Description
This Cottage Cheese Banana Pudding recipe offers a creamy, healthy twist on the classic dessert by combining protein-rich cottage cheese with naturally sweet ripe bananas. It’s smooth, wholesome, quick to prepare, and customizable with various add-ins, making it a perfect guilt-free treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup small curd cottage cheese
- 2 ripe bananas, mashed or sliced
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup milk or plant-based milk
- Pinch of salt
Optional Ingredients
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Nutmeg or ginger (to taste)
- Chopped walnuts or pecans (for nutty crunch)
- Fresh strawberries or blueberries (for berry boost)
- Mini chocolate chips or cocoa powder (for chocolate lover’s variation)
Instructions
- Prepare the Bananas: Start by peeling and mashing the ripe bananas in a bowl until smooth but still slightly chunky for texture. This forms the sweet, naturally creamy base of your pudding.
- Blend Cottage Cheese and Liquids: In a separate bowl or blender, combine the cottage cheese, milk (or plant-based milk), vanilla extract, honey or maple syrup, and a pinch of salt. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy, ensuring the cottage cheese is fully incorporated.
- Combine the Mixtures: Gently fold the banana mash into the blended cottage cheese mixture, stirring just until combined to maintain the luscious texture and incorporate the natural sweetness evenly.
- Add Optional Flavors: If desired, sprinkle in cinnamon, nutmeg, or any chosen variations and stir lightly. This is the perfect stage to customize your pudding according to your taste preferences.
- Chill and Serve: Place the pudding in serving dishes or a large bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the pudding to thicken slightly. Serve chilled for the best experience.
Notes
- Use ripe bananas for optimal natural sweetness and flavor.
- Blend cottage cheese thoroughly to achieve a smooth, pudding-like texture.
- Adjust milk quantity gradually to reach your preferred pudding thickness.
- Chill the pudding adequately to allow flavors to combine and texture to set.
- Best enjoyed within 2 days for optimal freshness and taste.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No baking required
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 recipe (approximately 1/2 cup)
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg