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Cottage Cheese Bark
By Snejana Andreeva
on May 07, 2023, Updated Feb 18, 2025
My Cottage Cheese Bark is the ultimate high-protein snack! I love that it tastes like a 😋 sweet treat but is made with wholesome ingredients that will fuel you with energy. Cottage cheese has been having a moment over the last couple of years and I am here for it. Who doesn’t love an affordable, 💪 high- protein , easy-to-cook-with grocery staple? The recipe possibilities with cottage cheese are endless.
- Why You’ll Love Cottage Cheese Bark
- How to Prepare Cottage Cheese Bark
- Nonna’s Tip 🧊
- Variations and Substitutions for Cottage Cheese Bark
- Similar Recipes
- Best Served With
- Common Questions
- Cottage Cheese Bark Recipe
Why You’ll Love Cottage Cheese Bark
This Cottage Cheese Bark is a simple -to-prep snack that’s great to keep in the freezer when you’re looking for a quick sweet treat but don’t want to lose sight of your ✔️ goals. It’s so refreshing and cool, a source of protein , and the perfect afternoon pick-me-up. You can also have a lot of fun with the toppings as they’re all customizable and can be made with whatever you’re craving . I love adding 🍫 dark chocolate shavings, shredded coconut or dried fruits.
How to Prepare Cottage Cheese Bark
🍌 Using a sharp knife , slice half a banana into a food processor .
💪 Now add the cottage cheese and protein powder and then process for 30 to 60 seconds or until creamy.
🥄 Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and then pour on the cottage cheese mixture. Use a rubber spatula or a spoon to smooth it out into an even rectangle.
🥜 Next, use the back of a spoon to swirl some peanut butter into the mixture and then sprinkle with granola or any topping you like.
🧊 Freeze for a minimum of 1 1/2 hours.
🔪 Once the bark has set, cut it with a knife (or break it apart with your hands) and enjoy!
Nonna’s Tip 🧊
If the bark is too frozen to eat, just leave it out for a few minutes to thaw a bit. I like eating it after the 1-hour mark in the freezer as it still has a very soft but creamy texture.
Variations and Substitutions for Cottage Cheese Bark
- You can add any fruits you like such as freeze-dried or fresh 🍓 strawberry slices or blueberries.
- Experiment with different sauces to drizzle over the bark. You could try a drizzle of tahini, almond butter, or my Homemade Nutella .
- I love adding some crunch to this Cottage Cheese Bark as well. Shredded 🥥 coconut, granola, chopped nuts and dried fruit are all delicious!
- You can certainly use yogurt instead of cottage cheese if you prefer. If you use yogurt, you may have to add some sweetener to the mix as well in order to offset the tartness.
Similar Recipes
Cottage Cheese Pancakes
10 mins
Cottage Cheese Ice Cream
4 hrs 5 mins
Lemon Cottage Cheese Cake
45 mins
Cottage Cheese Flatbread
35 mins
Cottage Cheese Salad
10 mins
Cottage Cheese Fruit Salad
10 mins
Best Served With
- Serve a piece of this Cottage Cheese Bark with a side of fresh 🍐 fruit slices as a midday snack.
- Serve with a bowl of 🥜 nuts and seeds.
Common Questions
Yes, simply use your favorite non-dairy cottage cheese substitute or yogurt variety.
If you’re allergic to peanuts or prefer something else, you can certainly use almond butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter, or even Nutella as a topping.
After the bark is frozen and cut into pieces, store it in a Ziplock in the freezer with pieces of parchment paper between each piece.
I love topping this Cottage Cheese Bark with a sprinkle of shredded coconut, granola, chopped nuts, shaved dark chocolate or some seeds.
A New Recipe Card!!
- Check off each step in instructions!
- Add ingredients to your shopping list!
Video
Equipment
- ▢ Measuring Cups + Spoons
- ▢ Nakiri Knife
- ▢ Cutting Board
- ▢ Large Food Processor
- ▢ Baking Sheet
- ▢ Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 cup cottage cheese
- ▢ ½ banana , peeled and sliced
- ▢ ½ scoop vanilla protein powder
Optional Toppings
- ▢ 2 teaspoons peanut butter , I used organic
- ▢ 1 tablespoon granola
Instructions
- ▢ Place the cottage cheese, banana slices, and protein powder into a food processor and process for 30 to 60 seconds or until super creamy.
- ▢ Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the cottage cheese mixture out onto the baking sheet and, using a rubber spatula or a spoon, smooth it out into an even rectangle.
- ▢ Using the back of a spoon, swirl the peanut butter into the mixture. Sprinkle with granola and freeze for a minimum of 1 1/2 hours.
- ▢ Once the bark is set, cut it with a knife or break it apart with your hands and enjoy!
My Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Cottage Cheese Bark
Equipment
- Measuring Cups + Spoons
- Nakiri Knife
- Cutting Board
- Large Food Processor
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- ½ banana peeled and sliced
- ½ scoop vanilla protein powder
Optional Toppings
- 2 teaspoons peanut butter I used organic
- 1 tablespoon granola
Instructions
- Place the cottage cheese, banana slices, and protein powder into a food processor and process for 30 to 60 seconds or until super creamy.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour the cottage cheese mixture out onto the baking sheet and, using a rubber spatula or a spoon, smooth it out into an even rectangle.
- Using the back of a spoon, swirl the peanut butter into the mixture. Sprinkle with granola and freeze for a minimum of 1 1/2 hours.
