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GET IT NOWThese Cottage Cheese Muffins Are My New Favorite High Protein Breakfast
I first made these cottage cheese muffins when I wanted something with both protein and veggies that my kids would be excited to eat for breakfast before school. And they did, for weeks. I kept testing more batches to make them tall and airy, but after 6 attempts, that’s just not what they are. And I decided that’s a beautiful thing, because I love this cottage cheese muffins recipe in its own way — and so do my girls. Here’s why:
- Fluffy texture with a cheesy flavor – The texture is soft and rich, like a cross between a muffin and a souffle. You can taste a little egg, but they aren’t as eggy as my egg muffins. And unlike most almond flour recipes, you can’t taste the almond flour at all, which my daughter loves.
- High in protein – Each muffin packs over 10 grams, and you can easily enjoy two for a high-protein meal. Perfect for a healthy breakfast or high protein snack!
- Savory instead of sweet – I have plenty of sweet muffin recipes, like my healthy breakfast muffins and almond muffins, but this recipe is a nice change from that.
- Kid approved – My kids are obsessed with these cottage cheese egg muffins, and I love that they’re getting extra protein and veggies in every bite.
If you’re like me and want a high-protein breakfast that fits into “busy mom” life, grab your muffin tin and make these cottage cheese muffins with me!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my cottage cheese muffins recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Cottage Cheese – I prefer 2% cottage cheese, but have also made this recipe with 1%. Feel free to use whole milk cottage cheese if you prefer. With any kind, drain any extra liquid.
- Flours – A combination of einkorn flour and almond flour gave me the best texture in my tests. (It’s the same mix I recently used for my cottage cheese pancakes!) Einkorn is an ancient grain with a slightly nutty flavor, a lighter feel, and gluten that’s easier for some people (like me) to digest than modern wheat. It’s not gluten-free, though, so if you need that, you can replace it with more almond flour or your favorite gluten-free blend.
- Zucchini – My secret ingredient to make the muffins moist and add a little veggie boost.
- Eggs – I don’t recommend using egg substitutes in this recipe, since the eggs are what give these cottage cheese muffins their soft, souffle-like texture. Let them come to room temperature before mixing.
- Shredded Cheese – I love the mix of melty cheeses in a Mexican blend. You can also use cheddar, mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or even pepper jack.
- Baking Powder (for lift) & Sea Salt (for flavor)
How To Make Cottage Cheese Muffins
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Shred the zucchini. Use a food processor with a grating attachment (I have this one, shown below), then transfer it to a large bowl. You don’t need to clean the processor before the next step. You can also use a regular box grater and then just use a blender for the other steps.
- Blend the wet ingredients. Switch to the knife blade and blend the cottage cheese and eggs, until smooth and creamy.
- Mix in the dry ingredients. Add the flours, baking powder, and salt, and blend again, scraping the sides as needed.
- Combine the zucchini, dough, and cheese. Transfer the batter (which will be thick, more like a dough!) into the bowl with the zucchini. Add the shredded cheese and fold together until evenly mixed.
- Fill the muffin cups. Scoop the batter into the lined muffin tin, filling each cup almost to the top.
- Bake. Pop the cottage cheese muffins in the oven, until they’re golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. I let them rest for a few minutes before removing from the pan.
My Recipe Tips
- No need to drain or squeeze the shredded zucchini. The moisture actually helps create that soft, souffle-like texture, and it saves time too, which is always a win in my book. However, I do pat dry with a paper towel if it looks noticeably wet.
- Can you skip muffin liners? You can if your pan has a good nonstick surface like the muffin tin I use, but I still prefer to use natural parchment liners because cleanup is so much easier. I also like using these silicone liners sometimes since they’re reusable and have little tabs that make it easy to lift the muffins out.
- Fill each muffin cup almost to the top. I use this large cookie scoop to help disperse the batter evenly.
- To prevent sinking too much, make sure the cottage cheese muffins are baked through and remove them from the pan at just the right time. I’ve found they sink the least when I let them cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before removing. Any longer causes sinking, and so does removing them too soon. I even tested a water bath, which helps with my sausage egg muffins, but it didn’t make a difference here.
- Aside from the toothpick test, check that the internal temperature reaches around 205 to 210 degrees F. This is another marker that helps reduce sinking. I use this thermometer that reads super fast.
- Sometimes I pre-mix the dry ingredients in advance. I recommend shredding the zucchini fresh, though, because it gets watery if it sits too long. I wouldn’t mix the wet and dry ingredients ahead of time either, since the baking powder will start reacting and lose its lift.
- Want even more protein? You can add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of protein powder together with the dry ingredients if you like.
Cottage Cheese Muffins (High Protein)
My cottage cheese muffins are fluffy, cheesy, packed with protein, and even have a secret hidden veggie. An easy, healthy breakfast or snack!
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C). Line 10 cups of a muffin tin with parchment paper liners.
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Using a food processor with a grating attachment, shred the zucchini. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside. (You don't have to clean the food processor.)
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Change the food processor attachment to the knife blade (S blade). Add the cottage cheese and eggs to the food processor. Blend until smooth.
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Add the einkorn flour, almond flour, baking powder, and sea salt. Blend again until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
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Scoop the batter from the food processor into the bowl with the zucchini. Add the shredded cheese. Fold together until uniform.
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Use a large cookie scoop to transfer the batter to the lined muffin cups, dividing evenly. They should be almost full.
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Bake the cottage cheese muffins for 25-30 minutes, until golden on top and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
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Remove the muffins from the oven. Cool for 5-10 minutes, then remove from the pan. Enjoy warm, or cool completely to set the texture more.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 muffin
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the best fluffy texture, keep them from sinking, and make the baking process easier and more fun.
- Storage: Keep the muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days once they’ve cooled. I don’t recommend storing them on the counter since they contain cottage cheese and zucchini, which can spoil at room temperature.
- Meal prep: These cottage cheese muffins are perfect for meal prep. Bake a batch at the start of the week and store them in the fridge, so breakfast is ready to go.
- Reheat: Warm in the microwave for about 30-45 seconds, or in the oven or toaster oven until hot.
- Freeze: Place cooled muffins in a freezer-safe container or zip lock bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. They taste better thawed in the fridge overnight before heating, but you can reheat straight from frozen in a pinch.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Cottage Cheese Muffins
8 Comments
Jill
1I do not have celiac, so can I use regular flour?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Jill, Einkorn flour is not gluten free, but yes, you can use regular white flour instead of it if you prefer.
Heidi
0Have you used Bobs 1 to 1 flour for a gluten free muffin?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Heidi, I have not. Please let me know how it turns out if you try.
Chris
0Can I use all flour or does almond flour have to be used?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Chris, Yes, you can probably use all einkorn flour if you like, but the muffins will turn out a little different. Please let me know how it goes!
Janice Brooks Faugas
0Hi, thanks for this recipe, I’m interested in trying recipes with einkorn flour.
You mention tapioca flour in the instructions, but it’s not listed in the ingredients. An oversight? Thank you, and Happy New Year to you and your family.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Happy new year, Janice! Thanks for catching that. There is no tapioca flour in the recipe. I had tested with it and forgot to take that out. Please let me know how these turn out for you if you try them.