My 5 ingredient cottage cheese brownies are fudgy and packed with deep chocolate flavor. They are secretly healthy, too! This recipe is sugar free, gluten free and high in protein. Air fryer method and oven method included.
"These were so easy to make and a lovely fudgy texture. I used a high protein cottage cheese (Piatnica) and that worked well." (Reader comment by Keto Lover)
I wanted to make a quick, easy and high protein brownie recipe. And since I recently created a chocolate protein mousse with cottage cheese, I was pretty sure that brownies with cottage cheese would be equally delicious.
And they are!
Cottage cheese brownies taste divinely rich and chocolatey and have a wonderfully fudgy texture. You'd never guess they are low in carbs and contain no flour, no oats or protein powders.
The hardest thing about these healthy brownies is not eat them all in one go.
Also try my cottage cheese cheesecake.
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What's To Love About This Recipe
Air fryer brownies! This is my first air fryer brownie recipe, and I am super pleased with the result. It's only 2 of us in the house now and I love making smaller portions. This recipe makes 4 generous servings. (Of course, I have also tested an oven version for you.)
Nourishing. This brownie recipe is so healthy you could enjoy it for breakfast. Cottage cheese is naturally high in protein and it makes the brownies fudgy without the need for lots of butter. One brownie contains over 10 grams of protein and only 8.2g fat and 129 calories.
Easy. You only need 5 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep for the recipe.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you'll need:
- Cottage cheese: I used low fat cottage cheese, but full fat would work well, too. It also does not matter whether you use large curd or small curd. It is important though that you discard any liquid before measuring.
- Egg: I used a large egg. We need it to bind the brownie batter.
- Cocoa powder: This should be unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Sweetener: I used a granulated erythritol monk fruit blend, which I powdered in my high speed blender. If carbs are not a concern, feel free to use coconut sugar.
- Peanut butter: I tried the recipe without any fat first. But, it tastes so much richer and better with smooth peanut butter. You can also use almond butter.
- Sea salt: This is optional. It lifts and enhances the flavor. Just a pinch is enough.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Instructions
It is simple to make cottage cheese brownies. Here are the basic steps.
Scroll down to the recipe for the detailed method with timings and nutrition info.
Air Fryer Brownies
STEP 1
Put all ingredients into a food processor. Or, use a large mixing bowl and a handheld electric mixer.
STEP 2
Blend until a smooth, thick batter forms. You may need to stop in between to scrape down the sides with a spatula to incorporate everything.
STEP 3
Fill the batter into an oven-proof pan lined with parchment paper.
STEP 4
Air-fry until the top has set, but the center is still a little jiggly.
STEP 5
Let the brownies come to room temperature and then cool them in the fridge. During this time they will continue to set. Only once they have cooled fully, cut and enjoy.
Oven-Baked Brownies
All steps remain the same, except that you bake the brownies in the oven on the middle shelf. The baking time also increases a little. You can find the timings in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Katrin's Top Tips
#1 Take your time when blending. You don't want any white cottage cheese specks in the brownie batter.
#2 Don't over-bake, whether you bake in the air fryer or in the oven! It is totally fine for the center of the brownies to be jiggly. A toothpick inserted into the middle should come out wet. A toothpick inserted into the side should come out with a few crumbs sticking. The brownies set as they cool and become wonderfully fudgy.
#3 Check on the brownies towards the end of the baking time, especially if you air fry them. Since they are not supposed to rise, there is no risk of them collapsing. Air fryers can differ greatly, and some cook quicker tham others.
Variations
Add-ins: You could add ¼ cup of chocolate chips to the brownie batter, or a handful of crushed pecans or walnuts.
Up the protein: Add 1-2 tablespoon of whey protein powder to the brownie batter for an extra protein boost.
Cakey brownie: This is a very fudgy brownie. If you prefer your bownie more cake-like, add either whey protein to the batter or add 4 tablespoons of almond flour. Option to also add ½ teaspoon of baking powder.
Topping: Melt a tablespoon of peanut butter with a teaspoon of coconut oil and drizzle it onto the brownies before baking.
Using Different Pan Sizes
I used a square 5 x 5 inch pan in this recipe. If you use a larger pan than this, the brownies will bake quicker.
For example, air fryers will fit a round 6x6 inch springform pan (see image below ⬇️). In this larger pan, the brownie batter will be flatter and therefore be done quicker. I recommend reducing the recommended baking time by 5 minutes.
If you choose to make individual cottage cheese brownies in ramekins, the brownies may be done in as little as 12-13 minutes. Be sure to grease the ramekins well before you fill in the brownie batter!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, this cottage cheese brownie recipe does work in the microwave. I do not have a microwave so I could not test exact timings for you. However, I have made many microwave brownies in the past. I recommend to cook these for 90 seconds in 4 individual ramekins or 2 minutes in a single larger container.