- Once the bark is set, cut it with a knife or break it apart with your hands and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Cottage Cheese Bark https://themodernnonna.com/cottage-cheese-bark/ May 7, 2023
Home › Recipes › Cookies & Snacks
Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
By Snejana Andreeva
on Dec 15, 2022, Updated Nov 08, 2023
My lemon cheesecake thumbprint cookies melt in your mouth . This recipe is one of those recipes that you’ll need to triple, because it’s THAT good. 🍋Whether you’re a lemon lover or simply looking for a unique and delicious cookie, these Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies are a must-try. They’re perfect for any occasion, from a casual afternoon tea to a fancy dessert spread.
- Why You’ll Love Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
- How to Prepare
- Nonna’s Tip 🍋
- Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies Variations and Substitutions
- Other Holiday Recipes
- More Holiday Cookies
- Common Questions
- Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies Recipe
Why You’ll Love Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
These lemon cheesecake thumbprint cookies are ideal for anyone who cannot tolerate 🥚 eggs as they are completely egg-free . The dough takes 5 minutes to whip up, so these cookies are easy enough for anyone who is not even a baker. They’re only 5 ingredients , which you probably already have on hand. I can honestly say that this is one of those cookie recipes that you cannot get enough of.
How to Prepare
🥣 Use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held mixer and bowl to cream butter and cream cheese for about 2 minutes until smooth.
🍋 Add sugar and lemon extract and mix until smooth . Then add flour, and mix until a sticky dough forms. Scrape down the sides to fully incorporate any remaining flour.
🧊 Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
🥄 Remove dough from the refrigerator, use a small ice-cream scooper to portion the cookies, rolling each in a touch of flour to prevent sticking.
🍓 Place rolled cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper . Flatten each with your thumb, creating an indent, and add a teaspoon of preferred jam/preserve to the center.
🔥 Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake the lemon cheesecake thumbprint cookies for 13-15 minutes or until the edges are light and golden brown .
❄️ Allow the cookies to cool completely and optionally dust with icing sugar. They can be stored at room temperature for up to a week.
Nonna’s Tip 🍋
You MUST refrigerate the cookie dough for at least one hour and you have to use a touch of flour to roll each one as they will stick.
Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies Variations and Substitutions
- Try adding a decorative topping like chopped nuts or a sprinkle of coarse sugar for holiday decoration.
- I have not tried this recipe with gluten-free flour , but feel free to experiment with a gluten-free 1-1 replacement and let me know how it goes!
- Instead of lemon extract , you could try almond, vanilla, orange or another you have on hand.
- Feel free to experiment with different jams or preserves , for example, you could use strawberry, raspberry, apricot or even marmalade.
- You could try dairy-free or vegan alternatives to the butter and cream cheese if you or your guests have allergies.
Other Holiday Recipes
Antipasti Christmas Wreath
10 mins
Holiday Butter Board
20 mins
Holiday Candy Cane Prosecco
5 mins
Holiday Cheese Board
20 mins
More Holiday Cookies
Looking for an even fancier-looking cookie? Try my puff pastry cookies .
Easy Gingerbread Cookies
3 hrs 23 mins
Italian Amaretti Cookies
25 mins
3 Ingredient Sugar Cookies
20 mins
Shortbread Butter Cookies
27 mins
Common Questions
Feel free to use any jam or preserve you enjoy. I love fig or apricot but you are more than welcome to use any you have on hand.
The lemon extract is optional so don’t worry if you don’t have any on hand. You can also use pure vanilla extract, or almond extract, or leave them plain. Or, if you don’t have pure lemon extract, but still want the flavor, you can also use the zest of a lemon in the recipe.
You MUST refrigerate the cookie dough for at least one hour and you have to use a touch of flour to roll each one as they will stick.
Feel free to freeze the cookie dough tightly wrapped for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and shape as usual.
The cream cheese and butter must be softened in order for the cookies to bake correctly.
You can use salted or unsalted butter. I have made them with both and both results are delicious.
While 1 cup of flour weighs 160g in my kitchen, it might weigh anywhere from 120 to 180g in your kitchen and there’s a few reasons for that. The weight of ingredients may vary due to the brand of ingredients, the brand and style (wet vs dry) of measuring cups and spoons, and the technique for measuring into cups: scooping and leveling versus spooning the ingredients into the cup measure. For best results, go by the weight listed in the recipe.
A New Recipe Card!!
- Check off each step in instructions!
- Add ingredients to your shopping list!
Video
Equipment
- ▢ Measuring Cups + Spoons
- ▢ Mixing Bowls
- ▢ Baking Sheet
- ▢ Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- ▢ ½ cup cream cheese , softened
- ▢ ½ cup white sugar
- ▢ 1 stick softened salted butter
- ▢ 1.5 teaspoons lemon extract , optional if you don’t have any on hand
- ▢ 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour , + 2 extra tablespoons for rolling the balls
- ▢ 18 teaspoons jam , I used fig preserve
Instructions
- ▢ In a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese together for about 2 minutes or until smooth. You can also use a hand-held mixer and a bowl as well.
- ▢ Once creamy, add the sugar and lemon extract and mix until smooth. Add in the flour and mix until a sticky dough forms. If there’s any flour on the sides, you can scrape it down and mix again until fully incorporated.
- ▢ Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour. After an hour, take out the dough, remove the plastic and use a small ice-cream scooper to scoop out the cookies. I scoop each cookie, roll it in a touch of flour as it will stick to your hands if you don’t.
- ▢ Repeat this step for all 18 cookies. Place each rolled cookie onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Press each one down with your thumb to make an indent. Add a teaspoon of any jam/preserve you like to the middle.
- ▢ Preheat the oven to 350F and bake until the edges are light and golden brown. This should take 13-15 minutes depending on the oven.
- ▢ Let them cool completely and optionally dust with icing sugar. These are perfectly stored at room-temp for up to a week.
My Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
