BONUS Recipe! Bone Broth Hot Chocolate + How To Make Bone Broth (3 Ways!)
Creamy, cozy, rich, decadent & packed with gut + hormone-healthy nutrients -- this is my favorite winter ritual!
I am a summer girl at heart.
Learning to appreciate winter has been an ongoing journey for me, perhaps because I live in a valley near the Cascade mountains where it’s especially grey, wet and cold (we can go days/weeks without really seeing the sun).
But, the older I get, the better I get at intentionally looking for and leaning into ways to enjoy this season (because it will come every year, whether or not we want it to!) and bone broth hot chocolate is my favorite ritual of them all!
First of all, it’s cozy, warming and delicious. It tastes rich, decadent, aromatic and creamy, thanks in part to my hot chocolate powder mix that uses real dark chocolate, cacao, coconut sugar, arrowroot powder (a clean thickening agent for optimal texture) pure vanilla extract, cinnamon and sea salt.
Not only does it taste good, but it helps me feel good too, primarily due to the incorporation of bone broth, which is one of my favorite gut + hormone supportive foods.
Bone broth is made by slowly simmering the bones, skin or carcass of an animal (such as chicken, beef, turkey, etc.) which breaks down the connective tissues, naturally increasing the amount of bioavailable protein, gelatin, collagen, minerals and amino acids in the broth.
These nutrients have been scientifically linked to an array of healthy benefits, from reducing intestinal inflammation and boosting digestion and nutrient absorption, to strengthening and repairing our tissues (skin, bones, muscles and tendons), which is why I especially love it during the menstrual phase or postpartum (helps with rebuilding the uterine lining, abdominal muscles and pelvic floor).
Along with it’s delicious taste and functionality, I love the act of making/enjoying hot chocolate in and of itself. While you can do this at any time that works for you, my winter ritual involves making it soon as the kids are in bed.
When it’s piping hot, I’ll bring it over to the couch where I get cozy with my castor oil pack, hot water bottle and red light mask (I wear this after I drink the hot chocolate 😉). I turn on the fireplace and watch a feel-good/classic (at this point in the season it’s usually holiday-themed). And honestly? It’s my favorite part of the day.
If you’re a fan of bone broth, but skeptical about pairing it with hot chocolate, let me reassure you, it can taste absolutely delicious (think of it as balancing out the sweetness of the hot chocolate with it’s umami flavor, sort of like finishing off a dark chocolate cookie with some flaky sea salt).
You’ll also want to opt for a more subtle flavor profile with the bone broth (i.e. chicken vs. beef and unflavored if possible) which is the recipe I’m offering up to you this week (and also includes 3 ways to make it: instant pot, slow cooker and stovetop!) This way it doesn’t compete with the flavors of the hot chocolate, rather plays a supporting role that lets them shine.
Last but not least, I use a ratio of 1/2 bone broth: 1/2 milk (of choice). I’ve experimented with this a ton, and I’ve found that any less milk/more bone broth tastes too savory, and any more milk/less broth doesn’t quite have that umami punch. That being said, I started off with 1/4 parts bone broth: 3/4 part milk, which I recommend doing if you’re skeptical and working your way up from there.
If you just cannot with the bone broth, I still highly recommend making the hot chocolate powder mix, which is delicious, refined-sugar-free and makes a huge batch (I love this aspect so much as it makes a cup of hot chocolate super simple to make, coming together in 5 minutes!)
Last but not least, you don’t have to make the bone broth either! I include some great store-bought options to save you time below.
Pssssssst: This recipe is a FREE bonus recipe available to all subscribers. To receive an additional 4 hormone-healthy, cycle-supportive recipes per month (+ personal wellness essays & deep dives, access to the group chat & more), I’d love to have you as a paid subscriber. Just click that button below!
GF/DF
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 1/2 hours (instant pot) or 10-12 hours (slow cooker/stovetop)
Servings: 8-12 cups
INGREDIENTS:
1 leftover whole chicken (or turkey!) carcass, including skin and fat
Filtered cold water, to cover (approximately 3 quarts or 12 cups, you want the entire bird covered by at least 1 inch)
1-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Generous sprinkle of sea salt
DIRECTIONS:
*Instant Pot:
Add ingredients to your instant pot. Add the chicken carcass (including skin and fat) to your instant pot. Cover with filtered cold water, around 3 quarts or 12 cups, then add in the apple cider vinegar.
Pressure Cook. Seal and pressure cook manually on high for 120 minutes. If able, run through another cycle on low pressure for 120 minutes (this helps the bone broth get more gelatinous, like slowly cooking it does). Allow pressure to release naturally, 20-30 minutes.
Strain, chill and store. Once finished, season with sea salt to taste, then strain through a fine mesh sieve or strainer. See tips on storage below!
*Slow Cooker:
Add ingredients to your slow cooker. Add the chicken carcass (including skin and fat) to your slow cooker. Cover with filtered cold water, around 3 quarts or 12 cups, then add in the apple cider vinegar.
Slow Cook. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. (Repeat if you can/like. The longer you cook it, the more gelatinous it will be!)
Strain, chill and store. Once finished, season with sea salt to taste, then strain through a fine mesh sieve or strainer. See tips on storage below!
