Cottage Cheese Bark Makes Breakfast Feel Like A Reward

Is it just me, or is cottage cheese like, totally back? I’ve given this classic '90s protein a modern facelift by turning it into a peanut butter and jelly cottage cheese bark. By blending the cottage cheese until it’s smooth, drizzling it with peanut butter, jelly, granola, and freezing it, I’ve created a healthy snack that will fill you up and satisfy your sweet tooth at the same time. Packed with protein, this cottage cheese bark is like a bowl of yogurt that you can hold in your hand. It’s breakfast, it’s dessert, and it’s every snack in between. This recipe is perfect for hot summer days all season long.

Yields: 24 servings

Prep Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 2 hours 10 mins

Ingredients

• 2

  (16-oz.) containers cottage cheese

• 6 tbsp.

  honey

• 1/2 c.

  smooth peanut butter

• 1/2 c.

  raspberry jam

• 1/2 c.

  store-bought or homemade granola

Directions

1. In a food processor or blender, pulse cottage cheese and honey until smooth.
2. In a small heatproof bowl, microwave peanut butter in 10-second increments, stirring between each, until melted, about 20 seconds total.
3. Spread cottage cheese mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using a spoon, pour alternating lines of jam and peanut butter crosswise on top of cottage cheese mixture. Using a toothpick or the back of a fork, swirl peanut butter and jam lengthwise. Sprinkle granola over.
4. Freeze until set, at least 2 hours or up to overnight. Cut bark into squares or break into pieces.

How To Make Cottage Cheese Bark

Ingredients

• Cottage Cheese: I love cottage cheese. It's creamy, tangy, and has that perfect mixture of sweet and salty. In this recipe, it works similarly to cream cheese, but has a better ability to crisp up when frozen. Plus, I'm blending it until smooth, so anyone with an aversion to the unique texture of cottage cheese need not worry.
• Honey: Honey is basically liquid gold. It adds a natural sweetness and healthy sugar to this treat that balances very well with the cottage cheese.
• Smooth Peanut Butter: I know we all have strong opinions on smooth versus crunchy peanut butter, so feel free to substitute crunchy if you prefer, but keep in mind that I’m looking for a smooth ribbon of melty peanut butter for this recipe, and that is easier to achieve without peanut chunks.
• Raspberry Jam: I prefer raspberry jam here, as the bright sweetness of raspberries—when they're in season—pairs beautifully with the creaminess of cottage cheese, but feel free to substitute your favorite jam.
• Granola: Store-bought or homemade granola will work for this dish. I’m really just looking for that extra crunch to elevate the bark to another level.

Step-By-Step Instructions

To start, put the cottage cheese and honey in a food processor or blender and pulse the mixture until smooth. The smoother we're able to get the mixture, the better the texture of the bark will be.

Then, in a heatproof and microwavable bowl, microwave the peanut butter for 10-second increments, stirring between each heating, until completely melted. This whole process should only take about 20 seconds, but don’t worry if it takes an extra blast.

Line a baking sheet with parchment, then begin to spread the cottage cheese and honey mixture evenly across the sheet. Once even, use a spoon to make alternating lines of jam and peanut butter crosswise on top of the mixture. When you're happy with the amount of jam and peanut butter, use a toothpick—or a fork or other pointed utensil—to swirl the alternating lines lengthwise. Take however much time with this as you please, we want it to look good! Top by sprinkling granola on the swirls for added texture and flavor.

After adding the granola, place the baking sheet in the freezer and allow the bark to freeze until set. This will take at least 2 hours, but if you are feeling patient enough, letting it set overnight will give even better results. Once frozen, cut the bark into squares, or break it into pieces, depending on the look you desire.

Cottage Cheese Bark

Recipe Tips

I went for a granola topping for this recipe, but feel free to experiment. Just like a parfait, there are so many toppings that would work well with my cottage cheese bark. Personally, I think chopped nuts and frozen fruit both sound delicious.

Storage

Store in a freezer-safe container or ziplock bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Cottage Cheese Bark Variations

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