My cottage cheese banana bread has a super soft crumb and tons of sweet banana flavor. The cottage cheese makes the bread extra moist and adds protein, while coconut flour keeps the bread gluten free and low carb with only 7.3g net carbs per slice.
Banana bread is the ultimate comfort food for breakfast or snacktime. It's also the very best way to use up those overripe bananas lingering in your fruit bowl.
I'll admit that I have a teeny-tiny banana bread obsession - after the coconut flour banana bread, the protein banana bread and the keto banana bread, this is the 4th banana bread recipe landing on Sugar Free Londoner.
This recipe uses MORE banana than the others, so you get plenty of that delicious, naturally sweet banana flavor. Yet, it can still fit into a low carb diet.
The cottage cheese is my secret ingredient for that wonderfully tender texture. And don't worry, you won't taste or find any curds in the finished bread!
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Katrin's Recipe Highlights
Super moist. The combination of cottage cheese, banana and olive oil makes this banana bread extra soft and tender. No dry, crumbly slices here!
Packed with banana flavor. I use 3 ripe bananas for a lovely, fruity flavor. It's quite a taste sensation, really! Cinnamon and cardamom add a warming touch.
Low carb and gluten free. Thanks to coconut flour and a sugar free sweetener, each slice has just 7.3g net carbs. No regular flour or added sugar needed.
Easy to make. The batter comes together in a food processor or blender in minutes. Baking beginners, this one is for you!
Ingredients
Here is what you need to know about the ingredients. (See the recipe card for exact amounts.)
- Bananas - Very ripe bananas are best for banana bread, because they are sweeter. The peel should have brown speckles. You'll need 3 medium bananas, or 340g peeled bananas (I didn't photograph my third banana because it did not look pretty enough on the outside, lol 😉). I mashed them first so they blend more quickly in my food processor. If you use a high speed blender, chopping them is fine.
- Cottage Cheese - Keeps the crumb moist and tender without making the loaf heavy. I tested the recipe with both 6% and 0% cottage cheese. Both worked well, but the 6% version tasted richer. Drain any liquid (whey) to prevent the bread from turning soggy. The cottage cheese gets blended until smooth, so for all of you who don't like cottage cheese curds - there won't be any!
- Eggs - I use large eggs. They give structure to the bread and bind the ingredients. Make sure they are room temperature, that makes them easier to whip until light and frothy.
- Coconut Flour - This gluten-free flour has a mild coconut flavor that goes so well with banana. It is also low in carbs. Coconut flour absorbs a lot of moisture so a little goes a long way. If possible, measure with kitchen scales so you don't accidentally use too much.
- Olive Oil - Adds moisture and richness, which is necessary because coconut flour is quite dry. I'm using a mild, light olive oil instead of butter to keep the saturated fat content low at only 2.5 grams per slice.
- Allulose - This is a zero carb sweetener that has 70% of the sweetness of sugar. You could replace this with your sugar free sweetener of choice, but you may need to adjust the amount depending on its sweetness. See the recipe notes for details.
- Baking Powder - For a lighter crumb.
- For flavor: Cinnamon, cardamom and vanilla extract (not pictured) add warmth and wonderful aroma.
I also stirred ½ cup crushed pecans into the batter and scattered more on top. This is optional, but I think it adds a nice crunch. You could use walnuts as well, or sugar free chocolate chips for a naughty version!
Instructions
It is simple to make a moist cottage cheese banana bread. Here are the basic steps.
Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed method with ingredient amounts, timings and nutrition information.
Preparations:
Oven. We start by preheating the oven to 170C / 340F. I use a slightly lower temperature than in my regular baking here because of the allulose. This sweetener browns faster than other sugar alternatives. At 340F, the banana bread turns nice and golden and does not over-brown.
Pan. I recommend a 9x5 inch rectangular baking pan. Line it with parchment paper so the banana bread won't stick and you can lift it out easily.
STEP 1: Blend the eggs for about 2 minutes until they are pale, frothy and double in volume.
STEP 2: Add the remaining wet ingredients and blend until smooth. That's the mashed banana, cottage cheese, olive oil and vanilla.
STEP 3: Add the dry ingredients (coconut flour, sweetener, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom) and continue blending until well-combined.
