Cottage Cheese Ice Cream
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Last updated on Jul 19, 2024
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You only need 4 simple ingredients to make this viral cottage cheese ice cream! It’s super creamy, thick and packed with over 20 grams of protein!
Cottage cheese ice cream has gone completely viral thanks to Lainie Cooks on TikTok. I shared a version on Instagram and after seeing so many of you make (and love it), I knew I had to get the recipe up on the blog!
There are many different variations out there, but the base is just 2 simple ingredients: cottage cheese and honey! The version I’m sharing also has peanut butter and chocolate chips and the combo is seriously so good.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s a high-protein dessert or snack that’s packed with over 20 grams of protein per serving!
- It comes together quickly with just 4 simple ingredients!
- No ice cream maker required!
- Can easily be customized to make your favorite ice cream flavor.
Ingredients Needed
- cottage cheese – the key component of this recipe, providing a creamy texture and rich flavor with plenty of protein. I used full-fat Good Culture cottage cheese, but low-fat will work as well. Full fat will definitely be creamier though!
- honey – for the sweetener we’re using honey, which I think pairs nicely with the cottage cheese. Feel free to swap the honey with maple syrup or your preferred liquid sweetener.
- peanut butter – brings a nutty flavor and adds a touch more protein to this recipe! I like the flavor combo of peanut butter, honey and cottage cheese, but if you have a peanut allergy or aren’t a fan of peanut butter feel free to use almond butter or any nut/seed butter of choice.
- chocolate chips – a delicious addition that adds some crunch and chocolatey goodness to the ice cream. I like to use Lily’s dark chocolate chips because they are sweetened with stevia and low in sugar.
How to Make
Blend: Add cottage cheese, honey and peanut butter to a food processor or high-speed blender and pulse/process until smooth and creamy. Stir in chocolate chips.
Freeze: Add cottage cheese ice cream mixture back into the cottage cheese container or to a loaf pan and place in the freezer for about 4 hours, or until hard.
Serve: Remove from the freezer and let thaw for 5-10 minutes, just until you can easily scoop it. Use an ice cream scoop to scoop into bowls and enjoy.
How to Serve
- In a bowl or cone: Scoop the ice cream into a bowl or an ice cream cone and enjoy it as you would with any other ice cream.
- Toppings: Get creative with your favorite toppings, such as fresh fruit, chopped nuts, granola, or a drizzle of honey or chocolate sauce. See some more ideas below!
- Parfait-style: Layer the ice cream with fresh fruit, yogurt, or whipped cream for a delicious and visually appealing treat.
- Sandwich: Place a scoop of the ice cream between two cookies or waffles for a fun and satisfying dessert.
Flavor Variations
There are so many ways to get creative with this cottage cheese ice cream and create different flavors. Here are some ideas to get you started.
- Chocolate: Add in 1/2-1 Tablespoon cacao powder or cocoa powder plus the chocolate chips or cacao nibs for a chocolatey treat!
- Fruity: Blend in your favorite frozen fruit, such as strawberries, blueberries, bananas, mango or peaches for a fruity twist. You could also add a swirl of your favorite jam or this strawberry chia jam!
- Nutty: Swap the chocolate chips for chopped nuts like almonds, pecans, walnuts or pistachios.
- Spiced: Add a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom or pumpkin pie spice for a warm and comforting taste.
- Coffee: Mix in a shot of espresso or a spoonful of instant coffee powder for a delightful coffee-flavored ice cream.
- Vanilla: Add vanilla bean paste from 1/2 – 1 vanilla bean pod or vanilla extract for vanilla goodness.
- Strawberry cheesecake: Add some frozen or fresh strawberries and crushed graham crackers for a delicious strawberry cheesecake combo!
How to Store
In the freezer: Transfer the cottage cheese ice cream to an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Be sure to cover the surface with a piece of plastic wrap before sealing the container to prevent ice crystals from forming.
Thawing: Allow the ice cream to sit at room temperature for about 5-10 minutes before scooping and serving. This will make it easier to scoop and provide a creamier texture.
FAQ’s
The type of cottage cheese you use is up to personal preference. I personally like to use organic dairy products free from antibiotics and hormones (like rbST). If you’re looking for good organic cottage cheese brands I recommend Good Culture, Organic Valley and Nancy’s. I also like Friendship Diaries no salt added, small curd 1% cottage cheese (in the red container). Cottage cheese tends to be really high in sodium so I like that this variety is a little lower than your typical brands. Unfortunately, this brand isn’t organic.
You better believe it! This ice cream is made with minimal, good-for-you ingredients and has no refined sugar or artificial preservatives. It has more fiber and less sugar than traditional ice cream but is still absolutely delicious.
With 22 grams of protein per serving it can help balance your blood sugar and leave you feeling satisfied instead of hungry for more. If you’re someone like me who could easily eat a whole pint of ice cream in one sitting, this recipe is definitely for you.
Everything You Need to Make Cottage Cheese Ice Cream
OXO Good Grips Medium Cookie Scoop, Black/Silver
Buy Now →
Cuisinart 9-Cup Food Processor
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USA Pan Nonstick Standard Loaf Pan
Buy Now →More Ice Cream Recipes
- Mint Chip Avocado Ice Cream
- Healthy Chocolate Banana Ice Cream
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- Healthy Chocolate Caramel Ice Cream Bars
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Ice Cream
More Frozen Treats
- 2-Ingredient Banana Frozen Yogurt
- Strawberry Coconut Milk Sorbet
- Chocolate Strawberry Banana Yogurt Clusters
- 3-Ingredient Blueberry Frozen Yogurt
- Frozen Yogurt Bark with Berries
- Chocolate Covered Frozen Raspberries
Be sure to check out all of the cottage cheese recipes as well as the full collection of dessert recipes on EBF!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Cottage Cheese Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups (16 oz) full fat cottage cheese, I used Good Culture
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 Tablespoons peanut butter
- 2 Tablespoons chocolate chips
Instructions
- Add cottage cheese, honey and peanut butter to a food processor or high powered blender and pulse/process until smooth and creamy.
- Stir in chocolate chips.
- Add mixture back into the cottage cheese container or a loaf pan and place in the freezer for about 4 hours, or until hard.
- Remove from the freezer, let thaw for 5-10 minutes, just until you can easily scoop it. Use an ice cream scoop to scoop into bowls and enjoy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I had high expectations of this recipe because of all the hype these days. A big no for me. It reminded me of my dogs homemade ice cream. It was too hard to scoop even after letting it sit for 10 minutes. The texture was not favorable either.
I would be happy if someone had some pointers to make it better.
Thanks so much for trying the recipe and sharing your honest thoughts! I totally get it — cottage cheese ice cream is definitely a bit different from traditional ice cream, especially in texture and scoopability. If it’s coming out too hard, here are a few tips that might help:
1. Try letting it sit out at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before scooping to soften it up more.
2. You can also stir the ice cream every 30 minutes while it’s freezing to help keep it from getting too icy or hard.
3. Another option is to add a splash of milk or cream to the mixture before freezing to make it a bit creamier and easier to scoop.
4. Using full-fat cottage cheese instead of low-fat can also improve texture and flavor.
I hope these tips help if you want to give it another try! And thanks again for sharing your experience — it really helps me improve recipes.