Cottage Cheese Blueberry Muffins deliver on satisfaction thanks to an extra dose of protein, plus the cottage cheese keeps them incredibly moist and tender. A grab-and-go baked good that helps you feel good!
Jump to:
- Why the Cottage Cheese in Muffins?
- What Makes These Cottage Cheese Blueberry Muffins Special
- The Cottage Cheese Brand Guide (This Actually Matters!)
- Step by Step Visual Guide
- Tips!
- Make-Ahead & Storage
- Meal Prep Tip
- Balancing Muffins as a Diabetic
- Substitutions & Variations
- Cottage Cheese Blueberry Muffins
- Frequently Asked Questions
Why the Cottage Cheese in Muffins?
Truth? I accidentally ordered three large containers of cottage cheese when I meant to order one. With all that extra cottage cheese to use up, I started experimenting, and these muffins were the happy result.
They make the perfect grab-and-go breakfast or afternoon snack, similar to my Cottage Cheese Bagels!
What Makes These Cottage Cheese Blueberry Muffins Special
✓ Incredibly moist and tender - The cottage cheese creates the perfect texture without weird lumps like you might expect
✓ Actually filling - 5g of protein per muffin means these keep you more satisfied compared to regular muffins
✓ Foolproof and fast - Just 15 minutes to prep, 15 minutes to bake, with ingredients you probably already have if you're like me and use frozen fruit in your chia yogurt.
The Cottage Cheese Brand Guide (This Actually Matters!)
Not all cottage cheese is created equal when it comes to baking. After testing several brands, here's what I've learned:
Best Brands of Cottage Cheese for Baking (IMHO)
- Good Culture - Perfect moisture content, creamy texture
- Nancy's - Also works beautifully, similar consistency, and a little tangy
Using Other Brands? If you have a different brand on hand, check the texture. If it looks watery or has a lot of liquid separating, strain it through a fine-mesh strainer for 10-15 minutes before using. This removes excess moisture that can make your muffins dense or soggy.
Why This Matters: Watery cottage cheese = dense, heavy muffins. The right moisture content gives you those fluffy, bakery-style results every time.
Step by Step Visual Guide
Step 1: Mix the Wet Ingredients In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, sugar, and vanilla until combined. Add milk and eggs, whisking until smooth.
Step 2: Add the cottage cheese. Don't worry if it looks a bit lumpy from the cottage cheese, that's normal.
Step 3: Combine the Dry Ingredients and add them to the wet ingredients, gently folding, not overmixing.
Step 4: Gently fold in the frozen berries. Look at that color 😍
Step 5: Portion the batter into your muffin tin. Make sure to grease / use non-stick spray to prevent sticking.
Step 6: Bake at 350F for 15 minutes or until tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. I use an instant read thermometer and pull them when they reach between 190F and 200F internal temp.
Tips!
- 🔥 Use frozen blueberries straight from the freezer - No thawing needed! If they thaw you’ll get more purple color in your batter.
- 🔥 Stop mixing when you still see a few flour streaks - The batter will look slightly undermixed, but it'll finish coming together in the oven. Overmixed = dense muffins.
- 🔥 Check doneness at 15 minutes - Every oven runs differently. Look for golden tops and a toothpick that comes out with just a few moist crumbs. You can also use an instant read thermometer. They’re done between 190F and 200F.
Make-Ahead & Storage
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They'll stay soft and moist thanks to the cottage cheese. Stick them in the fridge and they'll keep up to a week.
Freezer: Wrap individually in plastic wrap or store in freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or pop frozen ones in the microwave for 30-45 seconds.
Meal Prep Tip
Make a double batch on Sunday and freeze half. You'll have protein-packed breakfasts ready all month with zero extra effort during busy weekday mornings.
