Viral Frozen Cottage Cheese Bark (Easy & High Protein!)

Frozen Cottage Cheese Bark is an easy and delicious high protein dessert recipe! Featuring two flavors – berry cheesecake and chocolate peanut butter swirl – this TikTok trending no-bake recipe is easy to make, sweet and tangy, and perfectly creamy. It is a great refreshing and healthy snack for summer and all year long!

Looking for more social media food sensations? Check out my Upside Down Puff Pastry Tarts, Chocolate Strawberry Yogurt Clusters, Viral Chocolate Date Bark, or Italian Grinder Salad Sandwich!

What is cottage cheese bark?

Cottage cheese bark is pretty much exactly what it sounds like! It is a dessert bark made out of a blended and sweetened cottage cheese mixture.

Now if you are not on TikTok or don’t follow social media trends this recipe may seem crazy to you. You may be thinking – Why would someone make a sweet snack or dessert out of cottage cheese?

Well, one answer is that it is actually extremely tasty! The other answer is because everyone is doing it. Everyone! Cottage cheese has become cookie dough, ice cream, and more recently! It is kind of like when cauliflower became rice, pizza, and wings.

Anyway! This latest and greatest cottage cheese viral creation is actually quite a delicious dessert. It is a healthier alternative to lots of the frozen treats typically enjoyed on a hot summer day too.

Plus cottage cheese is a phenomenal protein source which makes this tasty treat super high protein as well! It has just under 5 grams of protein per slice. Let’s get into the list of ingredients, how to make it, and all my tips and tricks!

If I’ve sold you on cottage cheese becoming dessert you have to try out my take on the Cottage Cheese Ice Cream trend! It is strawberry cheesecake flavored and truly scrumptious. If you’d rather go in a savory direction though, head to my Low Carb Cottage Cheese Pizza Bowl. Or keep it simple with Cottage Cheese and Fruit!

Ingredients & Substitutions

Frozen cottage cheese bark requires only a handful of ingredients! We have our two very simple ingredients – full fat cottage cheese and sweetener – plus delicious toppings.

I did two different flavors here because I didn’t want to choose between them! So with this recipe you’ll get half berry cheesecake bark – featuring your favorite berries and small pieces of golden graham crackers – and half peanut butter chocolate swirl bark – highlighting creamy peanut butter, salty peanuts, and rich chocolate.

Now let’s get into the details:

• Cottage Cheese: Cottage cheese is the most important element of this high-protein dessert. Duh! i recommend using a full fat cottage cheese here as it will have a creamier texture and tends to freeze better than fat-free cottage cheese does. I don’t know why! Something with ice crystals. LOL. Anyway, you’ll need 2 cups.
• Maple Syrup: I chose pure maple syrup as the sweetener in this healthy dessert. It is refined sugar free and has a rich, delicious flavor – which I love. You’ll need 2-3 tbsp. Alternatively, you could use honey or agave nectar.
• Fresh Berries: For the berry cheesecake side of this frozen dessert you will need 1/2 cup of berries. I used a mix of fresh strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries.
• Graham Crackers: Graham cracker crumbles really give this sweet treat it’s cheesecake feel. Add 1 sheet!
• Chocolate Chips: Now for the peanut butter chocolate swirl section first you will need 2 tbsp chocolate chips. Any kind you like! I personally like to use Lily’s low sugar, dark chocolate chips.
• Peanut Butter: You’ll also swirl in some creamy peanut butter. 1 tbsp is perfect! Opt for the natural kind with just peanuts and salt as the ingredients. You could swap in almond butter if you’d like as well!
• Peanuts: Lastly, 1 tbsp of peanuts is sprinkled on this side of the bark. It adds the perfect salty flavor and crunchy texture.

Equipment Needed

• Measuring Cups & Spoons
• Food Processor or Blender
• Chef Knife & Cutting Board
• Rubber Spatula
• Baking Sheet
• Parchment Paper

How To Make Frozen Cottage Cheese Bark

This high-protein snack is incredibly easy to make! You’ll need to follow 5 simple steps – blend, spread, top, freeze, and slice. Then enjoy! So maybe 6 steps.