Yes. You can double the recipe to make 8 brownies. Bake the brownies in an 8x8 inch or 5 x 9 inch pan in the oven. The oven time will increase by around 3-5 minutes. Cover the top loosely with aluminium foil towards the end to avoid over-browning. I do not recommend making a larger amount in the air fryer.
You can replace the cottage cheese with ricotta. I imagine that full fat Greek yogurt could also work. I have not tried the recipe with any dairy-free cottage cheese alternatives.
No. The egg is necessary to bind the brownies. Egg replacers such as flax or chia do not work well. You would need to change the entire recipe to make egg free cottage cheese brownies.
I love allulose in cake recipes. However, my feeling is that it may not work well in this recipe. The brownies could become too soft. If you do want to use allulose or Bocha Sweet, consider adding 1-2 tablespoons of whey protein or almond flour or 1 tablespoon of coconut flour.
Storage
Cottage cheese brownies stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Don't store them at room temperature - they become too soft.
They also freeze well for up to 3 months. I like to pre-slice them first. This way, I can take out one brownie at a time.
Related Recipes
More Sugar Free Brownie Recipes
More Cottage Cheese Recipes
Tried this recipe? Give it a star rating below!
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Recipe
Cottage Cheese Brownies
Equipment
- Air fryer or oven
Ingredients
- ¾ cup cottage cheese 160g
- 1 egg large
- ½ cup cocoa powder 42g, unsweetened
- ½ cup powdered sweetener 80g
- 2 tablespoon peanut butter 32g, smooth
- pinch of sea salt optional
Instructions
Brownie Batter
- Put all ingredients into a food processor or large mixing bowl. Blend until smooth. Stop in between to scrape down the sides with a spatula as to incorporate everything into a smooth, thick batter.
- Grease a 5x5 inch container and line with parchment paper.
- Fill the brownie batter into the container and smooth the top.
Air Fryer Method
- Preheat the air fryer to 160C / 320F.
- Add the dish with the brownie batter to the air fryer basket and air fry for 19-22 minutes. I baked mine for 21 minutes. ***see recipe notes
Oven Method
- Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F.
- Bake the brownies on the middle shelf for 24-26 minutes. ***see recipe notes
Cooling Time
- Let the brownies cool to room temperature, then chill them in the fridge for 30 minutes. This allows them to set fully. Only then, cut and serve.
Medina Alizade
Hi Katrin, I might have used the Czech cottage cheese which was way too firm, now, realizing that yours was much mire watery
Katrin Nürnberger
Hope you will try again with a different time. It can be really tricky with baking as the consistency of ingredients is always key. I always encourage readers to check out the entire post with all the descriptions in the ingredients section, including the images. Thank you for getting back to me!
Jennifer A. Harroun
Hello All,
I made this recipe this afternoon. I shared it with my family. Don't use allulose/monk fruit. Too much aftertaste. I will try erythritol/monk fruit, maybe. Any other ideas?
Also without doing the peanut butter / coconut oil topping the top of the brownies came off/apart very easily. I wasn't sure where to put them to cool to room temp so I might have moved them too much. I did forget about using a rack underneath. But anyway, interesting recipe. I've been experimenting with making cottage cheese Chocolate pudding.
Katrin Nürnberger
Hi Jennifer, the taste of sweetener varies a lot from brand to brand and also comes down to individual preference. I used a allulose and monk fruit blend once that I ended up throwing away because I did not enjoy the aftertaste. I have never had that experience with pure allulose, having tried several brands. It would be helpful if you shared the brand you used for other readers' benefit.
The brownies firm up as they cool. You need to let them come to room temperature and then cool them in the fridge as described in the recipe. They don't need the peanut butter swirl to hold them together.
Jennifer A Harroun
Hello All.
I used Wholesum Yum brand Monkfruit/Allulose. I haven't noticed this aftertaste until this recipe, and I use this in other recipes like cream cheese pancakes and cottage cheese pudding. Maybe using a lot - a half cup - might be part of the problem, might use less and something else.
Thank you.
Jennifer in AZ
Katrin Nürnberger
Thank you for sharing. Try pure allulose or Bocha Sweet next time you need to buy a bag. Other than that, mixing sweeteners is always a good idea because you will taste less of each type
William Heller
Hi. I haven't tried them yet. Does the cottage cheese need to be drained? I've used Farmer's Cheese because it's drier than American Cottage Cheese and I don't like to strain it. Will the Farmer's Cheese be too dry?
Katrin Nürnberger
I don't know that particular brand. If there is no liquid in the pot, it does not need draining.
Gjeanieg
Hi, Katrin. Thank you for your lovely recipes. My air fryer has a "bake" setting, and an "air fry" setting. Which setting do you use for this recipe? Thanks!
Katrin Nürnberger
I would use the air fry setting.
Amber S Herrick
I made these as written and they are like chocolate pb fudge to us. I used full fat Daisy brand cottage cheese in the US. I used a mixing bowl and an electic mixer and I could not get the cottage cheese to 100% fully blend in. It really is good, and a very small piece is filling. I eat an 8th at a time instead of a quarter as a serving. Thanks for the recipe!