These fudgy cottage cheese brownies are soft in the middle, covered in chocolate icing, and really good straight from the refrigerator. The cottage cheese might sound like an odd addition, but you’d never know it was there.
Fudgy Cottage Cheese Brownies with Chocolate Icing
I don’t make these fudgy cottage cheese brownies the way most brownies are made, and once I got the recipe right, I wasn’t going to change them. They’re soft in the middle with a lot of chocolate flavor and a thick layer of icing that is definitely my favorite part. I like them even better after they’ve been in the fridge for a while.
You guys went crazy for my banana bread with cottage cheese, and I had no idea everyone was sitting around waiting for me to put cottage cheese in things. I guess this is what I’m doing now. I’ve been randomly baking with cottage cheese for myself, and it never occurred to me that anyone else would be this interested. So that makes me want to share my brownies, too. I also don’t purposely make things gluten-free, but these are.
I don’t add butter, oil, or melted chocolate to these brownies, which I find pretty interesting considering how they turn out. They were never trying to be traditional brownies, and I don’t need them to be. They’re just the ones I make for myself a lot, because I have an incurable sweet tooth. The icing firms up some in the fridge and the brownies get even fudgier. Cold is how I like to eat them.
The Decisions Behind This Recipe
- I use full-fat cottage cheese in these brownies instead of butter or oil. It keeps the brownies soft and gives the batter some richness, but it doesn’t turn them into regular brownies made with a strange substitute. They’re definitely their own thing. I blend the cottage cheese with the eggs, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt until everything is completely smooth. It doesn’t matter whether you’re using small-curd or large-curd cottage cheese, as long as you blend it thoroughly.
- The finely ground blanched almond flour is what makes the soft, dense texture, and I like that they don’t turn cakey. This is one of those recipes where I wouldn’t change the flour because I like how the brownies turn out.
- Maple syrup is the only sweetener in both the brownies and the icing. It sweetens everything without making the brownies taste like maple candy, and it goes well with the cocoa.
- I don’t use melted chocolate or chocolate chips in this recipe. The chocolate flavor comes from natural unsweetened cocoa powder, both in the brownie batter and in the icing. That means you can make them without hunting down a bar of chocolate or melting anything on the stove.
- The icing is nothing more than cocoa powder, nut milk, and maple syrup. It looks pretty soft when you first spread it on, but it firms up some in the refrigerator without turning into a hard chocolate coating.
- I take the brownies out of the oven when the edges are set and the middle is still soft. A toothpick should come out with a small amount of thick batter, not completely dry. They need to cool all the way before I add the icing, and then they go into the refrigerator. That’s when I think these brownies get really good. The icing firms up some, and the brownies get even fudgier.
Ingredients
- Full-fat cottage cheese – This gets blended completely smooth, so you won’t see or taste cottage cheese curds in the finished brownies.
- Eggs – Help the brownies set while keeping the middle soft.
- Pure maple syrup – Sweetens both the brownies and the icing. Use real maple syrup, not pancake syrup.
- Vanilla extract – A small amount brings out more of the chocolate flavor.
- Kosher salt – Even chocolate brownies need salt.
- Finely ground blanched almond flour – Use almond flour, not coarse almond meal.
- Natural unsweetened cocoa powder – This is where the chocolate flavor comes from, in both the brownies and the icing.
- Nut milk – Used in the icing to make it smooth and spreadable. Use whichever kind you have around. You can use regular milk too if you prefer.
How to Make Fudgy Cottage Cheese Brownies
Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.
- Step One (prepare the baking pan)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough hanging over two sides to use as handles later. You’ll be happy you did when it’s time to get the brownies out without digging around in the pan. - Step Two (blend the cottage cheese)
Add the cottage cheese, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla, and kosher salt to a food processor. Blend until everything is completely smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides if needed. Don’t stop while there are still cottage cheese curds in there. - Step Three (make the brownie batter)
Pour the blended mixture into a mixing bowl, then add the almond flour and cocoa powder. Stir with a spatula until you don’t see any dry streaks of almond flour or cocoa. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it into the corners. - Step Four (bake the brownies)
Bake for about 25 minutes. The edges should be set, and the center shouldn’t jiggle when you move the pan. A toothpick inserted into the middle should come out with a small amount of thick brownie batter on it. Don’t wait for it to come out completely clean. - Step Five (cool the brownies and make the icing)
Let the brownies cool completely in the pan, about 1–2 hours. While they cool, stir the cocoa powder, nut milk, and maple syrup together in a small bowl until the icing is smooth. Don’t put it on warm brownies. - Step Six (ice and refrigerate)
Spread the icing over the cooled brownies, then refrigerate the pan until the icing firms up some. It won’t turn into a hard shell, but it sets enough to make cutting the brownies easier. Lift the brownies out using the parchment paper, cut into nine squares, and eat them cold.
