Cottage Cheese Fudge (2-Ingredient)
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This healthy cottage cheese fudge is rich, chocolatey, and high in protein. Made with just 2 ingredients, it’s the perfect guilt-free treat!
Unlike the classic chocolate fudge, which is undeniably delicious but packed with sugar and butter, this healthy cottage cheese fudge is a game-changer. It’s high in protein, naturally gluten free, and comes together with just 2 main ingredients — cottage cheese and chocolate.
This recipe is very similar to my cottage cheese mousse, which so many of my readers have fallen in love with. So if you loved that one, you’re definitely going to love this too.
How to Make Cottage Cheese Fudge
Prefer the written recipe? Scroll down to the recipe box 👇
Why You’ll Love This 2-Ingredient Cottage Cheese Fudge
- Easy to make – Just blend, melt, mix, and chill. That’s it!
- High protein – Thanks to cottage cheese and dark chocolate, this dessert packs a protein punch.
- Naturally gluten free – No flour or gluten-containing ingredients required.
- Freezes well – Perfect for making ahead or storing long-term.
- Customizable – Add cocoa powder, sweeteners, or nut butters to make it your own.
- Kid-friendly – Even picky eaters won’t notice the cottage cheese.
- No refined sugar (if you choose the right chocolate) – A healthier choice for your sweet tooth.
Ingredients Notes
Here’s what you’ll need to make this high protein cottage cheese fudge:
- Cottage Cheese: The star of the recipe! Use full-fat for the creamiest texture, low fat wors as well. Make sure to blend it until completely smooth — no lumps!
- Dark Chocolate: Choose a high-quality bar with at least 70% cocoa for the best taste. The higher the cocoa content, the less sugar. You can also use milk chocolate for a sweeter version, or sugar-free chocolate for a low-sugar option.
- Cocoa Powder (Optional): Adds an extra deep chocolate flavor and helps with a firmer texture. Totally optional — adjust to your taste.
- Coconut Oil or Melted Butter (Optional): This ingredient isn’t necessary, but it improves creaminess and helps the fudge firm up better in the fridge or freezer.
This is just a short review of the ingredients; for the complete recipe, including quantities, scroll down to the recipe card 👇
The Key for Perfect Fudge: Chocolate
Let’s talk chocolate — because it’s what makes or breaks your fudge.
For the best results, go with a high-quality chocolate bar, ideally one with 70% cocoa, if you’re after that classic rich and slightly bitter dark chocolate flavor. But here’s the thing — the best chocolate is the one you like the most.
Some people love extra dark chocolate with 85–90% cocoa solids — bold, intense, and slightly bitter. Others prefer the smoother, sweeter taste of milk chocolate or even white chocolate, which doesn’t have cocoa solids but still creates a creamy fudge texture.
Here are some tips to help you choose:
- For a deep chocolate flavor with less sweetness – go for 70–80% dark chocolate.
- For a softer, sweeter fudge – choose milk chocolate.
- For something unique and sweet – try white chocolate, though it changes the flavor completely.
- For a low-sugar version – use sugar-free chocolate, sweetened with stevia, erythritol, or monk fruit.
Substitutes and Variations
This healthy cottage cheese fudge recipe is super flexible. Here are some easy variations and swaps you can try:
- Add a Sweetener: If your chocolate isn’t sweet enough, stir in a little maple syrup, honey, or any sweetener you like.
- Use Milk Chocolate or White Chocolate: These will give you a sweeter, creamier fudge.
- Add Nut Butters: Instead of coconut oil, stir in a tablespoon of peanut butter, almond butter, or hazelnut spread for added richness.
- Mix in Ground Nuts or Protein Powder: Helps firm up the fudge and adds extra flavor.
- Top with Sea Salt, Chopped Nuts, or Coconut Flakes: For extra texture and flavor.
- Use Greek Yogurt Instead of Cottage Cheese: This will change the texture a bit, but still works well.
More Cottage Cheese Recipe Ideas
If you’re looking for more creative ways to use cottage cheese, here are some of my favorite recipes:
- Cottage Cheese Mousse: Light, creamy, and naturally sweetened. A reader favorite!
- Cottage Cheese Bagels: High-protein and made with just a few simple ingredients.
- Cottage Cheese Pancakes: Fluffy, nutritious, and perfect for breakfast or meal prep.
- Cottage Cheese Ice Cream: A viral healthy treat that’s creamy, refreshing, and easy to make.
- Cottage Cheese Cheesecake: A healthier twist on the classic dessert, with all the rich, creamy flavor.
How to Store
Because this healthy fudge is made with cottage cheese, it’s important to store it properly to maintain the texture and flavor.
