Are we still obsessed with putting cottage cheese in everything?! Good, because I sure am. From pancakes to scrambled eggs, it’s such a good way to sneak in some protein. And these cottage cheese muffins are a new favorite!
These aren’t your typical muffin recipe as we are using rolled oats as the base. No flour or refined sugar is needed. They have a good balance of carbs, some healthy fats, and 6.5 grams of protein thanks to cottage cheese.
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Even if you aren’t a huge fan of cottage cheese, you will love these! They are light, moist, perfectly fluffy, and super easy to make! I love them as a snack, healthy dessert, or as a pre or post-workout snack. Served with some greek yogurt and some peanut butter – the perfect combo!
Why we love these cottage cheese muffins
- made in the blender
- simple whole food ingredients – if you love cottage cheese, you probably already have most of the ingredients at home!
- lightly sweetened – we are using just 2 tablespoons of maple syrup + some chocolate chips.
- low calorie and macro-balanced – each one has only 160 calories and a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat.
Is cottage cheese healthy?
Cottage cheese is known for being a high-protein food while still being relatively low in calories. It also contains vitamins and minerals like B vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, and selenium. Cottage cheese can be a great addition if you are trying to add more protein to your diet.
What does cottage cheese taste like?
Cottage cheese is a dairy product made from cheese curds. It has a mild flavor and creamy texture, along with some chunkiness from the curds. It comes in different fat percentages (nonfat, reduced fat, or whole milk) and also different curd sizes (usually small or large), which will affect the taste and consistency.
Ingredients
- cottage cheese
- rolled oats
- eggs
- maple syrup
- vanilla extract
- baking powder
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- salt
- mini chocolate chips – I like mini for maximum chocolate flavor!
How to make cottage cheese muffins
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a muffin tin with silicone muffin cup liners. You can also grease a nonstick muffin tin.
- Blend ingredients to make the batter. Add cottage cheese, rolled oats, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to a blender in the order listed and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Make sure not to over-blend.
- Stir in chocolate chips. Add most of the chocolate chips (saving about 1 tablespoon worth) to your blender and stir to combine. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes to thicken up.
- Bake. Using a cookie scoop, or about 2 1/2 tablespoons worth, fill 9 muffin tins. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips. Bake for 22-25 minutes until golden brown on the top. Let cool for a couple of minutes.
- Enjoy!
Make them gluten-free
Rolled oats are naturally gluten-free, but they can be one of the most cross-contaminated products. To ensure this recipe is gluten-free, look for certified gluten-free oats.
Storage
- to store – first, let them cool completely. Add to an airtight container or silicone bag. For best results, store them in the fridge for up to a week. They will also keep on your countertop for a few days if it is not too hot in your house.
- to freeze – let cool completely and place on a large plate or baking sheet. Place in the freezer and let freeze for 2 hours until hardened. This will help ensure they freeze individually and won’t stick together. Transfer to a large bag (we love reusable silicone ones) and freeze for up to 3 months. You can defrost them by placing them in the refrigerator and then warming up the microwave if desired
Substitutions and additions
- cottage cheese – I like using low-fat, but full-fat should work the same. It doesn’t matter if you use large or small curd cottage cheese.
- rolled oats – quick-cooking oats will work instead.
- eggs – I haven’t tried an egg substitute so I’m not sure if they will work.
- maple syrup – any kind of liquid sweetener will work (honey, agave…).
- mini chocolate chips – I like using mini for more chocolate, but regular-size ones will work. Milk or dark chocolate chips work as well.
Here are a few suggestions to change the flavor from week to week:
- chopped nuts – walnuts, peanuts, or pecans would be great. Stir them into the batter.
- fresh or dried fruit – strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries would all be great.
- cacao powder – to make them extra chocolatey, stir some cacao powder into the batter.
- protein powder – you can add a scoop or two of your favorite protein powder. You will probably have to add some liquid depending on the thickness of your protein powder.
More healthy muffin recipes
- oatmeal chocolate chip muffins
- pumpkin protein muffins
- sweet potato blueberry protein muffins
- pb&j stuffed oatmeal cups
If you love quick and easy meals and want to learn how to build a balanced plate, check out our FREE How to Build a Balanced Plate Guide!
Cottage Cheese Muffins
equipment
ingredients
- 1 cup cottage cheese (226 grams – I used low-fat)
- 1 1/4 cup rolled oats (125 grams)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips (about 90 grams)
instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a muffin tin with silicone muffin cup liners. You can also grease a nonstick muffin tin. I do not recommend paper liners as the muffins will stick.
- Blend ingredients to make the batter. Add cottage cheese, rolled oats, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to a blender in the order listed and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Make sure not to over-blend.
- Stir in chocolate chips. Add most of the chocolate chips (saving about 1 tablespoon worth) to your blender and stir to combine. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes to thicken up.
- Bake. Using a cookie scoop, or about 2 1/2 tablespoons worth, fill 9 muffin tins. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips. Bake for 22-25 minutes until golden brown on the top. Let cool for a couple of minutes.
- Enjoy!
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I love these muffins and make them all the time. My only change is to only use I cup oats and add an extra tablespoon of maple syrup. Makes 12.
So glad you enjoyed them, Jean!
These are fantastic. They have great macros and are so tasty. I made them as written and then made another batch without blending- I just mixed everything in a bowl with the same weight of oat flour as a sub for the oatmeal. The ones I made in a bowl were 95% as good. They were a bit tougher, and there were some visible cheese curds but I don’t think those affect the taste. I used friendship 1% cottage cheese which has fairly small curds and less liquid than other brands so that may have affected things. I’ll go back to blending, but nice to know it still works if I’m feeling a bit lazy or if my blender dies. 🙂
Oh, that great to know! Thanks for trying them and glad you enjoy!
Oh my goodness are these delicious and filling!!! Moist, chocolate galore and I mixed blueberries in a few for variety. Next time Time I will add nuts.
Yum, blueberries sound great! Thanks for trying them, Kim!
With only 2 tbsp maple syrup and an occasional chocolate chip, these definitely need more sugar/sweetness. Unfortunately, they taste like plain bran muffins. If you try these, definitely add a ripe banana or two to make them kid-friendly.
Thanks for the feedback Nicole. You can definitely add more chocolate chips or sweetener if you like. I like to use mini chocolate chips as I feel like there is a lot when using those.
Why would my muffins sink in the middle?
Hey, Amy! I’m not sure. They sink a little as they cool, but should still be muffins. Could be your baking powder or you blended your batter too long and they were a little more dense. Hope that helps some.
Simple and delightful.
Thanks, Miranda!
Hello,
If I wanted to add chocolate powder to this recipe to make chocolate muffins, how would I alter the amount of ingredients?
Thank you!
Hi, Sonal. I would add 2-3 tablespoons of cocoa powder. You could add a touch more maple syrup, but it wouldn’t need much – maybe 1/2-1 tablespoon. Hope that helps!
My kids loved it.
Glad they were a hit with them!
These are great!
I would make them again but next time I would reduce the nutmeg and add a bit of banana for more sweetness.
Glad you enjoyed them, Nicole! Thanks for trying them!