*Stovetop Method:
Add ingredients to your Dutch oven or stockpot. Add the chicken carcass (including skin and fat) to your pot. Cover with filtered cold water, around 3 quarts or 12 cups, then add in the apple cider vinegar.
Simmer your broth. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce for a low simmer for 10-12 hours (all the way to 24 if you can/are able to!)
Strain, chill and store. Once finished, season with sea salt to taste, then strain through a fine mesh sieve or strainer. See tips on storage below!
STORAGE:
Before storing in the fridge/freezer, you’ll need to cool the bone broth to room temp. This can take awhile, so if you’re short on time you can do a quick ice bath by straining the broth through a fine mesh sieve into containers or bowls, then placing those upright in a larger bowl of ice water. When cooled to room temp, transfer into wide mouth glass jars or silicone souper cubes. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or freezer for up to 3 months. *If freezing in glass jars, make sure to leave at least 1 inch of room at the top (this gives the liquid room to “expand” without breaking the jar) and place upright in the freezer.
NOTES/TIPS:
+ Keep the skin/fat on the bones *these are a rich source of collagen, which contributes significantly to the bone broth’s texture + health benefits!
+ Don’t overcook! If cooking on the stovetop, make sure once the broth comes to a boil you reduce it immediately to a simmer *boiling it can damage the proteins + result in a watery broth
+ Don’t skip the apple cider vinegar! *this helps to break down the collagen and draw nutrients out of the bones
+ Make sure your water is cold! *this keeps the bone broth from becoming cloudy
+ Salt your broth at the end *if you salt too early it could become overly salty as the liquid evaporates while it cooks
+ Instant Pot Tip! *this method will not be as effective as using the stovetop or slow cooker as you really need to simmer it low and slow for hours to obtain the ideal bone broth texture and taste. That being said, it’s still a relatively good alternative if short on time and if you’re able to, running it on another 120 minute cycle on low pressure helps create more of that gelatinous, nutrient-rich texture by providing more time for the collagen to break down
SWAPS/SUBS/ADD-INS:
+ Swap the chicken carcass for turkey *you may need to break this down into parts depending on the size, also make sure you add enough cold water to cover your bird by an inch
+ Add in flavor! If you want a more robust flavor profile, you can try adding in 1 medium yellow onion, quartered, 2-3 large carrots, cut into rounds, 2-3 large celery stalks, roughly chopped, 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped *add in with the carcass to cook
+ Infuse herbs! You can also add in 2 bay leaves or 1 tablespoon fresh herbs like rosemary, sage or thyme in at the end *let steep for 10 minutes in the hot broth once finished cooking, then remove
GF/DF-Friendly
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5-10 minutes
Servings: 10-12 powder mix, single serving for the bone broth hot chocolate
INGREDIENTS:
Hot Chocolate Powder Mix:
1 cup organic cacao powder
1 cup coconut sugar
1 cup dark chocolate chips
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
2 teaspoons ceylon cinnamon
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Single Serving Bone Broth Hot Chocolate:
1 cup of either A2 grass-fed whole milk or clean, non-dairy milk of choice *I love coconut cashew milk
1/2 cup organic chicken bone broth *I personally prefer a ratio of ¾ cup bone broth: ¾ cup milk but it is a bit more savory this way and you may want to work up to it
3-4 tablespoons of pre-made hot chocolate mix *if you like it rich like me use 4!
Optional serving of collagen powder *usecode SOFRESH10 or chocolate protein powder *use code SOFRESH15
DIRECTIONS:
Make your hot chocolate powder. Add the cacao powder, coconut sugar, dark chocolate chips, arrowroot flour, cinnamon, vanilla extract and sea salt to a food processor and pulse until fine and well-mixed (it should resemble a powder).
Make a single serving. Add the milk, chicken bone broth and 4 tablespoons of hot chocolate powder to a small sauce pan over medium low heat. Whisk together until well combined, and continue stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes, until steaming and the mix is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and option to whisk in the collagen or protein powder until well combined.
Serve! Pour into a 12-ounce mug and top with optional whipped cream and dark chocolate shavings. Enjoy!
STORAGE:
Store hot chocolate powder mix in an airtight container in the pantry at room temp for 2-3 months.
NOTES/TIPS:
+ As mentioned above, you may need to play around with the ratio of bone broth to milk to meet your taste preferences. If skeptical/new, try starting out with 1 cup milk and 1/2 cup bone broth, then working your up way from there.
+ I recommend using 4 tablespoons of powder mix, as it makes the hot chocolate super rich and chocolatey.
+ Give your hot chocolate enough time to simmer (at least 5 minutes), which will help the hot chocolate thicken. Make sure to whisk frequently so that the milk doesn’t burn!
+ Whisk in collagen or protein powder once finished cooking for a protein boost (10-25 grams)!
SWAPS/SUBS:
+ To save time skip the homemade bone broth and use store bought! *If you have a local butcher they might make bone broth you can purchase (mine does and it’s delicious).
+ OR if you’re not keen on bone broth at all, replace it with your milk of choice (i.e. 1 1/2 cups of milk total).