This Whipped Bone Marrow for Babies is a super nourishing first food - its creamy, mild, and packed with essential nutrients for healthy development—especially iron and healthy fats. Perfect for babies 6 months and up, this easy recipe is a great way to introduce nutrient-dense animal foods.
Bonus: Its freezer friendly!
Bone marrow is one of nature’s most nutrient-dense foods. It’s rich in nutrients which are so important for babies, especially:
- Iron: Crucial for brain development, especially after 6 months when babies iron stores begin to drop. (Source)
- Healthy Fats: Including omega-3s that support brain and nervous system development.
- Collagen and Gelatin: Gentle on baby’s tummy and great for bone and skin health.
- Vitamin B12: Supports infant brain development and healthy red blood cells.
It’s naturally soft, has a neutral flavor, and whips up into the silkiest, creamiest texture that is perfect for babies.
Introducing animal-based superfoods like whipped bone marrow early on can help build iron stores, support brain growth, and expand your baby’s palate.
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Ingredients
The ingredient list is super simple: bone marrow bones! That's all you need. You need to do a few things to prepare them, but there are not additional ingredients necessary. You can get canoe cut bones if you like (cut lengthwise), but round classic cut works - like pictured below - works as well!
Instructions
Do not be intimidated - this recipe could not be more simple! Roast the bones, scoop out the marrow, and whip into bone marrow butter. That's it!
- Place uncooked bone marrow in a baking dish and roast.
- Roast the bones until cooked through but not browned; the inside should be easily scoopable and soft.
- Scoop out the bone marrow into a bowl.
- Place the bone marrow in the fridge to solidify a bit. This should take 10 - 20 minutes.
- Once the mixture is solidified (like the texture of soft butter), remove from the fridge.
- Use a hand mixer (or a food processor) to whip the bone marrow until a fluffy texture is achieved, like a whipped butter.
Hint: For an added boost of nutrients, add some breastmilk or formula to the bone marrow!
Serving Tips
Whipped Bone Marrow is so versatile and can be served in many ways - on its own, as a topping, or mixed into whatever food you are feeding baby. You can use it as a replacement for butter for babies with dairy allergies as well.
- Offer a few tiny spoonfuls straight, like a puree.
- Use it as a spread on soft toast or on top of pancakes or scrambled eggs.
- Mix into mashed foods (like lentils or potatoes) or purees for extra nourishment.
Equipment
This recipe is very straightforward, however some key equipment is necessary.
You will need a good baking dish - ideally one with high edges to capture any drippings - to roast the bone marrow. I used a small pyrex dish like this and it worked wonderfully.
Secondly, you will need a hand mixer. I use this handy hand mixer which was less than $20 and I have had for nearly 10 years! It really doesn't need to be fancy, but it does do the job much better than hand whipping could.
Storage
I like to make a batch of whipped bone marrow and store teaspoon size servings in the freezer, in a silicone ice cube tray. When you want to add one to a meal, simply pop it out and microwave for a few seconds, or thaw on the counter for an hour.
Top Tip
The Whipped Bone Marrow has the best consistency when it is served at room temperature, if you are eating it straight. If you add it to something warm, it will liquify and melt, much like butter.
FAQ
Yes! As long as it’s fully cooked and served in a baby-safe texture, it’s a great first food.
Most babies can start between 6 and 7 months, once they show signs of readiness for solids.
Absolutely—freezing in small portions is a great way to keep some on hand for a long time.
Related
Looking for more baby friendly recipes like this? Try these:
Whipped Bone Marrow for Babies
Equipment
- 1 Silicone Ice Cube Tray Optional, for freezing small amounts
Ingredients
- 1 lb Bone Marrow bones
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425. Roast bone marrow for 15 - 20 minutes, until the marrow is cooked through and soft.
- Let the marrow cool slightly, then use a spoon or butter knife to pour it all into a medium size bowl.
- Set the bowl in the fridge to allow the bone marrow to cool and gelatinize. This should take about 15 minutes.
- Once hardened, beat the bone marrow with an electric hand mixer on medium speed for about 5 minutes. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl if you need to.
- Alternative: If you don't have a hand mixer, you can whip the bone marrow in a food processor.
- Store in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze in a small ice cube tray to pop out and add to baby's meal for an extra boost of nutrition and iron at any time. This is the tray I used, pictured above.
Notes
- Bone Marrow is very high in fat and calories, much like butter. Start with a few small spoonfuls as a serving size. Its very filling!
- See recipe post for ideas on what to serve with bone marrow.
- See recipe post for instructions on how to freeze.
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