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It’s best served cold — straight from the fridge. Keep in mind, if you keep it in the fridge, the fudge will be very soft, like a pudding consistency, so you probably won’t be able to hold the fudge with your hands.
- Freezer (Best method): For a firmer texture or longer storage, freeze the fudge for up to 2 months. Let it thaw for a few minutes at room temperature before serving.
- Avoid Room Temperature: This fudge is high in moisture and will soften quickly if left out for too long. Do not keep in room temperature.
Other Healthier Desserts
Cottage Cheese Fudge Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups (500 g) Cottage cheese
- ⅓ cup (33 g) Cocoa powder optional – you can adjust the amount
- 8.8 oz (250 g) Dark chocolate, high-quality (you can adjust the amount) read notes
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Coconut oil optional -read notes
Instructions
- Blend the Cottage Cheese: In a food processor or blender, process the cottage cheese until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides to ensure there are no lumps.
- To the blended cottage, add cocoa powder and coconut oil. And blend until smooth. This step is optional (read recipe notes)
- Melt the Chocolate: Chop the dark chocolate into small pieces for easier melting. Melt it using a double boiler (a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water) or microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring each time until fully melted.
- Combine: Transfer the batter to a bowl, add melted chocolate and mix until combined and smooth.
- Pour into a Mold: Line a 8-inch (20cm) square baking dish with parchment paper. Pour the fudge mixture into the dish, smoothing out the top with a spatula.
- Chill and Set: Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until firm. For a firmer consistency, freeze for about 30–60 minutes. Slice and Serve
Video
Notes
- Storage – Store in an airtight container in the freezer. Let it sit out for a few minutes before serving. You can also keep it in the fridge, but it will be very soft, with a pudding-like consistency. DO NOT keep it at room temperature.
- Not Too Sweet – This cottage cheese fudge relies on the natural sweetness of the chocolate. If you’re used to sweeter desserts, you may want to add a sweetener.
- Sweetener Options – Try adding 1–2 tablespoons of maple syrup, honey, agave syrup, or your favorite sugar substitute (like stevia or erythritol) for extra sweetness.
- Chocolate Choice – Choose chocolate you enjoy eating on its own. Dark chocolate gives a richer flavor, while milk or white chocolate will make it sweeter.
- Optional Add-Ins – Add cocoa powder, coconut oil, nut butter, or finely ground nuts to adjust texture and flavor.
- For a firmer texture: For a firmer fudge, freeze it instead of refrigerating. Let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes before eating.
- Coconut Oil/Melted Butter – These ingredients contribute to a smoother, creamier texture. They also help firm up the fudge once chilled, making it easier to slice.
- Watch the Video: For best results, watch the step-by-step video tutorial included in the post.
- Read the FAQ: Still have questions? Scroll below the recipe card to read the full FAQ section for more helpful tips and troubleshooting.
Nutrition
Common Questions
No, this fudge is only as sweet as the chocolate you use. If you prefer a sweeter treat, consider adding maple syrup, honey, or a sugar-free sweetener.
Yes, but the texture may be less creamy. Full-fat cottage cheese gives the best smooth and rich consistency.
Absolutely! Freeze for up to 2 months. Let it thaw for a few minutes at room temperature before eating for the best texture.
Yes! Adding a scoop of protein powder (preferably chocolate or vanilla flavored) can help firm the texture and boost the protein content even more.
You can use Greek yogurt, ricotta, cream cheese, mascarpone, or silken tofu for a dairy-free option. Just blend until smooth!
Fudgey texture. Easy to make. I followed recipe exactly including adding the Cocoa Powder and Coconut Oil. I did add some Monk Fruit Extract for Sweetness and some large crystal sea salt on top.
Very good. Very chocolatey. I used Dark but excited to try with other chocolates next time.
Can you substitute Sugar Free Chocolate Chips (Lilly’s)?
I haven’t personally tried it with sugar-free chocolate chips, but it should work in theory. Just note that sugar-free chocolate can melt a bit differently and may affect both the texture and the sweetness level, so the fudge might be slightly firmer and less sweet.
I haven’t made this yet, but have a question, can you use raw cacao powder, or does it have to be regular cocoa powder?
Hi Claudia,
You can use either raw cacao powder or regular cocoa powder, it really comes down to personal preference. You can even omit the cocoa completely if you prefer a milder fudge. This recipe is very forgiving, so feel free to experiment and adjust it to your taste.
Absolutely delicious!!!