Recipe Tips
- Blend the cottage cheese mixture until it’s completely smooth. Stop and scrape down the food processor a couple of times if you need to. You want the cottage cheese completely blended before adding the dry ingredients, so there aren’t any curds left in the batter.
- Once the almond flour and cocoa powder are added, switch to a spatula. Stir until everything is mixed and you don’t see dry streaks, but there’s no reason to send it all back through the food processor.
- Use an 8×8-inch pan and line it with parchment paper that hangs over two sides. These brownies are soft, and the parchment handles make it much easier to lift them out after they’ve chilled.
- The edges should look set when they come out of the oven, while the middle stays soft. A toothpick should come out with a little thick brownie batter on it, not liquid batter. If the center is still jiggly, they need more time. If the toothpick is completely dry, they’ve gone farther than I would have taken them.
- Let the brownies cool all the way before adding the icing. If they’re still warm, the icing can become too runny to spread in a thick layer.
- Refrigerate the iced brownies before cutting them. The icing firms up enough that you get cleaner squares, especially if you wipe the knife between cuts.
- Flaky salt on top is good if you like that kind of thing. You can also scatter chopped pecans, pistachios, walnuts, or almonds over the icing before it goes into the refrigerator.
Storage and Make-Ahead
- Keep the brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The icing will stay soft but firm up some when chilled, and the brownies hold their texture well.
- These are easy to make a day ahead. Bake the brownies, let them cool completely, add the icing, and refrigerate them until you’re ready to cut and serve them.
- I like these straight from the refrigerator when the icing is more set. The brownies stay soft in the middle and the chocolate flavor comes through even more once they’re cold.
- You can freeze the brownies too. Freeze the squares in an airtight container with parchment between layers for up to 2 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight, or let an individual brownie sit at room temperature until it’s soft enough to eat.
FAQs
- Can you taste the cottage cheese in these brownies?
No. Once it’s blended with the eggs, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt, there are no curds left in the batter. The finished brownies taste like chocolate brownies, not cottage cheese. - Can I use low-fat cottage cheese?
I always use full-fat cottage cheese because I like the richer texture it gives the brownies. I’ve never bothered with low-fat cottage cheese, so I can’t promise the result will be the same. - Can I substitute all-purpose flour for almond flour?
I haven’t tested this substitution. Almond flour and all-purpose flour absorb liquid differently, so I wouldn’t sub them one-for-one and expect the same brownies. - Can I use honey instead of maple syrup?
I haven’t tried it. Honey is going to have a stronger flavor and a different consistency than maple syrup, so I would stick with maple syrup for these. - Can I make these brownies without the icing?
Yes. The brownies are fine without it, but I really like the extra chocolate layer on top. The icing is one of the reasons I like these cold. - Can I add nuts to cottage cheese brownies?
Yes. Chopped pecans, pistachios, walnuts, or almonds would all be good. Sprinkle them over the icing before refrigerating so they stay on top. - Are these cottage cheese brownies gluten-free?
They don’t have wheat flour, and almond flour is naturally gluten-free. If you need the brownies to be safe for someone with celiac disease, check that every packaged ingredient you use is certified gluten-free. - Why are my brownies too soft in the middle?
A soft middle is completely normal, especially before the brownies have cooled and chilled. If the center was still loose or jiggly when you took the pan out of the oven, though, they probably needed more baking time. Let them cool completely before deciding the texture is too soft.
From My Kitchen Notes
Small observations from the margins.
- It’s not difficult to be soft without falling apart.
- I’ve never needed things done the usual way to know when they turned out right.
- A lot of my ideas only make sense after they’ve had time to set.
- I’ve never confused being smooth with being simple.
- The people who only want a neat little square have missed a lot about me.
- There is nothing about me that gets less real because somebody didn’t see what went into it.
