling a bong.

Once you eat your edible, it travels to your gut where it’s broken down and the food is converted into energy. The cannabis compounds are metabolised in the liver and then circulated throughout the body and brain.

Given the edibles need to be absorbed through the digestive system, this creates a delayed onset in comparison to smoking where effects are felt almost instantly.

So you need to take your edible-eating slow

A lot of people eat half a brownie, expect it to kick it five minutes later and when it doesn’t, they smash the other half. Then an hour later it all hits at once, they become incredibly stoned, and end up having a bad trip.

As New York Times columnist, Maureen Dowd, wrote: 

“What could go wrong with a bite or two?
Everything, as it turned out. Not at first. For an hour, I felt nothing. But then I felt a scary shudder go through my body and brain. I barely made it from the desk to the bed, where I lay curled up in a hallucinatory state for the next eight hours.”

Take it slow, figure out your tolerance, and stick within your limit.

A good practice is to eat a small, manageable amount, then wait two to four hours for it to fully kick in. Trust us: being a bit less high is 100% preferable to having a bad trip.

Know how much of your edible you should eat

Each edible should state on the packaging how many milligrams of weed is inside. As a rough starting point, 10mg is considered a single serving for an adult.

But if you have never had an edible before, we recommend starting smaller. Even if the packaging says to eat half of the brownie, you might need only a fraction of that for a comfortable high.

Always keep in mind: start low and go slow.

If you get too high, here’s what to do

There’s nothing worse than feeling too high or out of control. If the heebie-jeebies hit, here are a few quick tips:

If you’re worried about how you’ll react to an edible, check with the folks at the Coffeeshop Info Centre Amsterdam. They’re the experts and will gladly help you out!

Want to make your own edibles? Here are the dos and don’ts

Although weed affects people differently, sativa-based weed will give the users a head high and indica-based weed is a body high that is better for relaxation and sleep. So consider this when picking the strain of weed for your edibles.

You’ll need to look up a recipe online (there are many of them out there) but here is a brief overview of the dos and don’ts:

What’s next?

Edibles are a fantastic way to experience the weed culture in Amsterdam, as long you take it slow, start small, and go with the flow.

Of course, edibles aren’t the only way to go. You can also check out truffles, CBD oil, hash, or even ecstasy.

And if you would prefer to find out about smoking weed in Amsterdam you’ll need our guide for the 19 best coffeeshops in Amsterdam.

Enjoy your trip to Amsterdam — and your other trip too! 😉

Have you eaten edibles in Amsterdam? Got a recommendation? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!

Edibles in Amsterdam: Frequently asked questions

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in September 2019 and was fully updated in January 2022 for your reading pleasure.