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I know making ice cream out of cottage cheese might sound very, very strange, but hear me out. It’s smooth, creamy and actually really delicious. The cottage cheese acts as a very neutral base that pairs so well with any toppings or mix-ins of your choice and it’s sweetened with maple syrup to give it a smooth, creamy texture.
The recipe below includes a classic Vanilla Bean ice cream, which I like to use as a base recipe and add other mix-ins. You can use fruits, blended or whole, nut butters, chocolate chips, or anything else you want!
One of my favorite versions is a high protein Cookies and Cream ice cream, which I’ve included below. Simply pulse Oreo cookies a few times in the food processor (or chop by hand) then mix them in.
There’s one very important note to follow when making this recipe. You NEED to stir it every hour until it’s completely frozen, or it will form those unpleasant ice crystals that can be typical of homemade ice creams. As long as you make sure to stir it, you’ll end up with a smooth, creamy ice cream. Just let it soften at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before serving, and it will be easily scoopable.
If you’re skeptical about this recipe, I totally get it. But give it a try. I promise, it will surprise you. Whether you’re trying to eat foods with a shorter, cleaner list of ingredients, eat more protein, or lose weight, this is great and super easy recipe.
4-Ingredient Cottage Cheese Ice Cream (Easy High Protein Recipe)
Equipment
- 1 food processor or blender
- 1 ice cream container or other large container
Ingredients
Vanilla Bean (Base Recipe)
- 2 cups cottage cheese (I use 2%, but any percentage works except fat free)
- ¼ cup maple syrup, or more to taste (see Note 1)
- 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- ¼ cup light cream (I use 5%, but half and half works great too)
Cookies and Cream
- 2 cups cottage cheese
- 3 tbsp maple syrup, or more to taste (see Note 1)
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup light cream
- 6 Oreo cookies, chopped or pulsed into large pieces in the food processor
Instructions
Vanilla Bean
- In a food processor or blender, combine the cottage cheese, maple syrup, vanilla and cream
- Blend for 1 minute or until smooth, fluffy and whipped
- Transfer to a large container and place in the freezer
- After 1 hour, remove from the freezer, stir well then return to the freezer; repeat this process every hour
- Freeze for at least 6 hours, making sure to stir every hour for a total of 6 times (don't skip the stirring because it helps prevent ice crystals and is key to getting a smooth, creamy texture)
- Remove from the freezer 20-30 minutes before serving to make sure it's soft and scoopable
Cookies and Cream
- Chop the Oreo cookies or add them to a food processor and pulse a few times until you have large pieces then remove and set aside
- Combine the cottage cheese, maple syrup, vanilla and cream in the food processor
- Blend for 1 minute or until smooth, fluffy and whipped
- Transfer to a large container and stir in the Oreo pieces
- Cover and place in the freezer
- After 1 hour, remove from the freezer, stir well then return to the freezer; repeat this process every hour
- Freeze for at least 6 hours, making sure to stir every hour for a total of 6 times (don't skip the stirring because it helps prevent ice crystals and is key to getting a smooth, creamy texture)
- Remove from the freezer 20-30 minutes before serving to make sure it's soft and scoopable
Notes
Nutrition
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