Cottage Cheese Cookie Dough Bars
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These Cottage Cheese Cookie Dough Bars are high protein, gluten free, and refined sugar free!
They’re got that melt-in-your-mouth cookie dough texture, with a smooth chocolate ganache coating, and festive (naturally colored) Christmas candies to top!
Don’t they just scream Christmas time!?
We’re surrounded by plenty of sugar filled Christmas cookies this time of year, so it’s nice to break it up with a nourishing sweet treat!
Why You’ll Love These Cottage Cheese Cookie Dough Bars
- They’re gluten free, refined sugar free, and dye-free
- They’re protein packed
- The texture just melts in your mouth with every bite
- They’re festive and a fun and tasty way to break it up from the sugary Christmas cookies!
Ingredients
- 1 cup cottage cheese – 4% works best here
- 1/4 cup cashew butter – brings out that cookie dough taste. You can use peanut butter (I love half peanut butter and half cashew butter!)
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup vanilla protein powder – You must like the taste of your protein powder here. Just Ingredients is hands down my favorite! Clean ingredients and taste amazing. Code colleenF10 saves you sitewide
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup dye free chocolate gems and/or chocolate chips – I used a mix of Lakanto of Unreal Snacks (because no dye-free brand I’ve found carries both red and green!)
Ganache
- 6 tbsp creamy peanut butter
- 4 tbsp dark chocolate chips
- You can also make a chocolate ganache with a combination of 6 tbsp dark chocolate melted, then mixed with 3 tbsp coconut cream (just the thick part)
How to Make Cottage Cheese Cookie Dough Bars
- Process all ingredients together, minus add-ins, until smooth, scraping the sides as needed
- Once fully blended stir in your chocolate chips, sprinkles, and/or colorful gems
- Spray a silicone spatula with nonstick spray to remove remove from processor and press down into 9×5 loaf tin lined with parchment paper
- Place in the freezer while you prepare ganache
- Melt your chocolate and peanut butter together in 30 second intervals until smooth
- Pour overtop cookie dough, and optionally, top with more crushed colorful gems
- Freeze for 3 hours, slice and enjoy!
- Keep leftovers stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freezer for up to 3 months
I love how easy it to just add all of the filling ingredients to a blender, mix, and press into the tin!
Full permission to lick the spoon, too!
Variations for Dietary Preferences
- Cottage Cheese– the recipe should work with yogurt / vegan yogurt as long as it’s thick, full fat, and not runny/watery (drain excess liquid just to be safe)
- Cashew butter – can sub any butter
- Pure maple syrup – can use honey or medjool date syrup
- Vanilla protein powder – feel free to keep it vegan with a plant based protein. If wanting to leave it out you can sub for oat flour
- Almond flour – the recipe should work with oat flour also. Adjust as needed. If the dough seems too dry simply add a bit more wet (maple syrup, more cottage cheese, or cashew butter)
- Ganache– if not wanting the peanut butter you can do 6 tbsp dark chocolate to 3 tbsp coconut cream. Melt your chocolate first, then add your coconut cream just until smooth (don’t overmix) and quickly pour overtop cookie dough
If you make these Cottage Cheese Cookie Dough Bars I’d love to your thoughts! Or tag me on social media so I can see your creations!
Ingredients
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1/4 cup cashew butter
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup vanilla protein powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup dye free chocolate gems and/or chocolate chips
Ganache
- 6 tbsp creamy peanut butter
- 4 tbsp dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Process all ingredients together, minus add-ins, until smooth, scraping the sides as needed
- Once fully blended stir in your chocolate chips, sprinkles, and/or colorful gems
- Spray a silicone spatula with nonstick spray to remove remove from processor and press down into 9×5 loaf tin lined with parchment paper
- Place in the freezer while you prepare ganache
- Melt your chocolate and peanut butter together in 30 second intervals until smooth
- Pour overtop cookie dough, and optionally, top with more crushed colorful gems
- Freeze for 3 hours, slice and enjoy!
- Keep leftovers stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freezer for up to 3 months
Video
Notes
if you’re looking for a substitution please scroll up a tad until you see the box “variations for dietary preferences”
Can you use chocolate protein powder instead of vanilla?
Yes you can. You may want to add an additional tbsp of cocoa powder too to really bring out the chocolate flavor!
These bars seem like a great way to enjoy cookie dough flavor without the guilt. Using cottage cheese is a clever twist for added protein!