Question – I really liked the results of this, but would like to dial back the cocoa powder a little as it was on the strong side. But I liked the texture and consistency. Would it work to substitute some almond flour for some of the cocoa powder?
it turns out I have rice flour onhand. would that work?
Hi Keith,
You can definitely adjust it. The easiest option is simply to reduce the cocoa powder or even skip it entirely. The melted chocolate already does most of the work flavor and texture wise, so the fudge will still taste rich and chocolatey without it.
I wouldn’t recommend substituting cocoa powder with almond flour or rice flour in this recipe.
This is dangerously delicious! I freestyled slightly with the measurements as I only used about 350g cottage cheese and estimated the rest, but it still tastes amazing. I used a mix of 70% and 50% dark chocolate and added some maple syrup. It was very sticky so I should have tried putting it in the freezer before cutting but it just gave me an excuse to eat all the bits stuck to the knife haha. Thanks for the recipe, definitely a keeper!
These turned out way better than I thought they would. I was afraid they’d be runny, but no.
I opted to use 1/3 cup of cocoa powder, a little over 2 tbsp of coconut oil and a few handfuls of walnut chunks. The chocolate I used was Ghirardelli 72% cacao baking bits/chips. It set up well in fridge and cut into nice blocks. Also, I added 2 tbsp honey to add a little sweetness. Still, it’s not sweet, but a rich dark chocolate with a great consistency, almost like a super-heavy cake. I’ll definitely be making this again.
I made this with 70% dark chocolate (300g because they were 100g each), did use the optional coconut oil, added 1/2tsp or so of vanilla powder (thanks Penny E. – great idea!) and around 1/3C toasted&chopper pistachios, with a little sea salt flakes on top. I would definitely make this again, and plan to have a batch ready when diabetic mom comes down for Christmas. Thank you so much for the recipe, David!
That sounds incredible, the pistachios and sea salt on top must have taken it to the next level! 😍 I’m so happy you enjoyed it, and I love the idea of making a batch for your mom at Christmas. Thanks so much for trying the recipe and sharing your twist!
I madecthis the first time as told. was good. However I want to make a really good milk chocolate version. my question is. so I don’t have to freeze it, how much more chocolate chips would I need to add to it so I won’t have to freeze it? When I tried goggling ways to make it thicker the suggestions were: add powdered sugar, thats a No. add contarch but make a slurry and heat it up within the fudge, thats a no as i am afraid I’d ruin the reciepe. the other suggestion was to add more chocolate, that I could do.. but it didn’t give any measurements or guide lines.can you help??
To make a firmer milk chocolate version, increase the chocolate to 11–12 oz (310–340g). Milk chocolate is softer than dark, so the extra helps it set well in the fridge. Keep in mind, texture also depends on your cottage cheese brand (some are more liquid), and the cocoa solids in your chocolate. Even with adjustments, I don’t recommend storing it at room temperature; it’s best kept chilled, as it probably will still be pretty soft.
can you use cream cheese instead of cottage
Yes, you can use cream cheese instead of cottage cheese.
Thank you so much for this recipe! I made this using Ghirardelli cocoa and Ghirardelli semi sweet chocolate chips, 1.5 tbsp butter instead of coconut oil, and added in some whole cashews and a dash of salt.. AMAZING.
why was my newsletter application refused??
Hi,
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Hi!
Sounds like a wonderful recipe! But I was wondering, could this be placed in a graham cracker pie crust like a cheesecake?
Well, that actually sounds like a good idea. I think it could work.
I made this today, using both milk chocolate & dark chocolate bars, totalling 8 oz, cocoa powder & coconut oil. Added a touch of vanilla too. Poured into pan & froze it for about 4 hours. Took it out to cut it & it turned out to be a big mess! It tastes wonderful, but can’t cut it into any squares, it’s too soft. My husband thought it was pudding & my friend said it was like partially melted chocolate ice cream! It was stuck all over the parchment paper so I transferred it to saran wrap (as best I could) then wrapped in parchment paper then aluminum foil, so it wouldn’t lose its shape (?) It’s got great flavor, just can’t cut it or serve it very well.
Sorry to hear that, Penny. Was it still soft after 4 hours in the freezer?
I take that back; after 48 hours in freezer it finally firmed up & I was able to cut pieces off & hand them out! I think I will probably make this again because the favor is wonderful! We all think so. I just need to hand out a napkin with each piece, it does melt quickly
sounds like.a plan!!
will try this easy snack.
thank you
Ritah.
quantities are not given
Hi, the quantities are in the recipe card.
Will love this fudge
I didn’t use any cocoa powder, and it was a nice and refreshing dessert. Better to keep it in the freezer. Thank you for this easy dessert.