Cottage Cheese and Banana Muffins
These cottage cheese banana muffins are an easy, delicious breakfast or snack that’s naturally high in protein and made with a moderate amount of sugar. The overripe bananas add sweetness and flavour while the whipped cottage cheese helps to produce a light and fluffy texture.
Servings 12 muffins
Calories 221kcal
Equipment
- Food processor or stick blender
- 12-muffin pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup cottage cheese full fat, at room temperature
- 1 cup+1tbsp mashed banana
- 1 cup all-purpose/plain flour
- ¾ cup+½tbsp whole wheat/wholemeal flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- ⅓ cup+2tsp oil any
- ½ cup less ½tbsp packed light brown sugar
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup walnuts chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 F/230 C/210 fan/gas mark 8. Grease your muffin pan or line with 12 cases and set aside.
- Puree cottage cheese: Puree the cottage cheese (do not strain it) until creamy and smooth. You can do this in the small bowl of your food processor (as I have done) or with a stick blender. Set aside.NOTE: If you use cottage cheese straight from the pot the curds can sometimes harden as they bake (which would not give these muffins a pleasant texture). That’s why it’s important to puree it before using.
- Prepare dry ingredients: Stir together the flours, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon until thoroughly combined (I recommend using a whisk to do this). Set aside.
- Mash banana: Mash the bananas with a fork.TIP: You can puree the banana along with the cottage cheese instead, but if you are planning to puree the cottage cheese ahead it’s best to prepare these ingredients separately.
- Prepare wet ingredients: Whisk together the egg, oil, sugar and vanilla extract until creamy. Next add the mashed banana, whipped cottage cheese and walnuts.
- Assemble: Gradually add the dry mixture stirring (with a whisk) only until combined (do not overstir).
- Bake: Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan and bake in the centre of the oven for 7 minutes, then lower the heat (this is important!) to 350 F/180 C/160 fan/gas mark 4 (without opening the oven door) and continue baking for 17 more minutes.
- Cool: Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely in the pan before serving (the flavour develops as they cool, plus the paper cases will come off easier).
Notes
- For best results use full fat (unstrained) cottage cheese (the low-fat variety can sometimes lack creaminess which can affect the texture of these muffins). To save time you can puree it in advance, cover and keep refrigerated until you are ready to make the recipe.
- Be sure to use overripe bananas (for maximum sweetness and flavour).
- Your cottage cheese and eggs should be at room temperature.
- Do not overstir the batter.
- Baking these cottage cheese banana muffins at a high temperature to start with gives them a nice rise. However, it’s important to lower the temperature after 7 minutes or your muffins will burn.
- These muffins retain their moisture for up to 3 days if you keep them covered or in an airtight container. I usually just cover them after they’ve cooled completely then place in a container the following day. After a couple of days you can refrigerate them.
- Freeze in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 131mg | Potassium: 213mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 42IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 1mg