Sweet, creamy, and fluffy, this easy 3-ingredient whipped cottage cheese dessert is the ultimate high-protein sweet treat! It couldn’t be easier, either. Just blend the cottage cheese with maple syrup and vanilla, then serve with your favorite toppings! Packed with 25 grams of protein per serving, it will satisfy your sweet tooth while chipping away at your daily protein goal. {Gluten-free & Vegetarian}
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Creamy Whipped Cottage Cheese Dessert
As a Registered Dietitian, I’m a huge fan of cottage cheese, and am not ashamed to admit it. You would not believe how thick and luscious it is after blending.
Plus, it has a slightly tangy, salty flavor similar to classic no-bake cheesecakes. My special secret? Straining the cottage cheese first for a thicker, fluffier consistency. It works every time!
If you love healthy cottage cheese desserts, you’ll also want to try this Healthy Snickers Bowl and Cottage Cheese Chocolate Protein Pudding!
Elysia’s Recipe Recap
Texture: Super thick and fluffy with a luxurious creaminess
Taste: Sweet and slightly tangy, similar to no-bake cheesecake
Ease: Straining the cottage cheese adds a step, but even still, it’s such a quick recipe and only requires 3 simple ingredients
Nutritional benefits: Cottage cheese offers a major dose of protein and calcium without excess carbs and fat, and can help balance your blood sugar levels, stave off sugar cravings, and keep you full for longer.
Would I make these again? Absolutely! I’m hooked on this method and make these blended cottage cheese bowls all the time, and especially love to have them as a post workout snack. There are so many flavor variations I still want to try!
Ingredient Notes
- 2% cottage cheese: I recommend using a low fat cottage cheese for the high protein content. Be sure to strain off excess liquid first for the thickest, creamiest texture.
- Maple syrup: For just enough sweetness. I preferred the taste of maple syrup over honey, but you can definitely experiment with honey if you’d like. You can also play with sugar-free sweeteners like monk fruit or stevia.
- Vanilla extract: This adds a little extra flavor to make the cottage cheese taste more like dessert.
- Toppings: This is where you can really put your stamp on things. Top each serving with fresh fruit, chocolate chips, or other desired toppings.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Place a wire mesh strainer over a medium-sized bowl and add the cottage cheese. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes, pushing down gently with a spoon or spatula to strain off the excess liquid.
- Add the strained cottage cheese to a food processor or high speed blender. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Next, add the maple syrup and vanilla and blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust sweetness according to your personal preference. If you’d like to incorporate any add-ins, blend them in now (see notes below for some ideas).
- Divide mixture into bowls and chill in the refrigerator to enjoy like pudding or freeze and enjoy like ice cream.
- Add desired toppings and enjoy!
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
Expert Tips
- Don’t skip the step where you strain the cottage cheese, otherwise it may turn out too thin and runny.
- You can get creative with the add-ins and toppings to make it your own. There are so many ways to switch it up!
- You can also add 2 tablespoons of cream cheese to the mixture for more of a cheesecake flavor.
- It helps to use a really good food processor or blender for this. I’ve had success using a small food processor, but an immersion blender isn’t quite strong enough to get you a really creamy consistency.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! Although they’re a great dessert when you have a sugar craving, they’re also nutritious enough to serve for a high-protein breakfast. I usually like to keep my sugar intake low at the start of the day while maximizing my protein. Consider serving them with added protein powder, as well as fresh strawberries and dark chocolate chips. The high protein content combined with the fiber-rich berries will help keep you going for hours!
You can easily add protein powder while you’re blending the cottage cheese. To stick with the vanilla flavor, use vanilla protein powder and consider skipping the maple syrup. Chocolate protein powder works, too, but you will likely need to add some cocoa powder for plenty of chocolate flavor. If you’re looking to satisfy a chocolate fix, I recommend this cottage cheese chocolate mousse recipe instead. If you do use protein powder, you may need to add a splash of milk to help hydrate the protein powder.
No, you don’t, but the chilling process will help the cottage cheese firm up. If you eat the mixture right after blending, it will be similar to a loose pudding. I prefer to let it set up in the fridge for a richer, creamier consistency like pudding or traditional chocolate mousse.
