High Protein Cottage Cheese Cinnamon Rolls (14g per roll)
Made with no protein powder, these cottage cheese protein cinnamon rolls are the best you'll ever have! They are just like your favorite bakery cinnamon rolls, but with less fat and 14 grams of protein. They are fluffy, gooey, and so, so delicious. Get ready to be obsessed!
Servings: 8
Calories: 405kcal
Ingredients
- 2.25 teaspoon active dry yeast or isntant yeast
- ⅓ cup hot water about 110deg, the hot water from your tap is usually perfect
- 3 tablespoon white sugar
- 1 cup egg whites (7-8 eggs)
- 1 cup cottage cheese blended
- 4.33 cups bread flour
- 2 teaspoon salt
cream cheese frosting
- 4 oz whipped cream cheese light, see notes for using regular cream cheese
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ½ cup cottage cheese blended
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
filling
- 2 tbsps salted butter softened
- ½ cup brown sugar or white
- 1.5 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a large stand mixer bowl or other large bowl, stir together the ⅓ cup hot water and 3 tablespoon white sugar with a wooden spoon (this ensures the yeast won’t be killed with a reactive utensil). Sprinkle in the 2.25 teaspoon active dry yeast and gently stir this in. Let this sit (or bloom) for 5 minutes while you move onto the next step. The yeast mixture will start to bubble!If your hot tap water doesn't seem warm enough, you can also heat the water in the microwave for about 40 seconds. We just don't want it scolding hot otherwise it will kill the yeast.
- While the yeast is blooming, blend the 1 cup egg whites, 2 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup cottage cheese in a blender until completely smooth.
- Once the yeast is bubbly (after about 5 minutes), pour in the egg mixture and stir to combine. Then, add the 4.33 cups bread flour and mix (still using a wooden spoon) until a shaggy dough has formed (this means the dough looks a bit uneven and messy - it won't be smooth yet).
- Attach the dough hook to your stand mixer and knead the dough for 3–4 minutes, or knead by hand on a floured surface for 8–10 minutes. The dough is ready when it pulls away from the sides of the bowl or counter and feels elastic, kind of like an earlobe when pinched.
- Lightly oil a clean bowl (or rinse and dry the one you used), then place the dough inside and turn it to coat it with oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise in a warm place for 2 hours or until doubled in size. A great trick is placing the bowl in your oven with the light on. For a slower rise, refrigerate the dough for up to 12 hours—just don’t go beyond that, or it may overproof.
- Once risen, punch the dough down to release the air. Turn it out onto a floured countertop and roll it into a rectangle about 18”x14” and ½” thick. If your dough came from the fridge, let it come to room temperature first—it will be too elastic to roll properly when cold.
- Mix the 1.5 tablespoon ground cinnamon and ½ cup brown sugar in a small bowl. Spread the softened 2 tbsps salted butter evenly over the dough, leaving a ½” border around the edges. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture generously over the butter—use it all!
- Starting from the short end, roll the dough up tightly. Once rolled, position it so the seam is facing down. Use a serrated knife to cut off the ends that aren't even. Score the roll to divide it into 10 even pieces, then slice into 10 rolls, about ½” to 1” thick each. Place them in a greased 9x13” pan or large braiser—these are jumbo rolls!
- Cover the pan with a towel and place the rolls in a warm place for their second rise. Again, I like to put them in the oven with the light on. Let them rise for 30-40 minutes, until puffed and touching. Then take them out of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Once preheated, pop the cinnamon rolls in and bake for 20-25 minutes or until just barely tan. We want them underbaked!! That’s the key to gooey cinnamon rolls.
- While the rolls bake, blend the ½ cup cottage cheese until smooth. Add it to a large bowl with the ¾ cup powdered sugar, 4 oz whipped cream cheese, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 pinch salt and beat with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) until light and fluffy. If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar; if too thick, add a splash of milk. Keep this in the fridge until ready to frost.
- When the rolls come out of the oven, try to let them cool for 5 - 10 minutes before frosting. Or wait to frost until just before serving. Then dig in and enjoy the gooey goodness!
Video
Notes
Top tip! Most people bake their cinnamon rolls to golden brown, but by then, they are overbaked because they keep baking in the pan. So, bake them to light blonde, and then take them out! Underbaked is always best for cinnamon rolls.
Storage:
Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezer: Freeze baked (but unfrosted) rolls for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat before frosting.
Reheating: Microwave individual rolls for 15-30 seconds or warm the whole pan in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes. Add the frosting after reheating or wait until just before serving for the freshest taste.
Substitutions:
- All-purpose flour works fine; they will just not be as soft.
- If using regular cream cheese, it has to come to room temperature to soften before you can mix it into frosting.
Nutrition
Serving: 1roll | Calories: 405kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 8g | Fiber: 1.6g | Sugar: 25g