This edible Cottage Cheese Cookie Dough is the best high-protein snack or dessert. It’s easy to make with just 7 naturally gluten-free ingredients in under 10 minutes. Grab a spoon and dig in!
Why you’ll love this family favorite recipe!
Sweet treat – This cookie dough may look and taste like an indulgent dessert, but I promise it’s made with simple, better-for-you ingredients. Perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth!
No-bake – The 7 simple ingredients you need are all safe to eat raw. Just mix the dough, grab a spoon, and dig in.
High-protein – Thanks to cottage cheese and protein powder, this cookie dough is naturally high in protein while tasting like the real deal.
I don’t know about you, but my algorithm keeps showing me videos of high-protein recipes that stir cottage cheese into absolutely any snack, dessert, or meal you can think of. And, honestly, I’m all for it! As cottage cheese’s #1 fan, I don’t need an excuse to add it to my egg salad recipes, batches of chocolatey brownies, and more.
I’ve been loving this high-protein Cottage Cheese Cookie Dough for a post-workout snack and late-night sweet treat, too. The recipe combines cottage cheese with simple ingredients—almond flour, protein powder, and maple syrup, among others—to create something rich, creamy, and more satisfying than baked cookies.
Oh, and did I mention how it’s perfect for the whole family? The kids will love this sweet, chocolate chip-loaded snack, while you’ll enjoy its richness and better-for-you ingredients.
Protein Cookie Dough Ingredients
Cottage cheese – You’ll always find cottage cheese in my fridge because it’s a protein-packed ingredient I can blend into a creamy dip, add to a hearty lasagna, or, in this case, transform into a sweet treat. I recommend using full-fat or 2% cottage cheese for the creamiest results.
Almond flour – It’s safe to eat raw, makes the dough soft, and adds a subtle nutty flavor. I do not recommend making any substitutions here. I tested this recipe with coconut flour, but it made the dough taste way too coconutty and completely threw off the texture.
Vanilla protein powder – I really wanted the cookie dough to be filling, so I added a scoop of my favorite vanilla-flavored whey protein powder. Feel free to change up the flavor if you want!
Chocolate chips – I love how the chocolate chips make the cookie dough feel extra indulgent. Sweet, semi-sweet, dark, or vegan chocolate chips all work well.
This list is to provide further clarification on a few of the ingredients. See recipe card below for the full ingredient list.
Variations
- Change the sweetener – Honey, agave, or another low-calorie liquid sweetener will work in place of the maple syrup. Also, brown sugar is optional, so feel free to leave it out if you want.
- Oat flour substitute – You might be able to get away with using oat flour as a substitute for the almond flour. Start with 1 cup, then add more as needed.
- Ditch the protein – Omit the protein powder if you want this to taste more like classic cookie dough and less like a “protein-y” dessert.
- Add-in ideas – If chocolate chips aren’t your thing, fold in peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips, sprinkles, chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, or almonds), dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, or cherries), or cocoa nibs instead.
How to Make Cottage Cheese Cookie Dough
Step 1: Process the wet ingredients. Add the cottage cheese, maple syrup, and vanilla to a food processor, and pulse until completely smooth.
Step 2: Add dry ingredients. Transfer the wet mixture to a large bowl. Add the almond flour, brown sugar, and protein powder, then use a rubber spatula to stir everything together. Fold in the chocolate chips at the end.
Step 3: Serve or chill. Either enjoy the cookie dough right away or, for the best texture, refrigerate it for 30 minutes. Transfer the cookie dough to a small bowl or portion it into jars, then enjoy!
Erin’s Tips and Tricks
- Is the dough grainy? The cottage cheese likely wasn’t blended long enough. The wet mixture needs to be completely smooth before it’s combined with the dry ingredients.
- Does it taste too sweet? Next time, reduce the maple syrup or skip the brown sugar. Using dark chocolate chips or cocoa nibs instead of milk chocolate can also balance sweetness.
- Chilling the dough for 30 minutes makes a big difference. After chilling, the dough will be firm, more flavorful, and easier to scoop.
My Pro Tip
Adjust the Texture
If the cookie dough is too thick or dry, stir in a small drizzle of maple syrup or milk. Too soft? Add one tablespoon of almond flour at a time until it firms up. Remember, you aren’t baking anything, so there are no strict measurement requirements. Do what feels right!
Edible Cookie Dough FAQs
In this case, yes! This cookie dough recipe is completely safe to eat raw because it doesn’t contain raw eggs or flour.
There are approximately 13 grams of protein per serving, but this could vary depending on the specific ingredients you use.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store the cookie dough in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer: The best way to freeze edible cookie dough is to roll it into bite-sized balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once frozen solid, transfer the balls to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months.
More High-Protein Snacks
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
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Add the cottage cheese, maple syrup and vanilla to your food processor and pulse until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Then, transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.
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To that same bowl, add the almond flour, brown sugar (optional) and protein powder and use a rubber spatula to stir everything together. Last, fold in the chocolate chips.
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Enjoy immediately, or, for optimal texture, place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl or jar and enjoy!
*You MIGHT be able to use oat flour – start with 1 cup and increase as needed until the dough is the correct texture
*Calories are per serving and are an estimation
Calories: 405kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 128mg | Potassium: 71mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 100IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 150mg | Iron: 2mg