Balancing Muffins as a Diabetic
These muffins pack 5g of protein each, but they do contain simple carbs from the flour. Here's how to balance that for better blood sugar management:
Add Healthy Fats
- Spread with 1-2 tablespoon almond butter or peanut butter
- Serve with a small handful of nuts (walnuts or almonds)
- Add a slice of avocado on the side
Pair with More Protein
- Greek yogurt (adds another 12-15g protein)
- A hard-boiled egg
- String cheese for an easy grab-and-go combo
Include Fiber
- Fresh berries on the side (more antioxidants, plus fiber)
- A small apple with the skin on
- Raw veggies like baby carrots or cucumber slices
Complete Breakfast Example: 1 muffin + 2 tablespoon almond butter + ½ cup Greek yogurt with fresh berries = balanced meal with protein, healthy fats, and fiber to help steady blood sugar response.
Substitutions & Variations
Flour Options
- Gluten-free: Use 1-to-1 gluten-free flour as a direct replacement (works perfectly!)
- Almond flour: Sorry, this doesn't work as a substitute. Stick with all-purpose or GF flour for best results
Sugar Swaps
- Use any granulated sugar substitute in equal amounts
- Monk fruit sweetener, erythritol, or stevia blends all work well
Dairy-Free Option
- Butter: Swap for melted coconut oil (same amount)—tops will have a slightly different texture but still delicious
- Milk: Use any plant-based milk (almond, oat, coconut)
- Cottage cheese: This is trickier—try coconut yogurt, but texture will be different
Different Berries
- Frozen raspberries, blackberries, or mixed berries work great
- Use the same amount (1 cup) and don't thaw first
Flavor Variations
- Lemon Blueberry: Add 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Chocolate Chip: Swap blueberries for ¾ cup mini chocolate chips
- Cinnamon Sugar: Double the cinnamon and sprinkle tops with cinnamon sugar before baking
Cottage Cheese Blueberry Muffins
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins
- Category: breakfast
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: american
Description
Tender cottage cheese blueberry muffins with 5g protein each! Ready in 30 minutes with simple ingredients. A great addition to breakfast or a grab-and-go snack
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (57g) butter, melted
- ½ cup (100g) sugar or sugar substitute
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60g) milk (dairy or plant-based)
- 2 large eggs (100g)
- 1 cup (225g) plain whole milk cottage cheese (Good Culture or Nancy's brand recommended)
- 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup (150g) frozen blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with baking spray, or use muffin liners and spray those too (they can stick otherwise).
- In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, sugar, and vanilla until combined. Add milk and eggs, whisking until smooth. Add cottage cheese and whisk until well combined. Don't worry if it looks a bit lumpy from the cottage cheese.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold until just combined. Don't overmix as that can make for tough muffins.
- Fold in the frozen blueberries (no need to thaw them first).
- Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
Cottage Cheese Brand Matters: Use Good Culture or Nancy's cottage cheese for best results due to their moisture content. If using another brand, strain it through a fine-mesh strainer for 10-15 minutes to remove excess liquid.
Flour Substitutions: Cannot substitute almond flour, but gluten-free 1-to-1 flour works perfectly as a direct replacement.
Storage: Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Make-Ahead Tip: These freeze beautifully! Wrap individually and grab one for a protein-packed breakfast on busy mornings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 139
- Sugar: 2.6 g
- Sodium: 182.1 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 15.8 g
- Fiber: 0.8 g
- Protein: 5.1 g
- Cholesterol: 44.4 mg
Frequently Asked Questions
Good Culture and Nancy's work best due to their moisture content. If using other brands, strain through a fine-mesh strainer for 10-15 minutes to remove excess liquid, or your muffins may turn out dense and heavy.
Yes! Use 1-to-1 gluten-free flour as a direct replacement. Almond flour doesn't work as a substitute.
Always spray both the muffin tin AND the paper liners with baking spray. Let muffins cool completely before removing papers.
Room temperature for 3 days, refrigerator for 1 week, or freeze individually wrapped for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight or microwave frozen ones for 30-45 seconds.
Yep, go for it! I just seemingly always have frozen on hand.
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