Cottage Cheese Baked Oats
This post contains affiliate links.
This high protein Cottage Cheese Baked Oats recipe is easy to make and tastes like a soft and tender cake! Packed with protein and fiber, full of toasted pecans and juicy raspberries, and topped with a drizzle of pecan butter, this healthy breakfast is guaranteed to start off your morning right!
Looking for more high protein baked oats recipes? Try my Lemon Curd Baked Oats, Chocolate Hazelnut Baked Oats, or Almond Butter Baked Oats next!
You all know I LOVE protein baked oats. They taste like cake and are a nutritious breakfast to kick off my busy mornings!
About This Recipe
Typically, mashed banana, applesauce (my all-time favorite as it yields the most moist and fluffy cake-like texture), Greek yogurt, or nut butter are used in baked oats to add sweetness and moisture.
However, I’ve discovered another ingredient that makes baked oats incredibly moist, tender and cake-like – cottage cheese!
While cottage cheese won’t add sweetness since it’s slightly salty and tangy, it gives these baked oats a fluffy and soft muffin-like texture! Plus, it’s packed with protein, calcium and low in fat!
The cottage cheese flavor and texture is undetectable thanks to using a sweetener and flavored protein powder. However, it does the job of making these protein baked oats incredibly high in protein with 37.9 grams!
I’ve gone for a pecan cheesecake vibe by adding chopped pecans, warming spices like cinnamon and apple pie spice and drizzling pecan butter on top.
However, I’ve included ingredient variations below so that you can customize these baked oats with cottage cheese to your heart’s desire!
Table of contents
Why This Recipe Works
- Easy to make. All you need to do is mix, assemble and bake!
- Healthy. Packed with protein, fiber and healthy fats, this cottage cheese baked oatmeal is a nutritious breakfast for any day of the week!
- High protein. Using protein powder and cottage cheese makes these baked oats super high protein with 37.9 grams of protein!
- Tastes like cake for breakfast! It’s incredibly moist, soft and fluffy like a muffin or cake! You can even eat is as a post workout snack or dessert!
- Meal prep friendly. These baked oats will keep for a couple of days in the fridge. Make a few servings to enjoy for an easy reheatable breakfast during the week!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutes
- Blended Old Fashioned Rolled Oats: I used blended old fashioned rolled oats which is basically homemade oat flour. While you can use store-bought oat flour for convenience, it’s so easy to make you’re your own and much cheaper than buying it! Use gluten-free certified blended oats if needed.
- Snickerdoodle Protein Powder: I used PEScience Select Protein, a whey-casein protein blend that has a delicious brown sugar and cinnamon flavor. Alternatively, use vanilla protein powder and add more cinnamon instead. Either a whey, casein, or plant-based protein powder will work. Note that plant-based/vegan protein powders tend to absorb more liquid than whey and whey-casein protein powder. If using a plant-based protein powder, add 2 tablespoons more milk.
- Ground Cinnamon: To add warming cinnamon notes to this cottage cheese baked oats!
- Apple Pie Spice: Use store-bought or a homemade apple pie spice blend. Pumpkin pie spice also works to add warming flavors. Alternatively, use more ground cinnamon instead.
- Baking Powder: Helps our baked oats rise.
- Low Fat Cottage Cheese. Not only does the cottage cheese add moisture and helps bind the ingredients together, it gives this high protein baked oatmeal a BIG boost in protein! I promise the texture and cottage cheese tangy and salty flavor is not detectable once baked.
- Liquid Egg Whites: Helps the baked oats rise and makes the texture more cake-like. I like using the type from a carton as it is convenient for baking needs. You can use egg whites from an egg and save the yolk for another use. Or use a whole large egg instead if preferred and just add a few extra minutes to the baking time.
- Unsweetened Almond Milk: Or use any plant-based or regular milk.
- Brown Sugar Replacement: I used Swerve Brown Sugar which is a sugar-free and calorie-free sweetener made of erythritol and allulose. You can use any sugar-free sweetener (monkfruit, stevia, allulose) or regular sweetener of choice (light brown sugar, granulated white sugar, coconut sugar). Liquid sweeteners such as maple syrup, honey, date syrup or agave syrup will also work.
- Raspberries: Either fresh or frozen. Don’t thaw if using frozen.
- Pecans: Chopped unsalted, raw pecans get nice and toasty in the oven! Feel free to use any other nuts you love!
- Pecan Butter: I recently discovered pecan butter and am OBSESSED! It’s sweet and nutty, full of toasted pecan flavors and makes these cottage cheese baked oats irrestitable when drizzled on top! I am currently drizzling it over all of my overnight oats and baked oats breakfasts every morning! Feel free to swap for any nut butter you love like peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, etc. You can also omit the nut butter if you prefer – these baked oats still taste great without it!
Full ingredient list and amounts are in the recipe card below.
Keep in Touch!
