5 Dessert Recipes That Will Make You a Fan of Cottage Cheese

Until recently, cottage cheese has mostly been known as a diet food — and not a particularly popular one, either. It’s made by curdling milk (without spoiling it) and separating out the solid parts, or curds, which accounts for a characteristically lumpy texture that many people find off-putting. It seems an unlikely choice for social media fame, but that’s exactly what has happened: Thanks to a handful of viral videos, cottage cheese has reached a new zenith since its peak popularity in the 1970s, according to the New York Post. The hashtag #cottagecheese has racked up more 200 million searches on TikTok alone.
One group who are undoubtedly delighting in this dairy revolution? Registered dietitians. Cottage cheese is incredibly nutritious, and lower in calories than most other cheese or dairy. One cup of lowfat cottage cheese has just 163 calories, for instance, but also packs in 28 grams (g) of protein, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). It contains nutrients such as calcium, vitamin B12, and selenium.
You can find varieties of cottage cheese to suit a range of dietary needs or preferences, including lactose-free, no sodium added, low-fat, and fat-free, as well as flavored and unflavored cottage cheese in various curd sizes. And if you’re not a fan of eating it straight out of the container, there is no shortage of cottage cheese recipes. Many people find that pureeing it to a smooth texture or mixing it into baked goods and other recipes can be a great way to consume this low-calorie, high-protein dairy product. Still not convinced? Try one of these five sweet cottage cheese–based desserts!

