Savory Cottage Cheese Muffins

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Kick your day into high gear with these delicious high protein breakfast muffins! With 14 grams of protein and only 3.2 grams net carbs, they’re an ideal low carb breakfast.

Keto Cottage Cheese Muffins with one broken open on a white plate.

Here I am with the cottage cheese again! For so long, I overlooked this versatile low carb ingredient and now I can’t get enough. I added it to some protein bagels, and I’ve been testing it out in other recipes, both sweet and savory.

And these delicious Cottage Cheese Muffins are the result of one such experiment. I wanted something to add to my list of high protein breakfast ideas. It needed to be tasty, easy to make, and something I could make ahead. These muffins met all of my expectations and then some!

My husband has already requested another batch for next week and I am more than happy to oblige!

Freshly baked cottage cheese muffins in a metal baking pan over a striped kitchen towel.

A perfect low carb, high protein breakfast

Many recipes for protein muffins are on the sweet side, but these cottage cheese muffins are a tempting savory breakfast option. And you can easily customize these with your favorite add-ins. I used crisp crumbled bacon and roasted red peppers, but you could add in sausage, broccoli, spinach, you name it!

They are perfect for anyone trying to increase their protein consumption at breakfast. And research for my upcoming cookbook suggests that we could all benefit from more high quality protein, regardless of health status and diet.

With 14 grams of protein and less than 5 grams total carbs per muffin, this recipe can help you meet your protein targets. The muffins store nicely in the fridge for up to 5 days, so you can grab them as an easy on-the-go breakfast or post-workout snack.

I paired them with some lean ham and some sautéed veggies for a well rounded breakfast. Whereas my husband would eat two of the muffins in one go. Which means I just need to make more next time!

Ingredients needed

Cottage cheese: I used whole milk cottage cheese but 2% should work just as well.
Eggs: Two whole eggs and two egg whites give these muffins a lighter, fluffier texture.
Almond flour: Fine blanched almond flour will give you the best texture for all your keto muffins.
Protein powder: The protein powder in this recipe is for better structure AND additional protein. I used unflavored whey protein concentrate.
Almond milk: You can use water instead of almond milk or a mixture of cream and water works well, too.
Bacon: You will need to cook the bacon prior to making these muffins. I like to cook it very crisp.
Roasted red peppers: It’s easiest just to get jarred, marinated peppers for this. But you can also use fresh red peppers, if you prefer.
Shredded cheddar cheese: Grate your own cheese if you want to avoid the added starch in pre-shredded cheeses.
Pantry staples: Garlic powder, baking powder, salt and pepper.

Step-by-step directions

A collage of 6 images showing how to make Cottage Cheese Protein Muffins.

1. Combine the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the cottage cheese, eggs, and egg whites until well combined.

2. Add the dry ingredients: Add the almond flour, protein powder, baking powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper and stir until combined. Stir in the almond milk.

3. Stir in the add-ins: Fold in the bacon, red pepper, and half of the cheese until well distributed.

4: Transfer to the pan: Spoon the mixture into a standard muffin tin lined with parchment or silicone liners. Top each with the remaining cheese.

5. Bake: Bake at 350ºF for 20 to 25 minutes, until the muffins are golden brown and just firm to the touch. Remove and let cool completely in the pan.

Top down image of savory cottage cheese breakfast muffins in the pan, with one broken open.

Expert tips

There is no need to blend the cottage cheese before adding it to the muffins. It looks a little curdy when the batter is unbaked, but it bakes up nicely.

If you choose to use bacon, I recommend cooking it until it’s nice and crisp, so it doesn’t become soggy in the muffins.

Make sure you use silicone or parchment liners for these muffins. Paper liners will stick very badly and you will lose a lot of muffin when you try to peel them off!

For a nut-free version, try using ½ cup of coconut flour, and increasing to 4 eggs and 2 egg whites. You may also need more liquid to have a proper batter.

Savory cottage cheese muffins on a white plate over a green napkin, with a cup of coffee in the background.

Recipe FAQs

Is cottage cheese good for you?

This funny curdy cheese is a healthy addition to your low carb diet. Each ½ cup serving of cottage cheese has 12 to 14 grams of protein and only 3 to 5 grams of carbohydrate. I really like the Good Culture brand, for the probiotics as well.

How long will Cottage Cheese Muffins keep?

Store these savory muffins in a covered container the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them for several months.

How many carbs are in these keto breakfast muffins?

This savory breakfast muffin recipe has 4.8g of carbs and 1.6g of fiber per serving. That comes to 3.2g net carbs per muffin.

A low carb cottage cheese muffin broken open on a table, with more muffins in the background.

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