2 Ingredient Healthier Cottage Cheese Candy Bars
These chocolate candy bars have a rich, smooth, creamy filling. You can't tell it's made with cottage cheese! The bars don't require any special molds or tools and you only need 2 ingredients to make them.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226g) 4% cottage cheese, brought to room temperature
- 3 1/2 cups (578g) dark chocolate chips 60% cocoa, divided , see note before starting
Instructions
- Line an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal later.
- Add cottage cheese to a blender and blend until completely smooth. You will need to stop and scrape the sides a few times to help the blender blend the cheese. You want to make sure it is fully smooth with no little curds remaining.You can add a little water to help the blender blend the cottage cheese until fully smooth. Make sure your cottage cheese is room temperature before using. If the cottage cheese is cold, it will cause the melted chocolate to seize.
- Add 1.5 cups (248 grams) of chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl. Heat in 30 second increments, stirring in between with a spatula, until it’s completely smooth and melted (mine took between 1.5-2 minutes total). While the chocolate is still hot, add it into the blender. Blend until chocolate is fully incorporated. Stop and scrape the sides of your blender as needed. I recommend starting on low speed and once the chocolate is incorporated, blend on higher speed for a few seconds just to make sure the cottage cheese is fully blended.
- Working quickly, transfer the mixture to your lined loaf pan and spread it evenly across. You do want to work quickly because as the chocolate cools, the mixture starts to thicken and set, which will make it difficult to spread evenly.
- Place the pan in the fridge for 2-3 hours, until the mixture is firm enough to cut.
- Cut into approximate 1 x 1 inch squares with a sharp knife. Add squares to a parchment lined baking sheet and place in the freezer to firm up a little more, about 15-20 minutes.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the remaining 2 cups of chocolate chips in 30-second intervals, stirring with a spatula in between, until chocolate is smooth and melted (this should take around 2 minutes total). Optional step: If your melted chocolate is too thick for dipping/coating easily, you can add a 1-3 tsp melted coconut oil to thin it out. If using, add 1 tsp at a time, stirring it in, until the chocolate reaches your desired consistency.
- Using your favorite dipping tool (spoon, fork, etc), dip each square into the melted chocolate, ensuring it is fully coated. Let any excess chocolate drip off before placing the square back on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Try to wipe or break off any excess chocolate that will pool a little at the bottom of each chocolate bar. If desired, add thin chocolate drizzles on top of each chocolate bar for decoration. You can also garnish with coarse salt.
- Place candy bars back into the fridge until the chocolate coating is set. The candy bars are then ready to serve. Store any uneaten candy bars in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Notes
- Dark chocolate note: This filling should be made with dark chocolate chips that contain around 60% cocoa. If it is less than 60%, the filling may not set well and the tangy flavor of the cottage cheese is more noticeable. I used Ghiradelli chocolate chips* (Ghiradelli chips contain refined sugar; if you need the candy to be without refined sugars, use a chocolate sweetened with unrefined sugar). I've also tested this with Hu dark chocolate* (sweetened with unrefined coconut sugar.)
- Cottage cheese note: Try to use a cottage cheese brand that blends easily, so that you don't end up with little pieces of cottage cheese in your filling. I've had difficulty blending high-protein cottage cheese brands like Good Culture. I used Amazon Grocery cottage cheese* for this recipe.
- *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
- Candy Sweetness Note: Please note that these candy bars are not as sweet as classic candy bars since they are made with bittersweet dark chocolate. If you prefer sweeter, you can coat the bars with melted white or milk chocolate. Just make sure to still use dark chocolate for the filling.
- Estimated nutrition assumes 2 1/2 cups of chocolate is used because not all of the chocolate ends up on the candy bars.
Serving: 1bar, Calories: 115kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Sodium: 37mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 8g, NET CARBS: 10
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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