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I was skeptical to say the least when I first heard about the trending bone broth hot cocoa.
There’s no way bone broth hot cocoa tastes any good and why would you even bother?
Well, I gave it a try and went from skeptical to impressed.
As a dietitian, mom, and child nutrition expert I’m sharing the benefits of bone broth, whether or not bone broth hot cocoa is worth it, and a recipe for you and your kids to try yourself!
Table of Contents
What is Bone Broth
Bone broth is made by simmering animal bones and connective tissues in water. Sounds weird, but it’s actually quite tasty and packs a lot of nutrients.
Bone broth can be made from many different animals, but most bone broth you see in the grocery store will be made from beef or chicken.
The Difference Between Bone Broth, Broth, and Stock
The main difference between bone broth and your standard beef, chicken, or vegetable stock or broth are the ingredients and amount of time the liquid simmers.
Bone broth takes much longer to make, simmering for 12 hours or longer, whereas a broth or stock only needs 45 minutes to 4 hours to simmer.
While bone broth and stock have a similar nutrient profile, bone broth contains more collagen, which has been shown to have many health benefits.
For more information on the difference between stock, broth, and bone broth, click here.
| Bone Broth | Broth | Stock | |
| Ingredients | Animal bones, connective tissue, meat, seasonings, vegetables | Meat, vegetables, seasonings | Meat, ligaments, bones, water, seasoning, vegetables |
| Simmer time | 12 – 48 hours | 45 minutes – 2 hours | 3 to 4 hours |
| Calories | 38 cals/cup | 5 cals/cup | 20 cals/cup |
| Sodium | 293 mg/cup | 550 mg/cup | 510 mg/cup |
| Carbs | 0 g/cup | 0 g/cup | 1 g/cup |
| Protein | 9 g/cup | 1 g/cup | 4 g/cup |
| Calcium | 23 mg/cup | 30 mg/cup | 10 mg/cup |
| Potassium | 237 mg/cup | 40 mg/cup | 160 mg/cup |
Health Benefits of Bone Broth
While it’s been around since prehistoric times bone broth has recently spiked interest due to its many health benefits such as healthy digestion, anti-inflammatory, joint health and weight management, and improving sleep quality and cognitive function.
Bone broth contains many beneficial nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and essential fatty acids compared to regular stocks and broths.
Bone broth is simply another nutrient-dense product that you can add to your pantry to feed your family. However, the cost of bone broth is significantly higher than regular broth or stocks.
Ways to Use Bone Broth
Bone broth can be used essentially anywhere you use a regular broth or stock, even in hot cocoa!
Many will simply sip on bone broth by itself to reap its health benefits.
- Sauces
- Soup base
- Cook pasta in
- Sip by itself
- Mashed potatoes
- Oatmeal
- Smoothies
- Hot cocoa
What You’ll Need to Make Bone Broth Hot Cocoa
I usually just buy hot cocoa mix to have on hand all winter long because it’s easy and it’s what I’ve always done, until I made this bone broth hot cocoa. I’m not sure I’ll ever buy hot cocoa mix again.
The only ingredient I didn’t have on hand to make this bone broth hot cocoa was bone broth. Luckily I was gifted some from Kettle & Fire, my favorite bone broth brand.
Ingredients for Bone Broth Hot Cocoa
- Chicken Bone Broth – I love Kettle & Fire Chicken Bone Broth
- Milk, whole or 2% work best
- Cocoa powder
- Maple Syrup or honey
- Vanilla
- Salt
- Marshmallows
Equipment for Bone Broth Hot Cocoa
- Milk steamer – I use this one for frothing and steaming milk for lattes and hot cocoa
- Whisk
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
How to Make Bone Broth Hot Cocoa
If you’ve ever made hot cocoa before, bone broth hot cocoa isn’t to much different.
I like to use my milk steamer to heat up my bone broth hot cocoa, but you can also use the stove top or microwave.
Simply add all your ingredients to your milk warmer, microwave safe bowl, or sauce ban and heat to your liking.
Sometimes it’s easier to add the maple syrup, cocoa, and salt after you’ve warmed up the bone broth and milk. This just makes it easier to dissolve. Either way, you likely have to give it a whisk to blend all the ingredients together.
Pour your bone broth hot cocoa into your favorite mug and add your preferred toppings. Done!
Is Bone Broth Safe for Kids?
While any broth or stock will be higher in sodium than other forms of liquid, bone broth is perfectly safe for children to consume.
In fact, bone broth is a great option to boost a kids meal, especially picky eaters.
The only concern would be if the bone broth is homemade and not stored properly, making it at risk for bacteria growth.
Why Not Just Use Milk Instead?
You can certainly use only milk for your child’s hot cocoa, but it’s always nice to have a few nutrient-dense options to add to their list of tolerated foods.
What’s nice about using bone broth, along with whole milk, in hot cocoa is that it adds protein, vitamins, and minerals, with minimal calories, fat, and carbohydrates.
Bone broth also helps add a delicious savory flavor to your hot cocoa that you just can’t get with only milk.
| Bone Broth | Whole Milk | |
| Calories | 38 cals/cup | 152 cals/cup |
| Sodium | 293 mg/cup | 98 mg/cup |
| Fat | 0 g/cup | 8 g/cup |
| Carbs | 0 g/cup | 12 g/cup |
| Sugar | 0 g/cup | 12 g/cup |
| Protein | 9 g/cup | 8 g/cup |
| Calcium | 23 mg/cup | 300 mg/cup |
| Potassium | 237 mg/cup | 350 mg/cup |
Bone Broth Hot Cocoa Toppings
I’d like to say that the marshmallows and whipped cream are the best part about hot cocoa, but not with this bone broth hot cocoa. The hot cocoa itself is so tasty I could skip the toppings, but what’s hot cocoa without a few mallows?
Toppings for Bone Broth Hot Cocoa
- Mini marshmallows
- Whipped cream
- Coolwhip
- Crushed peppermint
- Andy’s mints pieces
- Cinnamon
- Sprinkles
This bone broth hot cocoa recipe was inspired by fallonstable.com
Bone Broth Hot Cocoa
Equipment
- Milk frother microwave safe bowl, or sauce pan
- Whisk
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 1 cup Milk whole or 2%
- 1/2 cup Chicken bone broth
- 1 tbsp Maple syrup or honey
- 2 tbsp Cocoa Powder
- Pinch of salt
- Marshmallows
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to milk steamer, microwave safe bowl, or sauce pan whisking ingredients until well combined.
- Heat bone broth hot cocoa to desired drinking temperature and top with marshmallows or whipped cream.
Is Bone Broth Hot Cocoa Worth it?
The flavor of bone broth hot cocoa is absolutely worth it and it’s not any more challenging to make than regular hot cocoa. The few additional nutrients that come along with it, as well as fewer carbs, fat, and sugar, that’s simply a bonus.
I also think there’s something rewarding about making hot cocoa from scratch and I may never go back to premade hot cocoa mix.
I definitely think bone broth hot cocoa is a warm winter drink worth trying, but not necessary for every single cup of hot cocoa you enjoy.
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