Cottage Cheese Ice Cream

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my cottage cheese ice cream recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

• Cottage Cheese – You can use any kind here, but I recommend full-fat cottage cheese for the creamiest texture and richest flavor. The lower the fat content, the more icy the result.
• Banana – Adds natural sweetness and helps improve the texture, for the same reasons that banana ice cream works. Make sure your banana is very ripe, ideally with brown spots starting to form like mine below. I did test this without banana as well, and while it still works, the ice cream texture turns noticeably icier.
• Wholesome Yum Zero Sugar Honey – It’s 100% natural and tastes just like honey without the sugar, but what I really love about using it in this recipe is that it makes my cottage cheese ice cream softer and more scoopable out of the freezer. You can use regular honey or maple syrup for sweetness as well, but they add sugar and aren’t as good at the scoopable part.
• Half and Half – Most recipes don’t have this, but I added just a little bit to help this taste like real ice cream. And it’s totally worth it. You can even use heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk if you want it richer.
• Vanilla Extract – Softens the tangy cottage cheese flavor and makes the base taste more like vanilla ice cream. Feel free to adjust it to your taste after blending.

How To Make Cottage Cheese Ice Cream

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.

1. Blend the ice cream base. Add the cottage cheese, banana, honey, cream, and vanilla to a high powered blender or food processor. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth and runny. Adjust the sweetness or vanilla to your taste if needed.
2. Shake in a jar. Pour the cottage cheese mixture into a glass jar (I used these), seal the lid tightly, and shake really well. This helps make the cottage cheese ice cream fluffier and less icy — the same concept as my original mason jar ice cream. Make sure there’s headspace in the jar so the mixture can expand!
3. Freeze until firm. I find 2-3 hours is the sweet spot, but longer is okay too if you let it sit out for a few minutes before scooping. And while you can certainly enjoy it plain, toppings are more fun! Try my chocolate sauce, caramel syrup, sugar free sprinkles, or even crushed healthy Oreo cookies.

Flavor Variations

The simple vanilla-banana base is my fave, but it’s also easy to turn into different flavors. Blend any of these additions into the mixture before shaking and freezing:

• Chocolate – Add 1-2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder. Cocoa can make the mixture taste less sweet, so I usually add a little extra honey with it.
• Peanut butter – Blend in 2 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter for a richer texture and a sweet-and-salty flavor. You can also add a few chocolate chips after blending. This version reminds me of my peanut butter nice cream!
• Strawberry – Replace the honey with my real strawberry syrup. It has the same effect as the honey in helping the cottage cheese ice cream stay scoopable, plus it makes it taste like a strawberry banana combo! You can try fresh strawberries too, but they tend to contribute to an icy texture instead.
• Chocolate chip – Fold in 2-3 tablespoons of chocolate chips (I love this sugar free brand) after blending. Sometimes I chop them up to get a little in every bite.
• Coffee – Blend in 1/2 teaspoon of instant espresso powder. For an even stronger coffee flavor, pour a shot of espresso over the finished ice cream for an affogato-style treat.

Common Questions

• Does cottage cheese ice cream taste like cottage cheese? I think regular versions do, but this version, not so much. The banana, vanilla, honey, and splash of cream all mellow it out and make it taste more dessert-like. I still find it’s tangier than regular ice cream, though.
• How do you make it less icy? The biggest factors that helped in my testing were using full-fat cottage cheese, including the banana and half & half, sweetening with zero sugar honey (which lowers the freezing point), and shaking the jar before freezing to incorporate air. It will still freeze firmer than traditional ice cream, but not nearly as icy as 2- or 3-ingredient cottage cheese ice cream recipes I tried.
• Can I make cottage cheese ice cream without banana? Yes. I tested it without banana, and it still works, but the texture is noticeably icier and the cottage cheese flavor comes through more. You’ll need more sweetener as well, but that’s easy to adjust to your taste as you go.
• Do I have to shake it? No, but I recommend it. Shaking the fully blended mixture adds air, making the finished ice cream fluffier and less icy.
• Why does my cottage cheese ice cream taste salty? Some cottage cheese brands are much saltier than others. Taste the mixture after blending and add a little more banana, honey, or vanilla if needed. If your cottage cheese tastes especially salty on its own, choose a milder or lower-sodium brand next time.