Not your typical sweet treat, Cottage Cheese Ice Cream is a high-protein, flavorful twist on a classic dessert.
While TikTok offers up its fair share of entertainment, including dance challenges and trendy core aesthetics (fairycore, anyone?), we can also count on it to serve up something else: viral food content. Take cottage cheese ice cream, for instance. It’s a buzzy concoction that has gained popularity for being both delicious and high in protein—so you can indulge in dessert while also hitting your macros. Search for it on TikTok, and you’ll find a vast array of drool-worthy variations.
This creamy iteration happens to have it all: the velvety goodness of full-fat cottage cheese, a honeyed sweetness, and the nuttiness of peanut butter. The overall vibe, though, is chocolate chip ice cream with a slight cheesecake flavor. As a vegetarian, I love that it helps me up my protein intake while also being incredibly refreshing on hot summer days.
With just five ingredients, it couldn’t be simpler to make. Keep a container of it in the freezer, and you’ll have a mouthwatering treat to enjoy for dessert all week long!
Is This Cottage Cheese Ice Cream Healthy?
By using cottage cheese as the base for your ice cream instead of heavy cream and whole milk, you get a GOOD chunk of protein in addition to calcium and other nutrients, while also lowering the overall fat content. You could even use a low-fat cottage cheese instead of the full-fat version to lower the fat even more (it might not be as creamy, though).
Additionally, this ice cream is naturally sweetened with honey instead of refined sugar (though the chocolate chips do contain sugar). If you use all-natural peanut butter (i.e., it doesn’t contain anything other than unsalted peanuts), you can cut out the unnecessary added oils, salt, and sugar typically found in regular peanut butter.
Experiment With Flavor Variations
Want to switch up the flavor of your ice cream? That’s super simple to do with the addition of these tasty ingredients (you can either blend or mix them into the ice cream, or add them as toppings):
- For a fruity twist, add berries, mango, peaches, or whatever summer fruit you love.
- To lend a rich, nutty flavor, add some chopped almonds, walnuts, pecans, or pistachios. Hot tip: Quickly toast them beforehand to deepen their flavor.
- For textural elements, try adding crushed graham crackers, pretzels, cookies, shredded coconut, or mini marshmallows.
- Love an ice cream sundae? Drizzle more honey or some warm maple syrup on top of your ice cream.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Store your ice cream in an airtight, freezer-friendly container to prevent ice crystals from forming. If you really want to guarantee no crystals, layer some wax or parchment paper over the ice cream before you pop on the lid. Stash your ice cream in the coldest part of the freezer, away from the door, and this homemade ice cream should last you up to 1 month. Let it sit out for a few minutes to make scooping easier when it comes time to eat.
Serving Suggestions
Eating this ice cream on its own is a totally dreamy way to enjoy it, but if you want to add a little something extra, try drizzling this Salted Caramel Sauce over it or spooning a bit of Strawberry Sauce on top.
Love to eat your pie with a scoop of ice cream? In that case, try serving this with Apple Pie, Pineapple Pie, or Peach Pie. You could also crumble these Pecan Pie Paleo Cookies or Healthy Oatmeal Cookies over the ice cream.
Ingredients
- 2 cups full-fat cottage cheese
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons chocolate chips
- 1 sprig of mint
Instructions
- Place the cottage cheese, honey, and peanut butter in a high-powered blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Place the cottage cheese mixture in a freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 4 hours. Remove from the freezer and scoop into bowls. Garnish with fresh mint leaves. Enjoy!
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
Hi, how would it be without the peanut butter, I’m looking for just vanilla, thank you!
Hi Cristina – Yes, you can simply skip the peanut butter. If you like, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to enhance the vanilla taste. Follow the rest of the recipe as usual. Enjoy!
Could we add cacoa powder to make it a chocolate flavor?
Also, wouldn’t using a blender be more effective in smoothing the bumpy cottage cheese over using the ice cream maker ?
Hi Louise, Yes, adding cocoa powder would totally work for a chocolatey twist. And yep, a blender also works great to smooth the cottage cheese. Thanks!