Cottage Cheese Cookies

As our family has been focusing on eating more protein and making healthier choices these cookies have become a regular in our house. My kids love them as an after school snack and my college boys grab them on the way out the door in the morning. Getting 5 grams of protein in a cookie that tastes this good feels like winning.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe!

• Just $0.52 per cookie — $7.79 total for the whole batch
• High protein and low sugar — made with cottage cheese, almond flour, and vanilla protein powder
• Only 6 ingredients
• Naturally gluten free
• Soft and pillowy texture that feels completely indulgent without the guilt

Give these high protein cookies try, they’re a hit with both adults and kids. If you love cottage cheese recipes, we have even made Cottage Potatoes, Cottage Cheese Pancakes, Cottage Cheese Flatbread, Cottage Cheese Cake and Starbucks Egg Bites Recipe.

What does Cottage Cheese do in Baking?

Cottage cheese has become one of the most popular baking ingredients because of the moisture, tenderness, and protein it adds without any heavy butter or cream cheese.

When blended smooth it completely disappears into the batter. It is also naturally high in protein which makes every cookie significantly more filling than a standard sugar cookie.

Ingredients

• Cottage cheese — full fat gives the best flavor and creamiest texture. Any brand works great in this recipe.
• Egg — binds everything together and adds additional protein
• Monk fruit sweetener — a natural zero calorie sweetener that keeps these cookies low sugar. Maple syrup or brown sugar work as substitutes if you prefer a more traditional sweetener — use the same amount
• Almond flour — gives the cookies their soft gluten free texture. Bob’s Red Mill Super Fine Almond Flour is our top recommendation. Do not substitute with coconut flour without adjusting the amount — coconut flour is much more absorbent
• Vanilla protein powder — adds protein and a subtle vanilla flavor. Plant-based protein absorbs more moisture than whey — if your batter seems too thick add a splash of almond milk to thin it out
• Sugar free chocolate chips — Lily’s No Sugar Added Chocolate Chips are our favorite. Regular milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips also work beautifully

Carrie’s Tip: Make sure to blend the cottage cheese and egg completely smooth before adding the dry ingredients. Any visible curds left in the batter will affect the texture of the finished cookie. A full 30–60 seconds in the blender gives you the smoothest most consistent result.

How to Make Cottage Cheese Cookies

Step 1 – Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2 – Combine the cottage cheese and egg in a blender or food processor until combined and smooth.

Step 3 – Pour the cottage cheese mixture into a bowl. Add the sweetener, almond flour and protein powder. Blend the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Step 4 – Gently fold in the chocolate chips.

Step 5 – Use a medium cookie scoop (2 tablespoons) and scoop the dough into balls. Place on the lined baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until the edges are slightly golden brown.

Step 6 – Allow to cool for 5 minutes and then move to a wire rack to cool completely. Then the cookies are ready to serve and enjoy!

Recipe Tips

• Do not overmix after adding dry ingredients. Stir until just combined — overmixing develops the batter too much and results in cakey dense cookies instead of soft pillowy ones
• Use a cookie scoop. The dough is soft and sticky — a cookie scoop gives you uniform cookies that bake evenly and hold their shape better than spooning by hand
• Do not overbake. The edges should be lightly golden but the centers will still look slightly soft when you pull them out — they continue to set as they cool on the pan
• Adjust for protein powder type. Plant-based protein absorbs significantly more moisture than whey — if the batter seems too thick add a tablespoon of almond milk at a time until it scoops easily

Variations Ideas

• Sweetener — swap monk fruit for maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar in equal amounts for a more traditional sweetness
• Chocolate chips — milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or white chocolate chips all work. Add peanut butter chips for a chocolate peanut butter version
• Add vanilla extract — 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract adds a warm depth of flavor that makes these taste even more like a classic cookie
• Add chopped nuts — fold in ¼ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts for added crunch and healthy fats
• Flour swap — stick with almond flour for the best result. Coconut flour absorbs significantly more moisture and requires adjusting the amounts — oat flour does not work as well in this recipe

Storage and Freezer Tips

• Storing – Store the cookies inside an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 7 days.
• Freezer – For longer storage, place inside a freezer container up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight when ready to enjoy again!