2 Ingredient Healthier Cottage Cheese Chocolate Cookies
These chocolate cookies have a soft, fudgy, brownie-like texture. They are made with just 2 ingredients. No flour, eggs, butter or oil. Cottage cheese makes these cookies a little healthier.
1cup (226g)4% high protein cottage cheese, see note before starting
2cups (305g)60% dark chocolate chips or 63% dark chocolate chips (320g), see note before starting
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Add cottage cheese to a high powered blender and blend until completely smooth. The cottage cheese does not need to be room temperature. I used mine straight from the fridge. You will need to stop your blender a few times and scrape down the sides with a spatula to help the blender blend.
Add chocolate chips to a large microwave-safe mixing bowl. Heat in 15-30 second intervals, stirring in between with a spatula, until chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
Touch the cottage cheese and it should feel cool but not super cold. If it's still very cold you may want to wait a few more minutes. Add cottage cheese to the bowl of melted chocolate and stir with a spatula until the cottage cheese is fully incorporated. The batter should be uniform in color with no streaks of cottage cheese. The batter should also be thick.
Working quickly, use a 1.5 tbsp cookie scoop to scoop the batter and release it onto your prepared baking sheets, spacing cookies 2 inches apart. The batter should be thick enough that it does not spread out once you release it onto the cookie sheet. You do need to work quickly because as the chocolate cools it will continue to thicken and will make it more difficult to scoop.
Place one of the trays of cookies into the fridge for 15 minutes. This will help the cookie dough firm up further to prevent it from spreading out too much when it bakes. After 15 minutes, the dough should feel firm to the touch. If desired, you can press/smooth any little bits/spikes of batter sticking up from each dough ball.
Bake cookies for about 15-17 minutes or until done. When the cookies are done, they should be puffed up and have a crackly surface. While the first set of cookies are baking, place the second sheet into the fridge for 15 minutes to chill. I recommend only baking one baking sheet at a time. (If you try to bake both at once, the bottom sheet usually does not bake as evenly). Let cookies cool completely on baking sheet before removing and serving. This allows them to set and firm up. If you try to remove them while they are still warm, they will fall apart. Once cooled, they should easily come off the parchment paper. Store leftover cookies in the fridge in an airtight container.
Notes
Dark chocolate notes: Make sure to use dark chocolate chips (sometimes labeled bittersweet chocolate chips) that contain around 60% to 63% cocoa. If you use a higher percentage cocoa, your cookies may be too dry and if you use a lower percentage cocoa, your cookies will not set. Also make sure your dark chocolate chips contain lecithin. Avoid brands like Enjoy Life that don't contain any lecithin because that ingredient is needed to help keep the chocolate smooth. Chocolate without lecithin may seize and turn crumbly once it interacts with the cottage cheese. Also avoid using chocolate bars or chocolate chunks. The cookies don't set up well with either. It works best with chocolate chips.
I tested these cookies with 63% Guittard chocolate chips* and 60% Ghiradelli chocolate chips. I prefer using 63% chocolate chips because the cookies have a very rich cocoa flavor. With 60% cocoa, the cookies have a slight tangy aftertaste.
Cottage cheese note: Try to use a high protein 4% cottage cheese, around 13 or 14 grams of protein per 113 grams serving. I used Amazon Grocery cottage cheese.* You can use Good Culture or Nancy's cottage cheese, but the cookies do have a little more tangy flavor.
*These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Sweetness note: The cookies are not very sweet since they are made with bittersweet chocolate. If you prefer sweeter chocolate, these cookies may not be for you.
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.