Storage Guidelines
To refrigerate: Store leftovers covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. They can last for basically however long your cottage cheese is good for, especially if you add the toppings separately.
To freeze: You can also freeze them for cottage cheese ice cream! The mixture will be quite firm straight out of the freezer, so I recommend letting them sit on the counter for 10-15 minutes to soften up before serving.
Optional Toppings/Add-Ins
These maple-sweetened cottage cheese pudding bowls are like a blank slate. Think about it – basically any flavor that goes well with cheesecake will go well here. That opens a nearly infinite amount of options! To keep it simple, consider choosing one of the options below.
- Crushed graham crackers + strawberries
- Bananas + peanut butter
- Chocolate chips
- Mixed berries
- Peanut butter powder
- Fresh lemon juice or lemon zest (lime or orange juice work, too!)
- Protein powder
- Whipped cream
- Drizzle of honey or extra maple syrup
For a sweet snack, eat the cottage cheese like a dip with cinnamon sugar tortilla chips, Nilla wafers, or graham crackers!
Recipe Variations
- Make them low carb: For a low carb option, use a sugar-free sweetener and choose a cottage cheese brand that will fit your macros. Full fat cottage cheese is generally lower in carbs, but also lower in protein.
- Use a Ninja Creami: If you want a really thick, fluffy cottage cheese ice cream, blend the cottage cheese mixture in a Ninja Creami. So good!
- Adjust the seasonings and flavor: Replace the vanilla extract with almond extract and add ground cinnamon for a warm, cozy flavor. With so few ingredients, adding different spices can really make a whole new dessert.
More Cottage Cheese Recipes
- Whipped Cottage Cheese Overnight Oats
- Cottage Cheese Brownies
- Cottage Cheese Flatbread
- Cottage Cheese Queso Dip
- Cottage Cheese Egg Salad
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Whipped Cottage Cheese Dessert
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups 2% cottage cheese, strained of excess liquid
- 1 1/2-2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Top with fruit, chocolate chips, or other desired toppings
Instructions
- Place a wire mesh strainer over a medium-sized bowl and add the cottage cheese. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes, pushing down gently with a spoon or spatula to strain off the excess liquid.
- Add the strained cottage cheese to a food processor or high power blender. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Next, add the maple syrup and vanilla and blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust sweetness according to your personal preference. If you'd like to incorporate any add-ins, blend them in now (see post above for some ideas).
- Divide mixture into bowls and chill in the refrigerator to serve like pudding, or freeze and serve like ice cream.
- Add desired toppings and enjoy!
Notes
- The nutritional information is based on about 1 3/4 cup of cottage cheese since about 1/4 cup of it is lost when you strain it.
- Don’t skip the step where you strain the cottage cheese, otherwise it may turn out too thin and runny.
- You can also add 2 tablespoons of cream cheese to the mixture for more of a cheesecake flavor.
- It helps to use a really good food processor or blender for this. I’ve had success using a food processor, but an immersion blender isn’t quite strong enough to get you a really creamy consistency.
- You can get creative with the add-ins and toppings to make it your own. There are so many ways to switch it up! See post above for some ideas.
This is my second try at a cottage cheese recipe. I’ve never been a fan, but now I need protein without a lot of calories. This was really good. Thanks for the recipe. I’m going to try different toppings. I just throw chocolate mini chips for some extra flavor and loved it.
So happy you found a new way to enjoy cottage cheese!! It’s such a great protein source :) Love the addition of the chocolate chips too! I appreciate you returning to share this feedback!
So good! Tastes so much like yogurt, creamy and sweet! I’ve made this recipe about 4 times now. It’s a keeper! I even experimented with the ingredients to make a strawberry version, substituting honey for the maple syrup and using strawberry extract instead of vanilla extract. Turned out tasty! Thank you for the recipe!
That’s awesome Erin! I love how you’ve made this recipe 4 times already and have experimented with different flavor variations! It’s so easily customizable, so there’s so many different ways to serve it up :) I really appreciate you taking the time to leave such a kind rating and review!