Viral Bone Broth Hot Cocoa (Gluten Free, High Protein)

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This Viral Bone Broth Hot Cocoa is gluten free, higher in protein, lower sugar, and can easily be made dairy free. It’s a creamy, rich, chocolatey twist on classic hot chocolate that’s made with six nourishing ingredients. This cocoa is a deliciously sneaky way to get some more protein, gut-healing support, and comfort all in one mug!

Regular hot cocoa can be a sugar bomb. If you’ve looked at the ingredients in a premade packet of hot cocoa there’s a whole list of ingredients that are hard to pronounce and have no reason being in what should be a simple drink. There’s a whole lot of sugar, additives, and not a lot of nutrients. And yes, if made with better for you ingredients, hot cocoa can actually be a nutrient dense treat! That’s one of the reasons why I created and love making my Healthy Hot Cocoa, it’s a staple of mine this time of year. So when I saw a version made with bone broth going around on social media, I wasn’t convinced it could be good so I had to try it for myself and I honestly think that I like this one even more than my original recipe 🙈

If you’re anything like me and the thought of bone broth in hot cocoa doesn’t sound right, please just give this recipe a try and you might just change your mind (like I did)! You can barely taste the bone broth when it’s mixed with the other ingredients, it’s really there for the creaminess, froth, and gut healing benefits!

So why bone broth? It’s high in protein, collagen, magnesium, antioxidants, and other minerals that support our digestion, skin, immune system, mood, and overall well-being. It’s a great source of proline and glycine which can help with repairing the gut lining! When we have a healthy gut, our whole body benefits, so why not get some good nutrients in with a delicious drink?

If you’re looking for more seasonal drinks made with better ingredients you’ll want to try my Healthier Eggnog and Peppermint Mocha Coffee Creamer too! These are all in my drink rotation during the winter time and I honestly look forward to making one of them almost every day 😍

Watch the video tutorial HERE.

Why You’ll Love This

• Simple ingredients – You only need six wholesome ingredients for this recipe!
• Balanced holiday classic – Regular hot cocoa is usually high in sugar and doesn’t have a lot of healthy fats or protein to stabilize a blood sugar spike. This hot cocoa has a ton of protein from the bone broth and optional protein powder, healthy fats from your choice of milk, carbs from the maple syrup, making it a balanced and satisfying drink.
• Dietary friendly – This healthier hot cocoa is already gluten free, higher protein, and lower sugar. With a few simple changes listed below, you can make this dairy free and even higher in protein!

What You’ll Need

• Bone broth – My favorite store-bought bone broth is from Kettle & Fire because it’s made with simple ingredients and tastes amazing. You’ll want to make sure that there are minimal spices and flavors added so it doesn’t impact the taste of the hot cocoa. You can always use homemade too!
• Milk of choice – You can use either regular milk or dairy free milk. If using dairy free, I love using a thicker milk like cashew or canned coconut!
• Chocolate protein powder – This is optional but I love that it adds more chocolate flavor AND packs even more protein into this drink. Some of my favorites are from Truvani and Flavcity (code: CALLA).
• Cocoa powder – I use this unsweetened cocoa powder but you can also use cacao powder, you might just need a little more sweetener!
• Maple syrup – You can use any sweetener you prefer or already have on hand (honey, agave, coconut sugar, etc.)
• Vanilla extract – Just a dash to add a bit more sweetness.

How To Make

1. In a small saucepan, warm the milk and bone broth on the stovetop on low heat.
2. Add the milk, bone broth, and the rest of the ingredients to a blender and blend until creamy and frothy. (Tip: Be careful that the milk and bone broth aren’t too hot when blending, this creates pressure in the cup and can cause the cup to pop or break!)
3. Pour the mixture into your mug, add any toppings or a dash of sea salt, and enjoy!

Recommended Tools

• Small saucepan – These GreenPan and Caraway pans are my favorite non-toxic cookware.
• High-speed blender
• Stainless steel measuring cups and spoons

Must Try Holiday Recipes

Easy & Healthy Christmas Pancakes (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)

Hot Cocoa Baked Oatmeal (Gluten Free, Vegan)

Gingerbread Cake (Gluten Free)

Print Recipe

Viral Bone Broth Hot Cocoa (Gluten Free, High Protein)

Course: Dessert, Drinks, Snack

Keyword: 5 ingredient, bone broth, chocolate, gut health, healthy, healthy dessert, healthy recipe, high protein, high protein dessert, holiday, holiday recipes, hot chocolate, hot cocoa, refined sugar free, winter

Ingredients

• 1 cup chicken bone broth
• 1/2 cup milk of choice (regular or dairy free)
• 2 tbsp chocolate protein powder (optional)
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder (or cacao powder)
• 1 tbsp sweetener of choice (maple syrup, honey, coconut sugar, etc.)
• 1 dash vanilla extract

Note: If not using cocoa powder, I recommend adding another tablespoon of sweetener!

Instructions

• Warm milk and bone broth together on the stovetop over low heat.
• Add milk, bone broth, and rest of the ingredients to a high-speed blender.
• Blend until creamy and frothy.
• Pour into your mug, add toppings of choice or a pinch of sea salt, and enjoy!

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