Chocolate Banana Protein Pudding (with cottage cheese)
If you’re looking for a creamy, chocolatey dessert that feels indulgent but is packed with nutrition, you’ve just met your match. This Chocolate Banana Protein Pudding features a surprising ingredient: cottage cheese! Trust me on this one, it blends up beautifully (with a few other simple ingredients) to create a luscious, velvety texture that’s just dreamy.
If you dislike the thought of cottage cheese, listen to this: Ian, my husband, hates cottage cheese—he especially hates the texture. I know many other people feel the same way. My goal when developing this recipe was to trick Ian into eating it and enjoying it (cottage cheese and all, haha). And guess what? Mission accomplished! Ian had no idea it was in there and absolutely loved it. I’m telling you, when you blend everything together, it creates a rich & creamy pudding without any detection of…You. Know. What. The proof is in the pudding—literally!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Packed with protein: Cottage cheese adds a hefty protein boost along with a dose of calcium for strong bones.
- Terrific chocolate-banana flavor: The cocoa powder delivers a rich and chocolatey taste we love, perfectly balanced by the flavor of banana. (When it comes to the banana, the riper, the better!)
- Quick and simple: Just blend it up in minutes, then allow it to chill in the fridge for pudding, or freeze and defrost (for at least 30 minutes) and enjoy as a protein-rich soft-serve ice cream.
- Kid-approved: It’s a hit with little ones and big ones, and they’ll never guess it’s made with cottage cheese! I’ve tested countless taste buds 😉
If you’re a chocolate lover like me, this recipe may just become your new go-to treat. It’s rich, creamy, and perfectly sweet, made with just five simple ingredients that blend together in minutes. And while you can enjoy it straight from the blender, definitely take the time to let it chill in the fridge for about an hour. This allows it to thicken and get nice and cold.
While I typically eat this pudding plain, it’s even better with toppings! Things like chopped fruit, a sprinkle of mini chocolate chips, or a drizzle of nut butter over the top will add extra flair. But no matter how you serve it— plain or bedazzled— this pudding is a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth while packing in a serious protein punch!
If cottage cheese isn’t your thing, try some of my other chilled snacks! Here’s a Chocolate Ice Cream that doesn’t involve cottage cheese. My frozen barks are also a great snack to keep in the freezer— try these three flavors: Frozen Chocolate Berry Bark, or Key Lime Pie Bark, or my Strawberry Shortcake Frozen Yogurt Bark. And definitely try this magic shell trick to transform an everyday single-serve Greek yogurt into something that is extra special!
Try my Banana Peanut Butter Protein Pudding!
High-Protein Chocolate Banana Pudding (made with cottage cheese)
Ingredients
- 1 cup 1% low fat cottage cheese
- 1 ripe banana
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey*
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Equipment
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients, then place in fridge for about an hour to firm, and enjoy! If you’d like, you can place in the freezer to make an ice cream-like treat–just be sure to let it thaw and slightly soften up for 30 minutes before enjoying.
I don’t understand the nutritional info. It says if you swap out the maple syrup or honey for sugar free sweetener, the calories per serving will then 150, but the nutritional info for the recipe as is with honey or maple syrup is 130 calories per serving. Are they mixed up?
Hi Mary, thanks for catching this! We doublechecked our math, and it’s about 90 calories per serving with a sugar-free sweetener! We apologize for the mistake and appreciate you taking the time to reach out. Please let us know if decide to try the recipe—we’d love to know what you think!
—Donna
Can you use “no salt added” cottage cheese?
Thanks, can’t wait to try this!
Absolutely, Laurie! But just a quick heads-up: you may want to increase the sweetener a bit to balance things out. Salt actually helps enhance and bring forward sweetness, so when it’s missing, you might find the pudding tastes slightly more muted or less indulgent. Also, make sure your banana is super ripe—brown spots on the peel—because the riper it is, the sweeter and more flavorful it’ll be, which will also help to counter balance the lower salt in your cottage cheese. Hope this helps!
My daughter wanted me to up my protein, and I’ve gotta say—this chocolate banana cottage cheese pudding made me a believer. Never thought I’d crave something this healthy!!!! Celebrating you, Joy!! Xox
Hi Evelyn, thanks for your kind words! We’re so glad you’re enjoying this recipe and it’s helping you hit your protein goals! We’re grateful to have you as a member of our community!
—Donna
As a mom of four, I’m practically a walking to-do list with a side of caffeine… And snacks are always the biggest challenge! Enter Joy’s Chocolate Banana Protein Pudding: my latest and greatest saving grace! Holy cow, my kiddos and I can’t get enough of it—they actually ask for seconds (and sometimes thirds!) without any complaints! A MIRACLE! The blend of cottage cheese and banana hits the spot, rich in protein but still indulgent enough to feel like a treat. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it gives me a moment of peace in this whirlwind of chaos. Joy, you’ve officially earned a spot in my ‘mom sanity-saving’ hall of fame!
