Cottage Cheese Pumpkin Bread loaded with pumpkin spice and chocolate chips, topped with creamy cottage cheese frosting, and packing 12 grams of protein per slice!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
It’s pumpkin season, and even though I already have healthy pumpkin bread and almond flour pumpkin bread recipes, I knew a cottage cheese pumpkin bread recipe was bound to be requested since we’ve been adding cottage cheese to everything lately, so I’m getting ahead!
This quick bread is fluffy and moist, based on my cottage cheese pumpkin muffins, but with double the cottage cheese! It’s in the batter and the creamy frosting, though you’d never guess it.
You can skip the frosting and even the chocolate chips if you want, just keep in mind the nutrition info will change.
This pumpkin bread with cottage cheese is great plain for breakfast, or add the frosting when you’re in the mood for a sweet, cozy snack or dessert.
Ingredients for Cottage Cheese Pumpkin Bread
- Cottage cheese: I usually use 2% or 4%, but 0% or 1% works too. It adds protein, keeps the bread moist, and replaces the oil or fat in the recipe.
- Pumpkin puree: Use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. You can use canned or make your own.
- Egg: Provides structure and ups the protein.
- Liquid sweetener: My readers know I like pure maple syrup, but honey, agave nectar, or brown rice syrup are good substitutes.
- Oil: Use a mild-flavored oil, like avocado oil, so it doesn’t affect the taste.
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla gives the best flavor, but use what you have.
- Pumpkin pie spice: A warm, aromatic blend that instantly tastes and smells like fall.
- Cinnamon: Complements pumpkin and enhances the cozy, fall taste.
- Baking essentials: Baking powder and baking soda help the bread rise and stay light and fluffy.
- All-purpose flour: Gives the bread a great texture, soft and tender, but not too dense or cakey.
- Mini chocolate chips: I love small, melty bites of chocolate. You can use milk, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate chips, either mini or regular size.
- Cottage cheese frosting: A creamy, high protein frosting made with cottage cheese, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
How to Make Cottage Cheese Pumpkin Bread
Preheat oven to 375 F. Line and spray a loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Blend wet ingredients: Toss egg, cottage cheese, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, oil, vanilla, spices, baking powder, and baking soda in a blender until smooth.
- Mix in flour and chocolate: Pour into a large bowl, gently stir in the flour, then fold in chocolate chips.
- Bake: Pour batter into the lined loaf pan and bake 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool the bread: Let it rest in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Drain the cottage cheese: While the bread cools, place cottage cheese in a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl and let it drain for 20 minutes.
- Make the frosting: Blend drained cottage cheese with cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Chill 30 minutes to firm up. I used a food processor and it worked perfectly.
- Frost and serve: Spread frosting on the cooled bread, slice into 10 pieces, and enjoy!
Tips for Best Results
Here’s a little insider advice to making the best cottage cheese pumpkin bread.
- Don’t skip blending: It makes the bread super smooth and velvety. Curds can dry out by day 2 or 3, which makes the texture unpleasant.
- Don’t over mix: Stir just until the flour is combined for a tender, not dense, bread.
- Don’t over bake: Take it out as soon as a toothpick comes out clean so it stays soft and delicious.
- Cool bread: Let it cool completely before slicing so it doesn’t fall apart, and before adding frosting so it doesn’t melt.
Variations
- Lower the calories: Skip the frosting and chocolate chips.
- Nutty twist: Fold in chopped pecans or walnuts. If you skip the frosting, sprinkle pumpkin seeds on top for extra crunch.
- More protein: Start with one scoop of unflavored protein powder or vanilla protein powder for extra sweetness. You’ll need to add a little milk because the powder can dry out the batter.
- Chocolate swirl: Swirl melted chocolate into the batter for a marbled effect.
- Fruity upgrade: Fold in dried cranberries, raisins, or chopped apples for a sweet-tart flavor.
How to Store
Store: Keep frosted bread in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Unfrosted, it’s fine at room temperature for 2 days.
Freeze: Place in an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. You’ll need to thaw it in the refrigerator overnight.
FAQs
Yes! Just bake for less time. Start checking with a toothpick around 17 minutes and go from there.
No. The blended cottage cheese mixes right into the batter, adding moisture and protein without a noticeable cottage cheese flavor. The same goes for the frosting, it tastes creamy and indulgent, not like cottage cheese.
More Pumpkin Recipes to Try
- Pumpkin cottage cheese scones
- Healthy pumpkin chocolate chip bread
- Kodiak pumpkin muffins
- Pumpkin banana bread
Cottage Cheese Pumpkin Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Bread:
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 cup pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
- 1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
- 3 tablespoons any mild oil, I used avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- Cooking spray, I use Misto
For the Frosting:
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a blender, add egg, cottage cheese, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, oil, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda. Blend until smooth.
- Pour into a large mixing bowl, add flour and gently mix just until combined. Add chocolate chips and give a few stirs to incorporate.
- Transfer the mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While bread is cooling, make the frosting. Add the cottage cheese to a fine-mesh sieve or strainer set over a bowl. Let it drain for 20 minutes to remove excess liquid.
- Once drained, add the cottage cheese to a food processor along with cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth. Transfer into a bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until it firms up.
- Top the cooled pumpkin bread with the prepared cottage cheese frosting. Slice into 10 slices and serve.
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate frosted bread within 2 hours of frosting in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. Without frosting, keep in a cool dry place for 2 days.
- Freeze: Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’d like to use less sugar – can I sub or use half with applesauce?
I do think it will make the bread too wet, gummy and it won’t bake through but you may try.
Can I substitute whole wheat pastry flour for AP?
You may try 1 1/2 cups. That’s my go-to conversion of AP to WW.
Can u use almond flour
Unfortunately not.
Can you use dry cottage cheese?
You would have to add more liquid.