This protein ice cream made with cottage cheese is the creamiest, dreamiest dessert for the summer. With only 3 ingredients, it's healthy, balanced and simple!
Who would have thought that cottage cheese would make its comeback in 2023? Honestly, I'm not mad about it. Say what you'd like about cottage cheese, but it's truly a winner in my books! Similar to Greek yogurt, it has a thick, creamy texture and can be enjoyed sweet or savoury. It's also high in protein, making it the perfect secret ingredient in my protein ice cream. And for those of you who want to hop on the cottage cheese train but can't get over the curd texture, this recipe is for you!
This protein ice cream recipe is going to be a go-to this summer because it's just so simple. With only 3 basic ingredients, all it takes is 5 minutes of prep and you've got yourself the best healthy snack or dessert. Creamy, cooling and refreshing, I already know I'll be making this ice cream for all my friends and family as we enter the summer!
Ingredients
- Cottage cheese (I used 2%)
- Fruit of choice
- Honey
Optional:
- Vanilla extract
- Bananas
Instructions
In a high powered blender or food processor, add all ingredients.
Blend until smooth.
Once smooth, pour the cottage cheese mixture into a freezer friendly container with a lid. Cover and freeze for at least 4 hours or until frozen.
Run an ice cream scoop under warm water to help scoop out your ice cream and enjoy!
Substitutions and Variations
This cottage cheese ice cream can be customized any way you like, so dream up some fun flavors! The easiest way to switch it up is by using different fruits. This is also a great opportunity to enjoy seasonal produce, so enjoy all the berries as we enter summer! Here are some other fun ideas to mix it up:
- Blueberry Lemon: Use blueberries and add lemon zest.
- Strawberry Cheesecake: Use strawberries and graham cracker crumbles. Bonus points if you swirl in some strawberry chia jam!
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana: Use banana and swirl in peanut butter. Finish with chocolate chips or chopped candy bars (if you want to get fancy!).
- Chocolate Magic Shell: Melt some chocolate chips with a teaspoon of coconut oil, then pour on your ice cream before it goes into the freezer. Once it sets, you'll have the most delicious chocolate shell to crack!
- Caramel: Swirl in my vegan caramel for a super decadent treat.
- Cookie Dough: If you love your chunky mix-ins, add some cookie dough bites.
Equipment
Storage
This protein ice cream can be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Top Tip
I typically choose a higher fat cottage cheese for the creamiest texture. Using a low fat or fat-free option works too, but the texture will be icier and not as similar to traditional ice cream.
To avoid your protein ice cream from getting too hard, I recommend stirring every hour until the cottage cheese is frozen to your desired preference. You could just let it freeze until solid, but it will be a lot harder to scoop. Traditional ice cream is usually churned to distribute the air and other ingredients, so stirring often helps imitate this process.
Frequently Asked Questions
If left in the freezer for an extended period of time, the cottage cheese will fully solidify (similar to ice cubes) as it doesn’t have the same fat content as typical ice cream. So if you are not eating your ice cream in one sitting (or you forgot your cottage cheese mixture in the freezer for too long), simply place your container in the microwave and use the defrost setting in increments of 1 minute and 30 seconds until soft enough to scoop.
Absolutely. The mixture will be a bit harder to blend so if your food processor or blender is struggling, you may need to add 1-2 tablespoon of milk.
This protein ice cream won’t taste like a classic full fat ice cream and it isn’t trying to! It does taste like a creamy, fruity, sweet frozen treat however I wouldn’t say it tastes EXACTLY like ice cream. It’s just a fun way to add a little extra protein to your diet- who doesn't love a frozen dessert?
I find the thing the majority of people don’t like when it comes to cottage cheese is the texture. By blending up the cottage cheese into a smooth consistency you don’t notice the texture at all and it will take the flavour of whatever fruit you add. If you want to give cottage cheese a shot, I think this recipe is perfect!
More Healthy Dessert Recipes
If you liked this cottage cheese ice cream, here are some more healthy desserts you might like:
- Greek Yogurt Cheesecake Dip
- Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Oreo Protein Shake
- Vegan Mango Soft Serve
PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make this protein ice cream, don't forget to snap a photo and tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it!
📖 Recipe
High Protein Ice Cream (Cottage Cheese Ice Cream)
Ingredients
- 2 cups 2% cottage cheese 500g container
- 1 cup fruit of choice
- 1-3 tablespoon honey depending on sweetness preference
Optional:
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1.5 medium bananas for a creamier texture
Instructions
- In a high powered blender or food processor, add all ingredients and blend until smooth.
- Once smooth, pour the cottage cheese mixture into a freezer friendly container with a lid. Cover and freeze for at least 4 hours or until frozen.
- Run an ice cream scoop under warm water to help scoop out your ice cream and enjoy!
Teresa S. says
I really wanted to love this but the taste and texture was off. My daughter who loves cottage cheese and eating healthy didn’t even like it. Too bad because it could be a great high protein treat.
Nicole Addison says
Hi Teresa, Im sorry this one wasn't a hit! It's definitely not going to be as creamy as a traditional cream based ice cream but I always recommend allowing it to defrost for a little before enjoying (and topping with a bit of whipped cream)! Hopefully this helps!
Susan says
I guess I'm the odd-man-out on this "ice cream". I used full fat Daisy cottage cheese, banana, frozen strawberries, 3 TBS honey, and vanilla. It definitely got smooth and creamy but frankly, it tasted like sweetened cottage cheese to me. That said, I really love cottage cheese and eat it several times a week for desert with just a bit of Aleesi white basalmic reduction or sometimes fruit. So for all the trouble (I am NOT) a neat person in the kitchen!!) I think I'll stick with that. In the meantime, I think I'll chop remaining strawberries in some added sugar and top my next serving with that.
I'm also wondering what it might taste like if I subbed in a bit of sweetened condensed milk in place of honey? Now I'm talkin'! LOL