Subscribe to get new posts via email:
How to Make Baked Oats with Cottage Cheese
Below is a visual overview on how to make this recipe. The full recipe with detailed instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
Storing and Reheating
Wait for the baked oats to cool completely and wrap tightly with a sheet of aluminum foil. Alternatively, run a butter knife around the edges of the ramekin to unmold the baked oats and transfer to a sealed airtight container. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, microwave on high for 1 minute or until warm throughout. Top with the pecan butter just before eating.
Cook’s Tips
- Use a large enough ramekin or oven-safe bowl. A 12 or 14-ounce ramekin (about 1-½ cups) works best and will have enough space for these baked oats to rise without spilling over the edges during baking. You can also use a shorter but wider baking dish or oven safe bowl and bake for 25-27 minutes for a cake-like texture.
- Baking time and oven placement.
- Small sized ovens: Bake on the center rack for 25-27 minutes for a cake-like texture.
- Medium or large sized ovens: Bake on the 2nd rack from the top. This ensures that the center of the baked oats will be fully cooked and tender within 25-30 minutes. Avoid baking for longer than 30 minutes as it could lead to an unideal dry texture.
- Meal prep option. Multiply the amounts for the recipe ingredients by the number of servings you would like to make. Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then stir in the wet ingredients. Fold in the mix-ins. Pour into multiple ramekins, oven safe bowls or baking dishes and add the toppings. Bake as indicated but note that you might need to adjust the baking time if you are making several servings. Once completely cool, wrap tightly in a sheet of aluminum foil or cling wrap or transfer to an airtight sealed container. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days. Although these baked oats with cottage cheese tastes best when eaten warm, you can enjoy them at room temperature if you prefer. To allow the temperature to come up after removing from the fridge, let the baked oats sit on the counter for 20-30 minutes.
Variations
- Make it gluten-free. Use gluten-free certified blended oats and make sure that the protein powder you’re using is gluten-free. If you have extreme sensitivities, I recommend making sure that all the ingredients you use are processed in a gluten-free facility to avoid cross-over contamination.
- Make it vegan. Use a plant-based protein powder and a flax egg (¾ tablespoon of ground flaxseed mixed with 1 and ¾ tablespoons water makes a replacement for about 40 grams of liquid egg whites). Use 79ml / ⅓ cup unsweetened almond milk since plant-based protein powders absorb more liquid than whey or whey-casein protein powder blends.
- Omit the raspberries or use other berries. Leave out the raspberries if you prefer or use other fresh berries. Blueberries, blackberries and diced strawberries are great options. Alternatively, serve with fresh berries after baking.
- Use soy milk. If you want to add even more protein, opt for soy milk over almond milk.
- Use different nuts. Almonds, walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts, etc.
- Add chocolate chips. Sprinkle some dark chocolate chips on top! I can vouch that milk, semi-sweet, and white chocolate chips are all delicious in these baked oats.
- Make chocolate baked oats. Use a chocolate protein powder and add 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder. Don’t forget to sprinkle some dark chocolate chips on top.
- Leave out the protein powder. Use more blended oats (60 grams total) instead. To add more protein, you can stir in a tablespoon of pecan butter, peanut butter or almond butter into the batter instead. If the batter seems too thick, add a little more milk as needed.
- Use unflavored protein powder. If using an unflavored protein powder, add ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract and additional brown sugar replacement to taste.
FAQs
Quick oats will work to make baked oats. However, I prefer using blended old fashioned rolled baked oats as the texture is more satisfying and cake-like.
I don’t recommend using steel cut oats to make baked oats as they are more difficult to blend into oat flour and the texture will not be cake-like. This recipe works best with blended old fashioned rolled oats, blended quick cooking oats, or store-bought oat flour.
Cottage cheese is higher in protein and generally lower in fat than cream cheese. It’s made with curdled milk while cream cheese is made with milk and cream. Cream cheese is smoother and creamier in texture. Cottage cheese has a more tangy flavor than cream cheese.
While the cottage cheese curds texture is not detectable when eating these baked oats, you’re welcome to blend it first prior to adding it to the batter so that you don’t see any of the curds.
MADE THIS RECIPE? Please leave a comment and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating below and let me know how you liked it! You can also take a photo and tag it with @thatspicychick on Instagram and hashtag it #thatspicychick. I love seeing your creations!
STAY CONNECTED! You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram.
Sign up for my email list to get my latest recipe in your inbox weekly!
More High Protein Baked Oats
Cottage Cheese Baked Oats
This high protein Cottage Cheese Baked Oats recipe is easy to make and tastes like soft and tender cake! Packed with protein, fiber and healthy fats, this healthy breakfast is guaranteed to start off your morning right!