Cottage Cheese Brownies
Who doesn’t love the rich, chocolaty goodness that brownies bring to the table? Unfortunately, regular brownies pack loads of calories and added sugar without any nutritional benefits, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These delicious cottage cheese brownies are moist and delicious, and the 5 g of protein per brownie ensure they’re more satisfying, too.
PREP TIME
15 minCOOK TIME
28 minTOTAL TIME
43 minIngredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x9-inch baking dish and set aside.
Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave, stirring every 15 seconds, until chocolate is completely melted and smooth, about 60 to 90 seconds. Set aside to cool.
To a blender or food processor add cottage cheese, eggs, banana, vanilla, and maple syrup. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute.
Add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt to the blender and pulse just until moistened. Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake until the brownies are cooked through, about 28 to 32 minutes. Allow to cool completely before cutting into 16 even squares.
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Serving size1 brownie
calories
160total fat
5gsaturated fat
2.8gprotein
5gcarbohydrates
25gfiber
1.8gsugar
9.9gadded sugar
8.7gsodium
104mgTAGS:
Dairy, Eggs, Wheat, Heart-Healthy, Vegetarian, Low-Sodium, Family-Friendly, DessertRate recipe
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3-Ingredient Strawberry Ice Cream
Ice cream’s notoriously high calorie count and unhealthy saturated fat content make it an occasional treat, but this simple, three-ingredient version uses low-fat cottage cheese in place of cream for a protein-rich, heart-healthy treat you can enjoy on the regular (and will want to, too)! As a bonus, this cottage-cheese ice cream boasts 15 g of protein and more than 3 g of fiber per serving.
PREP TIME
5 minTOTAL TIME
5 minIngredients
Directions
Place cottage cheese in a blender or food processor and blend on high until smooth, about 30 seconds.
Add strawberries and honey and blend until completely smooth, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately for soft-serve “ice cream” or pour into a loaf pan, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and freeze until serving. If using this method, remove from freezer about 20 minutes before serving to allow the mixture to soften enough for scooping.
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Serving size1⅓ cups
calories
165total fat
1gsaturated fat
0.7gprotein
15gcarbohydrates
25gfiber
3.2gsugar
18.5gadded sugar
8.6gsodium
18mgTAGS:
Dairy, Heart-Healthy, Gluten-free, Vegetarian, Low-Sodium, Low-Fat, Family-Friendly, Quick & Easy, DessertRate recipe
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Protein-Packed Double Chocolate Chip Edible Cookie Dough
The dangers of eating uncooked eggs and raw wheat flour outweigh the nostalgia of licking the bowl, according to FoodSafety.gov. But with this recipe, you can enjoy all that you love about sneaking a taste of cookie dough — with less risk. Cottage cheese dough with rich chocolate flavor will satisfy any sweet tooth, and provides 9 g of filling protein per serving. Just mix and enjoy!
PREP TIME
5 minTOTAL TIME
5 minIngredients
Directions
Place cottage cheese in a blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth, about 1 minute.
Transfer cottage cheese to a mixing bowl and add almond flour, cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and protein powder, if using. Stir until well combined. Top with chocolate chips before serving.
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Serving size⅓ cup
calories
170total fat
8gsaturated fat
2.1gprotein
9gcarbohydrates
18gfiber
2.6gsugar
11.4gadded sugar
9.5gsodium
154mgTAGS:
Dairy, Tree Nuts, Heart-Healthy, Gluten-free, Vegetarian, Family-Friendly, Quick & Easy, DessertRate recipe
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Raspberry Cottage Cheese Cake Bars
This under-100-calorie treat combines the creamy goodness of cottage cheese with the natural sweetness of fresh raspberries for a flavor that’s not only delicious but nutritious. Protein from the cottage cheese and fiber and vitamin C in the raspberries make this low-fat and diabetes-friendly dessert one you can enjoy while meeting your health goals.
PREP TIME
10 minCOOK TIME
15 minTOTAL TIME
25 minIngredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Place cottage cheese, eggs, honey, and almond extract in a blender and blend on high until smooth, about 1 minute.
In a separate mixing bowl, stir together flour and baking soda. Add cottage cheese mixture and stir until just moistened. Gently fold in raspberries, stirring as little as possible.
Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake until the edges just start to turn golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Slice into 20 even squares.
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Serving size1 bar
calories
76total fat
1gsaturated fat
0.3gprotein
3gcarbohydrates
13gfiber
2gsugar
5.6gadded sugar
4.6gsodium
103mgTAGS:
Dairy, Eggs, Wheat, Tree Nuts, Diabetes-Friendly, Heart-Healthy, Vegetarian, Low-Sodium, Low-Fat, Family-Friendly, DessertRate recipe
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Blueberry Cottage Cheese Cheesecake
A slice of strawberry cheesecake from a restaurant like the Cheesecake Factory will set you back a cool 1,000 calories (yes, you read that right) or about half of your daily calories and 43 g of saturated fat (about 3½ times the recommended limit) in a single dessert! Instead of this calorie- and fat-rich traditional version, opt for a cottage cheese cheesecake for all the flavor and just over 200 calories and 1.5 g of saturated fat per slice.
PREP TIME
15 minCOOK TIME
35 minTOTAL TIME
50 minIngredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, combine almond flour, avocado oil, and 2 tbsp maple syrup. Mix together until evenly combined and gently press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan, wetting your fingertips as you go to prevent sticking. Bake until fragrant, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, combine the cottage cheese, yogurt, eggs, cornstarch, blueberries, vanilla extract, and remaining ¼ cup maple syrup. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute.
Lower the oven to 325 degrees F. Pour the cheesecake mixture into the still hot crust and bake in the preheated oven until the cheesecake is set, about 35 to 45 minutes. Allow to cool completely before slicing into 12 even slices.
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Serving size1 slice
calories
221total fat
11gsaturated fat
1.7gprotein
13gcarbohydrates
19gfiber
1.4gsugar
11.7gadded sugar
6.9gsodium
195mgTAGS:
Tree Nuts, Dairy, Eggs, Heart-Healthy, Mediterranean, Gluten-free, Vegetarian, Family-Friendly, DessertRate recipe
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Lynn Grieger, RDN, CDCES
Medical Reviewer
Lynn Grieger is a registered dietitian-nutritionist, certified diabetes care and education specialist, certified personal trainer, and certified health and wellness coach. She completed requirements to become a registered dietitian at Valparaiso University in 1987 and completed a dietetic internship at Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey, Illinois, in 1988.
Lynn brings her expertise in nutrition, exercise, and behavior change to her work in helping people reach their individual health and fitness goals. In addition to writing for Everyday Health, she has also written for websites and publications like Food and Health Communications, Today's Dietitian, iVillage.com, and Rodale Press. She has a passion for healthy, nutrient-dense, great-tasting food and for being outdoors as much as possible — she can often be found running or hiking, and has completed a marathon in every state.

Kelly Kennedy, RDN, LDN
Author
Kelly Kennedy is a licensed dietitian-nutritionist with over 14 years of experience in digital media. She previously managed and oversaw nutrition content, recipe development, meal planning, and diet and nutrition coaching at Everyday Health. She developed and reviewed various meal plans, books, slideshows, and online tools, and oversaw the creation of more than 500 unique recipes. She received her bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a master's degree from the State University of New York College at Oneonta.
Kennedy enjoys anything that takes her outside, from gardening and playing in the yard with her kids to hiking and even feeding her pet chickens.