High Protein Pudding

What’s gym bro approved and tastes like shortbread cheesecake? Our High Protein Pudding that tastes like shortbread cookie cheesecake! Inspired by our friend Cass, this recipe has over 40 grams of protein, under 300 calories and uses only 4 ingredients! Not a fan of cottage cheese? You won’t even know it’s there-seriously! We use a mini food processor to blend until smooth giving you the creamiest cheesecake-like texture. High Protein Pudding is versatile enough to enjoy for breakfast, snack or dessert, and goes from prep to plate in just 5 minutes. Make it vegan with plant-based swaps, and add additional toppings (we're looking at you, toasted pecans) to take this shortbread cheesecake-inspired pudding to a whole new level.

What stands out

It tastes like dessert fuels you better than a protein shake, and comes together faster than you can find your shaker bottle. It’s rich, thick, cold and creamy — and somehow tastes like cheesecake and shortbread, so basically … magic. You’d never guess there’s cottage cheese in it (seriously, it vanishes like a ghost once it hits the food processor). One date brings just enough sweetness, the protein keeps you full for hours, and the shortbread cookies on top? The crunch. Breakfast, snack, dessert, whatever you want to call it, this pudding understands the assignment.

Cottage cheese: This protein packed ingredient is food processed until smooth. You can use any kind you like, including low fat, or make your own as we've done here Homemade Cottage Cheese Recipe.

Greek yogurt: This adds an additional boost of protein, hydrates the powder, and helps create that creamy, smooth texture you know and love.

Vanilla protein powder: We like to use vanilla protein because it adds flavor and a hint of sweetness to the pudding. Not to mention it helps you hit your macros!

Dates: You’ll only need one pitted date to make a serving of this High Protein Pudding. Dates are a natural sweetener with a lower glycemic index than traditional sugar alternatives, meaning you won’t crash after consuming.

Shortbread cookies: We used Siete brand shortbread cookies as a topping for this recipe. You could also use graham crackers in a pinch.

Kitchen tip

You will not taste the cottage cheese in this recipe. Feel free to leave out the date if your protein powder runs on the sweeter side.

Special Equipment Needed

Give your Vitamix the day off – a full size blender won’t work for this High Protein Pudding. This pudding is thicc and gets stuck in the blades of the blender – which means you end up spending far more time scraping down the sides when you could be savoring.

To get the creamiest lump-free pudding you’ll need to call in reinforcements. Enter: this mini food processor. It’s suited to small batch recipes and allows you to pulse until completely smooth. Plus, cleanup is a breeze.

No mini food processor? These tools might work in a pinch:

• Immersion Blender: This is such a neat tool to have in your kitchen arsenal. You can blend the pudding directly in the bowl. It takes a little more patience than a food processor, but it will give you smooth results.

• Small Personal Blender: Some compact blenders (think smoothie cup blenders) are high powered enough to handle the pudding, but you may still have to stop and scrape the sides down often depending on power and blade design.

Swaps

1. Sub plain shortbread cookies for pecan sandies to take this recipe into another stratosphere.
2. Make this recipe vegan with plant-based yogurt, dairy-free cottage cheese and vegan protein powder.
3. If you don’t have dates on hand, use maple syrup or honey as your sweetener. (Flavored protein powder and vanilla yogurt can help in this department.)
4. Feel free to include other toppings such as fresh fruit, granola, chocolate shavings (or cacao nibs) and toasted nuts.

Serve it with

• A bowl of fresh strawberries for a strawberry shortcake vibe.
• Serve with this Blueberry Coffee Cake Recipe for breakfast that feels like dessert.
• An Iced Coffee with Vanilla or Banana Milk Latte (Viral).
• The Best Avocado Toast Recipe you’ll ever make, or this Grated Egg Avocado Toast version.

Questions

Can we make this high protein pudding ahead of time?

Absolutely! Meal prepping a few jars of pudding is a great way to hit your macros while enjoying a grab-and-go snack. Store your pudding in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days! Add the shortbread crumble just before serving so it stays crunchy.

How much protein is in one serving?

This recipe has a whopping 43 grams of protein! The combination of Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and protein powder are on a mission to help you hit your macros!

Can we use any type of protein powder in this pudding?

Yes, you can use whey or plant-based and any flavor you prefer. We like vanilla for the added flavor and sweetness. If you use plain protein powder instead, you may want to adjust for sweetness or use a vanilla yogurt to balance the flavor.

Can we make this recipe dairy-free / Vegan?

Yes, you can use plant-based yogurt and dairy-free cottage cheese with a vegan protein powder. The texture may be slightly different, but should still come out creamy and, most importantly, high in protein.

Why is our protein too runny or too thick?

The liquid content in your cottage cheese and yogurt can vary by brand, so if yours is too thick, feel free to blend in a splash of milk or water until smooth. If it’s too thin, add in a little more protein powder and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to thicken.

Why can’t we use a regular blender for this pudding?

A full size blender won’t work because the cottage cheese is too thick to circulate properly. The mixture tends to get stuck under the blades, making it hard to get that smooth, pudding texture. A strong mark mini food processor lets you pulse the pudding until smooth without getting stuck. An immersion blender works, too.

Ingredients

Makes 1 serving

• ½ cup cottage cheese, low fat or any
• 2 tablespoons greek yogurt, 0-2%
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, 40 grams
• 1 small date, pitted
• 1 shortbread cookie (crumbled), I used Siete

Equipment

• Measuring Cups + Spoons
• Chopper

Method

1. To a food processor add the cottage cheese, plain yogurt, protein powder and pitted date. Blend until creamy and smooth.
2. Pour into a glass and crush one shortbread (or graham) cookie on top. You can enjoy right away or refrigerate overnight. Enjoy!
3. Note: if you don't like cottage cheese you won't taste it. This recipe tastes like a shortbread cheesecake pudding. Feel free to crumble a cookie on the bottom as well or leave one whole! This recipe can be customized to taste.

Kitchen notes

• Cookies: Sub plain shortbread cookies for pecan sandies to take this recipe into another stratosphere. Graham crackers also work!
• Vegan substitutions: Make this recipe vegan with plant-based yogurt, dairy-free cottage cheese and vegan protein powder.
• Sweeteners: If you don’t have dates on hand, use maple syrup or honey as your sweetener. Flavored protein powder and vanilla yogurt can also add sweetness and flavor.
• Toppings: Feel free to include other toppings, such as fresh fruit, granola, chocolate shavings (or cacao nibs) and toasted nuts.