Banana Cottage Cheese Muffins

These Banana Cottage Cheese Muffins are packed with 5 grams of protein per muffin thanks to blended cottage cheese, with no protein powder required. Ready in 30 minutes and perfect to prep for the week.

Banana muffins are one of the recipes I’m most known for on Choosing Chia. I’ve made so many versions over the years, and they consistently go viral because, honestly, everyone loves a good banana muffin! I’ve done Healthy Banana Nut Muffins for a classic, Banana Muffins with almond flour for a gluten-free grain-free twist, even Protein Banana Muffins with 10 grams of protein, and every time I share a new version, you guys love them. So when I started testing a cottage cheese version, I had very high standards for myself.

I’m happy to report these are genuinely one of my favourite versions I’ve made! The cottage cheese blends completely smooth into the batter, so you’d never know it’s there, but it keeps the muffins incredibly light and moist and adds 5 grams of protein per muffin without any protein powder. If you’ve ever made banana muffins that came out dense or dry, this is the recipe to try.

One thing I want to mention: I tested these with both all-purpose flour and oat flour, and both versions turned out great! The oat flour swap is 1:1, so there are no adjustments needed. It’s a great option if you’re gluten-free or just want a bit more fibre and whole grains.

Ingredient Notes

Bananas: The riper the better, (you want lots of brown spots.) Overripe bananas are sweeter and mash more easily, which gives the muffins more sweetness and flavour. Keep your firm yellow bananas for Banana Overnight Oats or Banana Chia Pudding.

Cottage cheese: This is what makes these muffins different from every other banana muffin on the internet. Once it’s blended completely smooth, it disappears into the batter entirely but it does two things: it keeps the texture moist without making them dense, and it adds a meaningful amount of protein without protein powder. I tested these with both 2% cottage cheese and 0% cottage cheese and both work great, though I personally prefer 2% for a little richness. You can use any leftover cottage cheese to make my Cottage Cheese Queso Dip, it’s delicious!

Flour: All purpose flour, a 1-1 gluten-free flour blend or oat flour work here. I tested these with all purpose and oat flour. The all-purpose version has a classic texture; the oat flour version is slightly heartier with a bit more fibre and is naturally gluten-free.

*This is a recipe overview. The full recipe with measurements and instructions can be found below in the recipe card.

How To Make Cottage Cheese Banana Muffins

Step 1: Mash the bananas.

Step 2: add the eggs, cottage cheese, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla and mix.

Step 3: Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Step 4: Gently fold the batter together. Add any mix-ins you love at this step.

Step 5: divide the batter between 12 muffin cups.

Step 6: Bake at 375° for 18-24 minutes.

How To Store

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Because of the cottage cheese, I recommend keeping them refrigerated rather than leaving them out at room temperature after the first day.

To freeze let the muffins cool completely, then transfer to a zip-lock bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or warm them up in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds.

Frequently Asked Questions