Easy Homemade Cottage Cheese Ice Cream Recipe

This cottage cheese ice cream recipe is the easiest, tastiest, and most decadent healthy dessert around! It features two delicious versions—chocolate and strawberry—using only 5 simple ingredients, all for just 85 calories per serving. Best of all, you don't even need a fancy ice cream maker to make it!

My Take on Cottage Cheese Ice Cream

This no-churn cottage cheese ice cream is like a cross between traditional ice cream and cheesecake, with a lush texture and a balance of rich sweetness and creamy tang. Yes, it's as indulgent as it sounds!

With this recipe, you have your choice between strawberry and chocolate flavors, each made with real fruit and whole food ingredients you can feel good about. It's naturally high in protein and lower in sugar, carbs, and calories than regular ice cream without compromising on flavor.

That's right - each serving of this cottage cheese ice cream has only 85 calories and a meager 3 grams of fat. But don't let those numbers fool you. This recipe rivals even the most popular low calorie ice creams around. In fact, it may just taste even better!

But if you don't believe me, just ask my kids. 

It's truly become a favorite around our house all summer long (and will probably become a staple year-round). The kids love being able to make their own sundaes, adding fresh fruit and crushed graham crackers for a strawberry cheesecake combination. I'm more partial to some chopped Reese's cups for the ultimate chocolate peanut butter ice cream treat.

So if you've been looking for the best healthy summer dessert, you've found the recipe!

Joe Tip (Like A "Pro Tip," But Better)

You won't want to skip the powdered allulose in this recipe. If you've never heard of allulose before, it's a naturally occurring sugar that's present in sweeteners like maple syrup and molasses. The powdered allulose gives this cottage cheese ice cream the perfect amount of sweetness and smooth texture with just a fraction of the calories and carbs as refined sugar.

Ingredients

Again, you only need 5 ingredients to make each of these cottage cheese ice cream flavors, and there's a good chance you have most of them in your kitchen already!

Here's everything you'll need to make strawberry cottage cheese ice cream:

• 1 cup frozen strawberries, chopped
• 1 cup full fat cottage cheese
• ¼ cup powdered allulose
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp. heavy cream

And here's what you'll need to make the chocolate cottage cheese ice cream:

• 1 cup full fat cottage cheese
• 3 tbsps. unsweetened cocoa powder
• ⅓ cup powdered allulose
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp. heavy cream

Crazy simple, right?!

While these strawberry and chocolate cottage cheese ice creams are amazing as is, I definitely recommend experimenting with your favorite flavors and mix-ins. The possibilities are truly endless.

How to Make Strawberry Cottage Cheese Ice Cream

Making this cottage cheese strawberry ice cream is really as easy as one, two, three. It literally takes only three steps to make it and less than 10 minutes of prep time!

Each flavor follows the same basic steps - blend all of the ingredients, periodically whisk the ice cream as it freezes, and enjoy! 

That being said, you'll need about 8 hours for the ice cream to fully set in the freezer so make sure to plan ahead of time. Trust me, the results are well worth the wait!

Step One: Blend Everything Together

Add all of the ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until you get a smooth consistency.

Then, transfer the mixture to a freezer-safe container.

Step Two: Freeze and Whisk

Place the ice cream in the freezer. Whisk it every hour for the first 4 hours of freezing to prevent ice crystals from forming. Keep it in the freezer for another 4 hours.

Step Three: Serve

Portion out your cottage cheese ice cream with an ice cream scoop or spoon, and enjoy! If the ice cream is too hard to scoop, let it thaw on the counter for 5-10 minutes first before serving. 

How to Make Chocolate Cottage Cheese Ice Cream

The chocolate version of this cottage cheese ice cream is just as simple and takes barely any effort at all.

I do recommend staying at home for the first few hours of freezing the ice cream, so the best time to make it is over the weekend or on the night before you plan to serve it.

Step One: Blend Everything Together

In a high powered blender or food processor, add the whole milk cottage cheese, cocoa powder, allulose, vanilla extract, and heavy cream. Blend until smooth. After blending, you can also add chocolate chips if desired.

Step Two: Freeze and Whisk

Transfer the mixture to a freezer-safe container and store it in the freezer. Every hour, whisk the ice cream mixture to prevent ice crystals. Do this for the first 4 hours, then keep the ice cream in the freezer for another 4 hours.

Step Three: Serve

Your cottage cheese ice cream is ready to serve! If it's still too hard to scoop, let it sit on the counter for 5-10 minutes first to soften. Then, scoop and enjoy!

And if you're thinking what I'm thinking - a scoop of this ice cream pairs perfectly with so many other sweet treats, like this chocolate protein cake or one of these low calorie desserts.

How to Store Cottage Cheese Ice Cream

This homemade ice cream will stay good in the freezer for 1-2 months.

I recommend storing your ice cream in an insulated ice cream container, or tightly covering your own container with plastic wrap before sealing. This will not only help maintain the ice cream's smooth consistency but will prevent ice crystals from forming over time.

FAQs About This Cottage Cheese Ice Cream Recipe

Why is my cottage cheese ice cream so hard?

Using low-fat cottage cheese can affect the texture as it doesn't retain its creaminess when frozen, unlike full-fat cottage cheese. Using too little allulose can also result in hard ice cream, as allulose helps reduce ice formation in the ice cream mixture.

That being said, if your cottage cheese ice cream is too hard, you can always let it sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to thaw and soften enough for scooping.

Final Thoughts

Well, that's how to make cottage cheese ice cream!

These recipes have been a huge family favorite. The kids love it because it's delicious, creamy, and perfectly sweetened. And I love it because it's a fantastic option for when I want to indulge in a sweet treat while keeping calories and carbs low.

Not to mention, it's versatile, simple, and made super easy without an ice cream maker.

Anyway, I hope you like this cottage cheese ice cream recipe as much as I/we do!

As always, if you do end up making it, don't forget to leave a comment below!

More Healthy Dessert Recipes

If you're looking for more healthy dessert recipes like this, I have some great ones from the blog you'll love.

Here are some reader favorites:

• Almond milk ice cream
• Healthy low calorie brownies
• Low carb lemon bars
• Cottage cheese brownies