Step 1: Blend cottage cheese. First add the cottage cheese and maple syrup to a food processor or high-speed blender.  Blend until smooth.

Step 2: Spread mixture. Next line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Transfer the cottage cheese mixture to the prepared baking sheet and spread out into a large rectangle, about a 1/4 inch thick.

Step 3: Melt the chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl in the microwave.  Do 15 second intervals, stirring in between each one, until completed melted and smooth.

Step 4: Add toppings to the cottage cheese bark.  Add the graham cracker crumbles and fresh berries to one half of the bark.  Add the melted chocolate, peanut butter, and peanuts to the other half. I like to add dollops of melted chocolate and peanut butter and then use a toothpick to make the design. 

Step 5: Freeze the bark. Place the bark in the freezer for 2-3 hours until it is completely solid and hardened.

Step 6: Cut into slices. Once solid, cut the frozen bark into 12 squares.

Step 7: Enjoy! Store leftovers in the freezer.

Optional Recipe Variations

This protein packed frozen bark is actually quite customizable! There are many adjustments you could make for it to be perfect for you.

You can essentially use the base recipe – blended cottage cheese and pure maple syrup – and add whatever your heart desires on top. Here are some possibilities:

• Fruit: I think you could swap in any chopped fruit under the sun here! Maybe peaches or cherries for some seasonal summer options. Sliced bananas would be a great one for all year round too.
• Chocolate: Use any kind of chocolate! Milk, semi-sweet, white, or dark.
• Crunch: I love the crunch the graham cracker pieces add here, but crushed nuts or granola would have the same great effect.
• Candy: Candy would be an epic addition here! Maybe chopped Kit Kats, Reese’s Cups, or Snickers. M&Ms would be perfect too. Just be careful because you will be freezing them. We don’t want to break a tooth!
• Cookies: Another fabulous topping would be cookies. I am specifically thinking Oreos for an Oreo cheesecake vibe. YUM. But any type would work!
• Higher Protein: If you want to make this frozen dessert even higher in protein, blend up some protein powder with the cottage cheese mixture.
• Greek Yogurt: Lastly, you could really switch things up and turn this recipe into a frozen yogurt bark. Simply swap out the cottage cheese for a full fat greek yogurt! This is a great option if you just can’t get behind all these sweet cottage cheese recipes. It would be similar to my Granola & Berries Frozen Greek Yogurt Bars!

Expert Tips

I love both of these flavor combinations, especially the fresh fruit side, but you could add whichever toppings you’d like and create endless flavors here. Check out my Recipe Variations section for all my ideas!

These cottage cheese bars are not extremely sweet. If you have a big sweet tooth and like your treats extra sweet, I recommend adding more maple syrup to taste.

This frozen bark works best if the cottage cheese is spread nice and then. It will freeze quicker and more even! But just make sure you don’t spread it too thin. If too thin, it won’t hold the toppings well or really become solid slices.

The middle of this bark will take longer to freeze. Before removing it from the freezer, ensure the entire recipe is completely frozen solid – not just the outer pieces.

Check the ingredients on your cottage cheese and don’t use one that is overly salty. Otherwise you’re bark will be too salty too! If you find your cottage cheese is rather salty and it’s all you have, just add more sweetener.

FAQs

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No-Bake Dessert Recipes

• Small Batch Peanut Butter Cookies
• Cream Cheese Caramel Apple Dip
• Dark Chocolate Berry Bark
• Vegan Edible Cookie Dough
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• Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

Connect With Me!

If you make this frozen cottage cheese recipe or any of my other recipes, I would absolutely love to know! Tag me @wellnessbykay on Instagram so I can see and share your recreations.

Love this recipe? Leave a comment and a rating! I love to see and it helps me continue to develop delicious recipes for this blog.

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