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- Cooking Oil Spray, to grease the ramekin
- ½ cup / 40 grams blended Old Fashioned Rolled Oats (note 1)
- ≈ ¼ cup / 25 grams Snickerdoodle Protein Powder (I used PEScience Select Protein, a whey-casein blend – note 2)
- ¼ TSP ground Cinnamon
- ¼ TSP Apple Pie Spice (or use more ground cinnamon)
- ½ TSP / 2 grams Baking Powder
- ≈ ¼ cup / 50 grams Low Fat Cottage Cheese
- 2 TBLS + 2 TSP / 40 grams Liquid Egg Whites (from a carton, or use 1 whole egg)
- ¼ cup / 60ml Unsweetened Almond Milk (or any plant-based or regular milk)
- ½ TBSP / 6 grams Brown Sugar Replacement, to taste (I used Swerve Brown Sugar – note 3)
- ≈ ⅓ cup / 36 grams fresh Raspberries (or use frozen)
- 4–5 pieces / 8 grams unsalted raw Pecans – chopped
- To Serve: ½ TBSP / 10 grams Pecan Butter (or other nut butter of choice)
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4. Spray a 12 or 14-ounce (12cm) ramekin, oven-safe bowl or small baking dish with cooking oil spray. Use a pastry brush or your fingers to coat the inside.
- Combine the dry ingredients: Mix together the blended oats, snickerdoodle protein powder, ground cinnamon, apple pie spice and baking powder in a medium bowl until combined well.
- Add the wet ingredients: Add the cottage cheese, liquid egg whites, unsweetened almond milk, and brown sugar replacement. Mix well until everything is combined well. The batter will be slightly thick.
- Add the mix-ins: Add most of the raspberries (reserve a few pieces for the topping). Gently mix to combine.
- Assemble: Pour the batter into the prepared ramekin and top with the reserved raspberries and pecans.
- Bake: Bake on the 2nd rack from the top of the oven (note 4) for 25-27 minutes or until risen and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Serve: Drizzle the pecan butter on top and enjoy warm!
Notes
- Blended Old Fashioned Rolled Oats. Feel free to use homemade or store-bought oat flour. If you don’t have any on hand, blend old fashioned rolled oats in a mini blender until a smooth flour like consistency is achieved. Then proceed with the rest of the recipe. Use gluten-free certified oats if needed. Blended quick cooking oats will work too.
- Snickerdoodle Protein Powder. I used PEScience Select Protein, a whey-casein protein blend that has a brown sugar and cinnamon flavor. Feel free to use a vanilla protein powder and add more cinnamon instead. Use any type of whey based, casein or plant-based protein powder. Note that plant-based protein/vegan powders tend to absorb more liquid than whey-based ones and I recommend adding 2 tablespoons more milk if using one. Note that plant-based and whey-casein protein powders work best for baked oats as pure whey protein powders can result in a dryer texture if baked for too long. If using an unflavored protein powder, add ½ TSP ground cinnamon, ¼ TSP vanilla extract, and additional brown sugar replacement to taste.
- Brown Sugar Replacement. I used Swerve Brown Sugar which is a sugar-free and calorie-free sweetener made from erythritol and allulose. Alternatively, use any other type of sugar-free granulated sweetener made from monkfruit, stevia, allulose, etc. You could also use regular granulated brown sugar, white sugar, coconut sugar or ½ to 1 tablespoon of a natural liquid sweetener like honey, maple syrup, date syrup or agave syrup.
- Baking time and oven placement tips.
- Small sized ovens: Bake on the center rack for 25-27 minutes for a cake-like texture.
- Medium or large sized ovens: Bake on the 2nd rack from the top for 25-27 minutes. This ensures that the center of the baked oats will be fully cooked and cake-like within 25-30 minutes. Do not bake for longer than 30 minutes as it could lead to a dryer texture.
- Meal prep option: Multiply the amounts for the recipe ingredients by the number of servings you would like to make. You can click on the ‘2x’ or ‘3x’ button at the top of the recipe card to display the ingredient amounts for 2 or 3 servings respectively. Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then stir in the wet ingredients. Fold in the mix-ins and pour into multiple ramekins, oven safe bowls or baking dishes. Add the toppings and bake as indicated. Note that you might need to adjust the baking time if you are making several servings. Once completely cool, wrap tightly in a sheet of aluminum foil or cling wrap or unmold the baked oats from the ramekins and transfer to a sealed airtight container. Store in the fridge. Although cottage cheese baked oats tastes best when warm, you can enjoy them at room temperature if desired. Let the baked oats sit on the counter for 20-30 minutes before eating to allow the temperature to come up.
- Storing and reheating. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat on high in the microwave for 1 minute or so until warm throughout. Drizzle the pecan butter on top after reheating.
- Nutritional information provided is approximate and will vary with ingredient substitutes and product brands you use.
- See the ‘Variations’ section above in the post if you would like to customize these baked oats.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 456
- Sugar: 4.7g
- Sodium: 775.4mg
- Fat: 19.9g
- Saturated Fat: 2.4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16.9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 33g
- Fiber: 9.1g
- Protein: 37.9g
- Cholesterol: 42.8mg
This post may contain affiliate links. We are a part of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary based on several factors. It should only be used as a general guideline. For more information, please see our Disclosure.
