Treat yourself to these easy cottage cheese brownies–super fudgy, perfectly sweet, and packed with 6.5g of protein each. Made with almond flour and cottage cheese (you’d never know!), they also happen to be butter and oil-free. You’ll crave this incredible higher-protein treat on repeat, guaranteed!
My husband and I could not get over how much these brownies with cottage cheese knocked our socks off. He’s still raving about them! Legit fudgy heaven that we could not stop face-planting into right outta the fridge. Dare I say I’ve outdone myself?!
Inspired my reader-fave best healthy brownies with almond flour and olive oil, these come together lickity split with seven simple pantry staples. If you go crazy for higher protein recipes with cottage cheese, get ready for a whole new level of epic brownie territory!
What I learned from recipe testing
- I developed this recipe with almond flour which lends that soft, moist crumb thanks to its token high fat profile. It makes brownies extra epic and trust me, other flours do not work the same. This recipe calls for more flour and cottage cheese than other recipes do, and that’s because it was clear after a few batches that this ratio turns out the best.
- I mean it when I say barely blend the wet so the cottage cheese doesn’t get too thin. It should be thicker like the batter photo below. For my second batch, I tried adding baking soda, a bit more cocoa, and blending the wet ingredients longer, assuming that more air in the eggs would lend a thicker brownie. Nope! While they were thicker, I liked the flavor and texture of this batch way less.
- Cottage cheese gives these a chocolate cheesecake vibe with a super pleasant flavor that’s by no means cottage cheesy. And duh, it adds a big protein and moisture boost too in lieu of added butter and oil (Jeff had no clue it was in there, mind you.) I tested these with both low fat and full fat and you can use either.
- I know from loads of testing my healthy brownie recipes that granulated cane sugar lends that classic brownie flavor, so I encourage you not to swap it out. (It’s also key for the brownies not tasting like cottage cheese.) We’re only using half a cup which is half of what’s typical in brownie recipes, so why not make them as delish as a healthier brownie can be?!
- Chocolate chips are not optional. They add amazing textural intrigue out of the fridge and much appreciated added sweetness. They really aren’t as delish without ’em.
Let’s make them!
I can’t wait for you to lay mouth on these heavenly hunks! Brownies are a food group.
Crazy Good Fudgy Cottage Cheese Brownies
-
Prep Time:
10 minutes -
Cook Time:
20 minutes -
Total Time:
30 minutes -
Yield:
9 brownies -
Category:
Brownies -
Method:
Oven -
Cuisine:
American -
Diet:
Gluten Free
Description
Treat yourself to these easy cottage cheese brownies–super fudgy, perfectly sweet, and packed with 6.5g of protein each. Made with almond flour and cottage cheese (you’d never know!), they also happen to be butter and oil-free. You’ll crave this incredible higher-protein treat on repeat, guaranteed!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8×8 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- Place almond flour, sugar, and cacao powder in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk until combined.
- Place cottage cheese, eggs, and vanilla in a food processor, blender or Nutribullet. Blend for only about 5 seconds, or just until the cottage cheese is smooth, avoiding over-blending. This mixture not getting too thin is key for the right texture!
- Pour mixture into mixing bowl with dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to mix until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until set. Top liberally with flaky salt and cool on a wire rack. I prefer to refrigerate these and eat once cold (they taste exceptional from the fridge!). Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
The chocolate chips add critical sweetness and amazing texture–don’t skip them!
Note: These brownies are a bit less thick. If you prefer a thicker brownie, you can add ¼ tsp baking soda.
