By After dozens of rounds of testing my recipes and others, I have finally nailed a healthier brownie that is actually better than boxed! These are made with cottage cheese and have double the protein of a standard brownie. They are fudgy, easy to make, and so, so delicious!
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truly better than boxed
- Tested and tested and tested: I don't say the statement above lightly. The key is to underbake them (like any good brownie)!
- Gluten-free: With oat flour, they are totally gluten-free.
- Naturally sweetened: With coconut sugar and Hu chocolate bars, these don't use any processed sugar.
ingredient notes & substitutions
All substitutions are a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted. See the recipe card for quantities.
- Cottage cheese: I like to use small curds that are low in fat because they contain less liquid. However, liquid varies greatly by brand, so if you have excess liquid on top, drain that off so it doesn't make the batter runny. Also, check out our full list of cottage cheese dessert recipes if you enjoy baking with it!
- Eggs: For more protein and to bind the other ingredients.
- Chocolate chips: This recipe uses both melted chocolate chips mixed into the batter and whole unmelted chocolate chips.
- Cocoa powder: We need this, too, because we love chocolate!! Make sure it's unsweetened.
- Coconut sugar: Brown sugar or maple sugar will work here too.
- Oat flour: Try to purchase oat flour (from the baking aisle). You can make it yourself, but it's hard to get a consistent texture this way.
- Baking basics: You'll also need vanilla extract, salt, baking powder, and butter.
- Brewed coffee: The secret to all great chocolate desserts! You don't taste the coffee, it just makes the chocolate taste more chocolately!
here's how to make cottage cheese brownies (with photos & video)
Be sure to scroll to the recipe card for the full high-protein brownie recipe!
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare an 8x8 baking dish by greasing it with butter and dusting with cocoa powder.
- Blend together the cottage cheese with the other wet ingredients.
- Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl (including the melted and unmelted chocolate chips) and then mix in the wet ingredients until fully combined.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until the edges are set, but the center is still soft. We want it to be underbaked!
- Let them chill for 5-10 minutes before digging in!
quick recipe video
expert tips
- Melt the chocolate slowly: Melt it in 30-second increments so it doesn't burn.
- Press the batter: The batter is very thick, so I use a spatula to press the wet ingredients and the oat flour together so it fully absorbs.
how do I know they are done?
When you insert a toothpick in the edges, it should come out clean, but the center will still have some batter on it. This is the perfect amount of underbaked.
storage tips
Here are some helpful tips to store these brownies:
- Fridge: These will last for 1 week in the fridge in an airtight container. They can also be kept at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: These will last for up to 3 months in the freezer.
- Reheating: Reheat them in the microwave or just enjoy them cold. They are best warmed with ice cream!
Recipe
fudgy cottage cheese brownies
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After dozens of rounds of testing my recipes and others, I have finally nailed a healthier brownie that is actually better than boxed! These are made with cottage cheese and have double the protein of a standard brownie. They are fudgy, easy to make, and so, so delicious!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Protein: 7g
Serves:
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Rate
Equipment
- 1 blender
- 1 8x8 baking dish
- 1 large bowl
Ingredients
- ¾ cup cottage cheese (low fat (if there's a lot of liquid, drain this off))
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup chocolate chips (or 2 Hu chocolate bars)
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup coconut sugar ( or maple sugar or brown sugar)
- ¾ cup oat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ cup brewed coffee
- 3 tablespoon melted butter (unsalted or salted is fine)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Before you start!
If you make this recipe, please take a moment to leave us a review. We love to hear from you!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare an 8x8 baking dish by greasing it with butter and dusting with cocoa powder. I used a glass dish and didn't need to do anything. Melt ¼ cup of chocolate chips in 30-second increments in the microwave until they're fully melted (stir in between).
- Blend together the ¾ cup cottage cheese, 2 eggs, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ cup brewed coffee, and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract until all the curds are gone. Then add the melted chocolate, ½ cup coconut sugar, ½ cup cocoa powder and blend until smooth.
- Pour the blended mixture into a large bowl and mix in the ¾ cup oat flour, 3 tablespoon melted butter, and ¼ cup chocolate chips until well combined. It's a thick batter!
- Spread the batter into the 8x8 pan and bake for 25 minutes or until the edges are set and the top is just starting to crack. We want this slightly underbaked for the best texture!! If you insert a toothpick into the center, it will likely still come out with stuff on it, but if you insert it into the side, it should come out clean.
- Once done, remove from the oven. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes before diving in (also very important for gluten-free baking). Then enjoy!
Video
Notes
You can store these brownies at room temperature for up to 5 days in an airtight container. Or freeze for 3 months. Enjoy warm or cold with ice cream or whipped cream.
Looking for more information?
Additional substitution information can be found above in the substitution section of this post.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and for informational purposes only.
Nutrition
Serving: 1square | Calories: 242kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 12g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 18g
Did you try this? We'd love to hear how it went. Please leave a review below! For more protein recipes join our email list!
I can confirm these are super fudgy and moist! If you like a fudgy and dense brownie these are for you!
Can these be made with Gluten free flour?
Yes, a 1:1 gluten free replacement flour!
What is a hu chocolate bar?
It's just a chocolate bar that doesn't use any processed sugar to make it! You can get them at Target or similar. Or just use a regular chocolate bar or chocolate chips.
In the recipe do you mean 2 full Hu bars?
Yup!
For nutritional data, how many squares did you cut the 8x8 brownies into?
It's 9 squares - sorry about that. I've updated the recipe card to reflect this!
Can you substitute cottage cheese with Greek yogurt for similar results?
Full fat would work ok but the texture will be more cakey.
Do you think these could be made with golden monk fruit instead of coconut sugar?
Most definitely!
Oh man, these were great! They were the perfect dessert without the loads of refined sugar and fat. I used Dutch cocoa powder, so they were a nice, deep chocolate flavor. My older kids loved them also,but my young ones didn't care for them because they weren't sweet enough. I may add a tbsp of maple syrup next time to appease the sweet tooth in young children, but they truly were perfect just the way they are!
that's so great to hear!