STEP 4: Stir in any optional add-ins such as crushed pecans or walnuts or sugar free chocolate chips.
STEP 5: Fill the batter into the prepared loaf pan and top with more crushed pecans.
STEP 6: Bake for 60-70 minutes or until golden on top, firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Katrin's Top Tips
#1 Frothy eggs. Blending the eggs until they are double in volume incorporates air into the batter. This creates a lighter texture.
#2 Cover with foil. Check the bread during baking and cover it once the top has browned enough. I covered mine with aluminium foil after 40 minutes for the remainder of the oven time. This stops the banana bread from becoming too dark. Essential if you use allulose.
#3 Patience. Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes. It's quite fragile when hot and firms up as it cools. Then, lift it out in the parchment paper and let it come to room temperature on a cooling rack. This way, the bottom won't go soggy.
How To Serve
The great thing about banana bread with cottage cheese is that it tastes perfect all on its own - no extras needed. Of course, you could push the boat out and spread it with butter, peanut butter or with a dollop of regular or blended cottage cheese.
One thing I love to do is to gently warm it before eating. It makes the crumb extra soft and tender. You can do this in the toaster (use a very low setting) or zap it in the microwave for 10 seconds.
Substitutions
Coconut flour: I don't recommend replacing the coconut flour with another flour in this recipe. It absorbs considerably more liquid than almond flour, oat flour or regular wheat flour, so you would need to adjust the flour quantity as well as other ingredients.
Sweetener: If you prefer a 1:1 substitute such as an erythritol blend with monk fruit, reduce the amount to ¼ cup (50g). If using another sweetener, check the manufacturer's conversion recommendations and adjust to taste. Other sweeteners may brown less than allulose, so covering the bread with foil might not be necessary.
FAQs
No, you can't taste the cottage cheese! It gets blended into the batter until completely smooth. The finished bread tastes of sweet banana, cinnamon and cardamom, without any cottage cheese flavor or texture.
This banana bread is naturally moist, but it should not be wet or gummy. Make sure you drain the cottage cheese well and measure the coconut flour accurately. Bake until the centre is set and a skewer comes out clean. Also, let it cool before cutting.
You can use a large mixing bowl and a handheld electric mixer. Blend the cottage cheese with the olive oil and/or the banana until smooth in a separate bowl before combining the ingredients as per recipe. A few small curd pieces may remain in the batter.
Storage
Fridge: Store the banana bread in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer: You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. I pre-slice it and layer parchment paper between the slices so they don't stick together. That way, I can take out one slice at a time.
More Cottage Cheese Recipes
I love baking with cottage cheese! It's such a versatile ingredient and works beautifully in both sweet and savory recipes. Here are a few more of my favorites:
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Recipe
Cottage Cheese Banana Bread
Equipment
- 9x5 rectangular loaf pan
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1.5 cup mashed banana very ripe, 3 medium bananas, 340g
- ½ cup cottage cheese 120g, drain any liquid first
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- ⅓ cup olive oil 75g
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- ⅔ cup coconut flour 80g
- ⅓ cup allulose 67g, or use ¼ cup / 50g for a 1:1 sugar substitute ***see notes
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cardamom
Optional Add-ins and Toppings
- ½ cup chopped pecans, walnuts or chocolate chips plus more for the top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170C / 340F. Line a 9x5 rectangular loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Blend the eggs until pale, frothy and double in volume. This takes 2 minutes. I used a food processor, but a blender also works.
- Add the remaining wet ingredients and blend until smooth. That's the mashed banana, cottage cheese, olive oil and vanilla.
- Now add the dry ingredients (coconut flour, sweetener, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom) and continue blending until well-combined.
- Last, stir in any optional add-ins such as crushed pecans or walnuts or sugar free chocolate chips. Fill the batter into the prepared loaf pan and top with more nuts or chocolate chips, if using.
- Bake on a middle shelf for 60-70 minutes (I baked for 65) or until golden on top and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cover the bread with aluminium foil after 40 minutes once it has browned enough to prevent it from getting too dark.
- Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then, lift it out by the parchment paper and let it come to room temperature on a wire rack.
Gina L
Can you substitute coconut oil for the olive oil?
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes, that should work as well. Coconut oil is solid at room temperature, just like butter. It may make the bread a little firmer.