You’d never guess these soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies are made with cottage cheese! It adds moisture so you can use very little butter, and once blended, you can’t taste it at all.
A Happy Baking Accident
These Cottage Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies happened by accident when I was trying to make cottage cheese scones. Tommy took one bite and said, “These taste like chocolate chip cookies,” and he was right! Warm from the oven, they were soft and chewy, and we loved them so much that I turned my happy accident into this lighter chocolate chip cookie recipe made with very little butter.
Unlike most of my healthy dessert recipes, these cookies are definitely best eaten warm, shortly after baking. I didn’t care for the texture as much once they were cold or leftover. If you’re baking for one or two, divide the dough into portions and freeze the extras. Then bake only what you need whenever you want a warm afternoon snack or something sweet.
Why You’ll Love These Cottage Cheese Cookies
Over the years, I’ve made chocolate chip cookies with pumpkin, applesauce, and oats, but this cottage cheese version is completely different. They’re best eaten warm from the oven, when the centers are soft and chewy and the chocolate is still melty.
- A happy accident: I was trying to make cottage cheese scones, but Tommy thought they tasted like chocolate chip cookies. He was right!
- Soft and chewy: They’re especially delicious warm from the oven, when the chocolate is still melty.
- Very little butter: Cottage cheese adds moisture, so you only need a small amount of butter.
- You can’t taste the cottage cheese: It disappears into the dough with no noticeable cottage cheese flavor.
- Bake only what you need: Portion and freeze the dough so you can bake a few fresh cookies at a time.
- Perfect for baking a few at a time: Since these cookies taste best warm from the oven, freeze the shaped dough and bake only what you plan to eat. No thawing needed!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are all the ingredients for this simple cottage cheese chocolate chip cookie recipe. See the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Self-rising flour is all-purpose flour with baking powder, baking soda, and salt already included, so you don’t have to add them separately. I use King Arthur’s.
- Sweetener: You can use granulated sugar, or, to make this dessert even lighter, opt for monk fruit sweet
- ener, which has zero calories and is combined with Allulose.
- Frozen butter prevents the cookies from spreading too much. I keep a stick in my freezer, it’s easier to grate.
- Cottage cheese: I like Good Culture’s small curd 2% cottage cheese. It adds protein and moisture to these healthy chocolate chip cookies.
- Milk also adds moisture if the dough is too dry. You’ll need a little extra to brush on top to help them brown.
- Vanilla extract for flavor
- Chocolate chips: I like the sugar-free chocolate chips from Lakanto or Lily, but regular ones will work, too.
How to Make Cottage Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies
To make this easy cottage cheese cookie recipe, just mix the wet and dry ingredients together and bake. You don’t even have to blend the cottage cheese. Once it’s mixed with everything else, you won’t even notice it. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Add the flour and sugar to a large bowl. Then, use the large holes of a cheese grater to grate the frozen butter into the bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients: Gently stir in the cottage cheese, milk, and vanilla with a fork. Then fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.
- Divide the dough into 8 balls and place them on a sheet pan lined with a silicone mat. If you don’t have one, use parchment paper instead. Use the back of a fork to flatten the balls into circles. Brush the tops with milk, then sprinkle with more monk fruit or sugar.
- Bake the chocolate chip cookies at 400°F for 14 to 16 minutes. Remove them and let them cool for a few minutes before eating.
What Does Cottage Cheese Do in Cookies?
Cottage cheese adds moisture to these cookies, which allows you to use very little butter. Once blended, it disappears into the dough, so there are no curds and you can’t taste it. If you have some left in the container, try one of my other favorite cottage cheese recipes, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner ideas.
Tips for Soft and Chewy Cookies
- Don’t overmix the dough. Mix just until the dry ingredients are incorporated, then gently fold in the chocolate chips. Overmixing can develop too much gluten and make the cookies dense or tough.
- Save some chocolate chips for the tops. I like to reserve a few tablespoons of chocolate chips and gently press them into the tops of the cookies before baking. This gives them that bakery-style look with plenty of visible, melty chocolate.
- Flatten and finish the cookies. Since the cold-butter dough doesn’t spread much, gently flatten each cookie with the bottom of a measuring cup. Press the reserved chocolate chips into the tops before baking so the cookies bake evenly and look prettier.
- Don’t overbake. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly golden and the centers still look soft. Check them early if your oven runs hot. Let them rest on the sheet pan for a few minutes before eating.
Variations
- Make your own self-rising flour. Combine 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour with 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, and ½ tablespoon baking powder.
- Chocolate options: Swap chocolate chips for M&Ms, white chocolate chips, or chopped peanut butter cups.
- Nuts: Add toasted pecans or walnuts for crunch.
- Sea Salt: Finish with a little sea salt after they come out of the oven.
How to Freeze Cottage Cheese Cookie Dough
These cottage cheese cookies are best eaten warm from the oven, when they’re soft and chewy and the chocolate is still melty. I didn’t enjoy the texture once they cooled, and reheating didn’t bring it back, so bake only as many as you plan to eat right away.
- Freeze the dough: Shape the dough into individual cookies and freeze on a parchment-lined baking sheet until firm. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Bake from frozen: Place the frozen dough on a baking sheet, lightly flatten each cookie, and bake directly from frozen, adding a few extra minutes as needed.
More Healthy Cookie Recipes You’ll Love
Satisfy your sweet tooth with one of these easy cookie recipes!
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Almond Butter Cookies (3-Ingredients)
- Oatmeal Raisin Walnut Cookies
- Fudgy Flourless Crinkle Brownie Cookies with Sea Salt
- Protein Cookies with Chocolate Chips
Cottage Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup self rising flour, King Arthur*
- 2 tablespoons monk fruit sweetener, or sugar, plus optional more for topping
- 2 tablespoons frozen butter, ¼ stick
- 1 cup small curd 2% cottage cheese, I prefer Good Culture
- 2 tablespoons 0% milk, plus a little more for brushing on top
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup sugar-free chocolate chips, such as Lily's
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F°. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or silicone mat for best results.
- In a large bowl, mix flour and sugar.
- Using the large holes of a cheese grater, grate the frozen butter into the flour. Add the cottage cheese, milk and vanilla.
- Using a fork, slowly stir in the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, until all the mixture is moistened. The dough will be sticky but should come together. Do not over-work the dough. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Divide into 8 rough balls without rolling too much or over-working the dough and place on the prepared baking sheet. Use the back of a fork to gently flatten into round cookies. Brush with milk, if desired and sprinkle a little more monk fruit/sugar on top.
- Bake in the center rack 14 to 16 minutes, until golden in color. Remove and let them rest 10 minutes before eating.
Last Step:
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- 1 cups unbleached flour
- 1/8 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tbsp baking powder