3-ingredient cottage cheese ice cream! If you're a parent with young kids, you know the struggle of finding healthy, delicious treats that your little ones will love, and that you'll enjoy too! Well, look no further because this recipe is a game-changer! Not only is it incredibly simple to make, but it's also packed with nutrition and has a creamy texture and is so easy to whip together!
I even created a fun FREE PRINTABLE LABEL for your cottage cheese container, to make it look like real ice cream!
Cottage cheese is the new kale, or cauliflower, or whatever the last "health" food trend was. But this time, it's kinda good. This recipe has gone totally viral and I can't scroll past another video, without trying it for myself... I mean for my kids. ;) And let me tell you, if you’re someone like me, or my kids (who definitely got my sweet tooth), who could easily eat a whole pint of ice cream in one sitting, you have to try this recipe.
This recipe is made in the blender with only a few clean ingredients. It has NO refined sugar, is nut-free, gluten-free, and high in high protein, with no artificial additives, and blows regular ice cream out of the water when it comes to how much protein you'll get per serving.
Now let's talk about cottage cheese. It's is not going to have the same texture in the desserts, as it does out of the tub, because we're blending it up, so if your kids don't like cottage cheese, it doesn't mean they're not going to like this.
These recipes use full-fat cottage cheese, which acts as the rich, creamy base for our "ice cream", fudge and cookies. Not only does cottage cheese lend a velvety texture, but it also provides a boost of protein and calcium, without as much sugar as a traditional desserts, so it's a great option for kids... and moms.
Cottage cheese has about 12-14 grams of protein per serving, so if you add in nut butters, protein powder, or another ingredient with a good amount of protein into your cottage cheese desserts, you can get even more per serving, if you want. The full-fat cottage cheeses also has less water content than low fat or fat-free cottage cheese, so it's going to make it extra flavorful.
Next ingredient is agave as a natural sweetener (you an also use honey or maple syrup, if you'd like, but I like the neutral flavor of agave). Agave offers a touch of sweetness, and its low glycemic index means it won't give you sugar crashes. Plus, it blends with the cottage cheese so easily, making the batters smooth and creamy without any grit from table sugar.
This is a great treat for not only kids, but for adults too, who are looking for a wholesome dessert alternative, that doesn't have the million artificial chemicals that those "low car/low cal" ice cream alternatives they sell at the store.
I wanted to compare the nutrition info to a regular ice cream, so I looked up the label of a regular strawberry ice cream and here's what I found this:
Regular Ice Cream: Skim Milk, Cream, Sugar, Strawberries, Corn Syrup, Strawberry Syrup, Whey, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Guar Gum, Beet Juice Color, Carob Bean Gum, Carrageenan, Citric Acid, Natural Flavor.
In a 86g .667cup serving, there's 150 calories, 7g fat, 20g carbs, and only 2g protein
VS.
Cottage Cheese Ice Cream: Skim Milk, Whole Milk, Cream, Sea Salt, Live and Active Cultures (plus the added strawberries and vanilla extract that we added)
In a 110g serving, about 1/2 a cup, there's 110 calories, 4.5g fat, 3g carbs, and a whopping 14g protein!
After you've made the ice cream mixture, I like to pour it right back into the cottage cheese container. I even made you a FREE PRINTABLE ice cream label, to tape onto your cottage cheese container, so you can surprise your kids with a fun and special treat.
Honestly, yes, you can taste the difference between this and regular ice cream, if you're looking for it. So if you really want to indulge go for regular ice cream. But if you want a healthier alternative that still tastes sweet and creamy and hits the spot, this is a perfect alternative, for kids, adults, anyone.
You can serve it in a bowl, on a cone, add any mix-ins or toppings you want to create an alternative to your favorite ice cream flavors. I did added sprinkles, because my daughter loves rainbow sprinkles, so this was going to be a for sure win. But, you can get creative and do any flavor you like to recreate your favorite ice cream flavors. Add 1-2 tablespoons of peanut butter, a swirl of caramel or chocolate syrup, crushed cookies or chocolate chunks. You can add in a tiny splash of flavored extracts like mint, or sub out the strawberries for mangoes or banana, even add a swirl of your favorite jam.
Strawberry Cottage Cheese Ice Cream
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Freeze Time: 4 hours
Ingredients:
- 2 cups (16oz) 4% milkfat (not low fat or fat free) cottage cheese
- 1/4 cup agave
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 12-16 strawberries, stems removed
- 2-4 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles (optional)
Directions:
Add cottage cheese, agave, vanilla, and strawberries to a food processor or high powered blender. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy, with no lumps remaining.
Transfer the mixture back into the cottage cheese container, a pyrex, or freezer-safe bowl with a lid, and stir in sprinkles with a spoon.
Cover and place in the freezer for 4 hours, or until firm and the consistency of ice cream. (If you freeze overnight it will need a little thaw before serving).
Remove from the freezer, let thaw on the counter for 5-10 minutes, if it is too frozen, just until you can easily scoop it. Scoop the ice cream into bowls or cones and serve immediately..
Store any leftover ice cream in an airtight container in the freezer for up to one week.
You have to go share this with somebody who you know would love this, and if you give it a try, make sure to go follow me on social media @TheLindsayAnn and tag me, so I can go like all of your recreations!
I tested, rated, and reviewed 3 Viral Healthy Cottage Cheese Desserts: 3-Ingredient Cottage Cheese Ice Cream, 5-ingredient Cottage Cheese Fudge, Easy Cottage Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies, go check out the video on my YouTube Channel!
I tested, rated, and reviewed 3 Viral Healthy Cottage Cheese Desserts: 3-Ingredient Cottage Cheese Ice Cream, 5-ingredient Cottage Cheese Fudge, Easy Cottage Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies, go check out the video on my YouTube Channel!