- I’ve learned that the best part is sometimes the layer someone almost skipped.
- Being known has always required somebody to stick around long enough to get to the center.
More Things I Do with Cottage Cheese
- Cottage Cheese Mac and Cheese – Cottage cheese in a creamy cheese sauce.
- Cottage Cheese Egg Bake – Cottage cheese, eggs, baked breakfast.
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Fudgy Cottage Cheese Brownies
These fudgy cottage cheese brownies are made with full-fat cottage cheese, almond flour, maple syrup, and cocoa powder, then finished with a three-ingredient chocolate icing. They're soft in the middle, and the icing firms up slightly when refrigerated.
Servings: 9 brownies
Calories: 190kcal
Equipment
- baking pan 8x8 (20×20-cm). For baking the brownies.
- food processor Blends the cottage cheese and wet ingredients until completely smooth.
- mixing bowls (large and small). For combining the blended mixture with the almond flour and cocoa powder and making the icing.
- rubber spatula For mixing the batter, spreading it in the pan, and applying the icing.
- measuring cups and spoons For measuring the ingredients.
- parchment paper Lines the pan and makes removing the cooled brownies easier.
Ingredients
Brownies:
- 1 cup (225 g) full-fat cottage cheese (I prefer Good Culture brand)
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (120 ml) pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (48 g) finely ground blanched almond flour
- ½ cup (43 g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
Chocolate Icing:
- 4 tbsps (21 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tbsps (45 ml) nut milk (any kind)
- 2 tbsps (30 ml) pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch (20×20-cm) baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on two sides to make removing the brownies easier.
- Add the full-fat cottage cheese, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and kosher salt to a food processor. Blend until completely smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. There should be no visible cottage cheese curds remaining.1 cup (225 g) full-fat cottage cheese, 2 large eggs, ½ cup (120 ml) pure maple syrup, ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- Transfer the blended mixture to a mixing bowl. Add the finely ground blanched almond flour and natural unsweetened cocoa powder. Stir with a spatula until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated and no pockets of flour or cocoa remain.½ cup (48 g) finely ground blanched almond flour, ½ cup (43 g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly with a spatula, making sure it reaches the corners.
- Bake for approximately 25 minutes, until the edges are set and the center no longer jiggles when the pan is gently moved. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a small amount of thick, fudgy batter rather than liquid batter. Avoid baking until the toothpick comes out completely dry, as these brownies are meant to remain soft in the middle.
- Remove the brownies from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the pan, approximately 1–2 hours, before adding the icing.
- While the brownies cool, combine the natural unsweetened cocoa powder, nut milk, and maple syrup in a small bowl. Stir until smooth and creamy, with no dry cocoa powder remaining.4 tbsps (21 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, 3 tbsps (45 ml) nut milk, 2 tbsps (30 ml) pure maple syrup
- Once the brownies have cooled completely, spread the chocolate icing evenly over the surface. Refrigerate until the icing firms up slightly, then lift the brownies from the pan using the parchment paper and cut into nine squares. Serve chilled for the best texture.
Notes
- Full-fat cottage cheese is recommended for this recipe. Blend it thoroughly with the wet ingredients until no visible curds remain.
- Use finely ground blanched almond flour rather than almond meal. All-purpose flour has not been tested as a substitute.
- Use natural unsweetened cocoa powder in both the brownie batter and the icing. Pure maple syrup provides the sweetness, so avoid substituting pancake syrup.
- The brownies are finished baking when the outer portion is set and the center no longer jiggles. A small amount of thick batter on the toothpick is expected. Do not wait for a completely dry toothpick.
- Allow the brownies to cool completely before adding the chocolate icing. Refrigeration helps the icing firm up slightly without turning it into a hard chocolate coating.
- Store the brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 2 months, separating layers with parchment paper. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary, and Noble Pig makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Fudgy Cottage Cheese Brownies
9 portions per recipe
Amount Per Serving (75 g)
Calories 190
Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 5g
Cholesterol 48mg16%
Sodium 145mg6%
Potassium 260mg7%
Carbohydrates 23g8%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 16g18%
Protein 7g14%
Vitamin A 65IU1%
Calcium 65mg7%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Have you made these Fudgy Cottage Cheese Brownies? I’d love to hear how they turned out – leave a comment below and let me know.
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