Hi Claire, yay! Thanks for your awesome comment! We’re so happy you found a snack that works for both you and the kids (a miracle, indeed!). And we know how important it is as a mom to have go-to snacks, so we’re honored to have played a small part in helping preserve your sanity 🙂 You sound like an amazing mom…your kids are very lucky to have you!
—Donna
Can I sub in cacao powder for cocoa powder?
Hi Janet, yes! It may be a tad more bitter, but it’ll work! If you decide to give it a try, please let us know what you think—we’d love to hear your thoughts!
—Donna
Can you substitute Ricotta for cottage cheese?
Hi Nina, Joy hasn’t tried it yet, but thinks it should work. Note that the texture may be slightly changed. If you decide to give it a shot, let us know how it turns out!
—Donna
I hate God cheese. Can I use Greek yogurt?
Hi Phyllis! I’ve only tried this recipe with cottage cheese, but I am pretty sure it’ll work well with part-skim ricotta cheese and also Greek yogurt. The yogurt will result in a tangier flavor, so you may want to use a vanilla-flavored yogurt or adjust with a bit more sweetener. You can play with the taste before stashing in the fridge!
This recipe is absolutely delicious. I add a tad more cacao and a lot more vanilla. I used both the maple syrup and honey. Both are equally good.
Hi Vickie, so glad you enjoyed the recipe and that the different variations all worked out well for you! Thanks for letting us know—we really appreciate your feedback 🙂
—Donna
I do like this recipe and hope some tweaks can make it less banana-y for me.. the banana I used was a pretty good size.. maybe too large??
Also I used 2% cottage cheese cause that’s what I had on hand.. I used my food processor cause I didn’t know if my blender would thoroughly combine it enough.. yet I still have tiny flecks of cottage cheese .. any thoughts on this??
I also added another tablespoon of maple syrup as I wanted it a bit sweeter.. but it’s still too much of a (predominant banana ) chocolate pudding..
And lastly.. My pudding did not firm up after an hour ..
any thoughts on how I can improve this really good recipe for me would be greatly appreciated!!!! And thanks for listening!!!!!
Hi Marlene! Thanks so much for trying this and for your thoughtful feedback — I love how you experimented! If you’d like less banana flavor, you can use a smaller banana or swap half of it for avocado (it adds creaminess without extra sweetness). For an ultra-smooth texture, a high-speed blender usually does the trick better than a food processor — or you can blend longer, stopping to scrape down the sides. A quick trick: blend the cottage cheese first until creamy, then add the rest of the ingredients. And for a firmer set, try letting it chill longer (2–3 hours or overnight), or you can add a tablespoon of chia seeds to the blender with the other ingredients — they’ll naturally thicken it as it chills in the fridge.
I’m so glad you liked it overall, and I hope these tweaks make it perfect for you!!
I just tried this recipe. It turned out creamy, and very tasty. I only needed 1 tablespoon of honey.
Hi Cynthia! We’re so happy to hear that you loved this recipe. Yes, it is super creamy and delicious (while also being not-so-secretly packed with protein). That’s great feedback about only needing 1 tablespoon of honey…a ripe banana and just a little honey can provide all the sweetness you need! Thanks for sharing! — Eliza (Team Joy)
Quick Question – I see that the recipe yields 3 servings. Will you please tell me how much of the prepared recipe equals a single serving?
Hi Kimberly! Good catch…we just updated the recipe to provide the specific serving size. 1 serving is ~1/2 cup of the prepared recipe. Enjoy, this one is super tasty!— Eliza (Team Joy)
Hi Joy! I love your recipes! Quick question – is the cocoa powder to use unsweetened?
Thank you!
Amy
Hi Amy! Yes—Joy uses unsweetened cocoa powder! We hope you ❤ the recipe and enjoy every spoonful!!
— Team Joy (Olivia)
Thanks so much!! Can’t wait to try!
I’m obsessed with cottage cheese so no surprise I thoroughly enjoyed this pudding. I was skeptical if it would pass my husbands test as he does not like cottage cheese but he loved it! He even asked me to make more. Thank you, Joy for another delicious and nutritious recipe!
Hi Julie! Hooray! This recipe is delicious….and we love that there’s now proof in the pudding (pun intended) to support it! Hope it’s on repeat in your kitchen…enjoy!— Eliza (Team Joy)
It was delicious. I also made one adding a bit of leftover no plain yogurt which gave it a tangy flavor. Good but not as decadent tasting as the original without yogurt.
A great snack or dessert to use up browned bananas and leftover cottage cheese!
Hi Hilary! So glad to hear that you loved this one. And we love playing around with variations and different ingredients…happy to hear you figured out what you love!! Enjoy! — Eliza (Team Joy)