Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread

High-Protein Cottage Cheese Banana Bread

My grandma always made the BEST banana bread. It had that classic flavor, with chopped nuts and oh my goodness. Every time she would make it the entire house smelled amazing! And while I will always love her classic banana bread recipe, I’ve been working on my own healthy, high-protein version for years, perfecting it with time and getting that delicious “grandma’s bread” flavor.

I’ve made Healthier Banana Bread and even Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins, but this time I wanted to add a sweet cinnamon swirl for something a little different! This loaf is perfectly soft, fluffy, and naturally sweetened, while also high protein thanks to the cottage cheese. And even better, the batter comes together quickly with just a blender and one bowl. Whether you enjoy it with the icing drizzle or warm with a little butter, I know you’re going to love this recipe as much as my family does! 

RELATED: Protein Banana Bread

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Soft & Fluffy – The blended cottage cheese makes the batter extra soft and tender. Unlike other versions I’ve tried, this banana bread never comes out dry! 
• Classic Banana Bread + Cinnamon Swirl – The addition of the cinnamon swirl adds warmth to the bread and enhances the sweetness of the batter. 
• 10-Minute Prep – Thanks to the use of my trust blender, the entire recipe comes together in just 10 minutes. The only hard part is waiting for the bread to bake! 
• Healthy + High-Protein – The only refined sugar I use is in the cinnamon swirl mixture. The bread itself is sweetened with just bananas and maple syrup, meaning it’s low in refined sugar and provides a good boost of vitamins and nutrients, too. 

You’ll Also Love: Almond Flour Banana Bread

Ingredients

• Mashed Ripe Bananas – Mash them with a fork or place them right in the blender for a smoother texture.
• Cottage Cheese – Whole milk (4%) cottage cheese works best for creaminess and added protein. Since it’s blended, both small and large curd work fine.
• Maple Syrup – Adds natural sweetness and a subtle caramel flavor. Honey can be used instead, or coconut sugar if you prefer a more traditional texture.
• Eggs – Provides structure and help the loaf rise. For an egg-free version, you can try flax eggs, but the bread may be slightly denser.
• Vanilla – Just a teaspoon enhances the sweetness and boosts the flavor of the rest of the ingredients.
• Butter – Melted and cooled salted butter provides flavor and moisture. If you only have unsalted butter, just add a pinch of salt. Coconut oil also works if you need to keep your banana bread dairy-free. 
• Flour – All-purpose flour forms the base of the bread batter. You can also substitute a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour if needed.
• Baking Soda – Helps the bread rise as it bakes. I always like to make sure that it’s fresh! 
• Cinnamon Swirl – Granulated sugar and ground cinnamon for that warm, sweet swirl. 
• Icing – Cottage cheese + maple syrup makes for the BEST sweet glaze that adds the perfect finishing touch. Substitute honey if preferred!

RELATED: Blueberry Banana Protein Muffins

How to Make Cottage Cheese Banana Bread

From start to finish, this cinnamon swirl banana bread takes just over an hour, but the oven does most of the work. You’ll need a 9×5-inch loaf pan, parchment paper, a blender, a large bowl, a small bowl, and a knife. Here’s how to make high-protein Cottage Cheese Banana Bread: 

1. Combine the Batter – Add all the wet ingredients except the butter to a blender, and pulse until smooth. Then, whisk in the butter. Whisk the dry ingredients in a bowl, and stir the liquid ingredients just until combined. 

2. Layer – Pour half the batter into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Swirl in the cinnamon sugar, and pour the remaining batter on top. Swirl the batter down the center gently. 

3. Bake – Transfer the bread to the oven, and bake until it’s fluffy, golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. 

4. Prep the Icing – While the banana bread cools, blend the icing ingredients until smooth. 

5. Serve – Drizzle the icing over the cooled banana bread, slice, and enjoy! 

Tips

• Use Super Ripe Bananas – The spottier, the better! Overripe bananas add more natural sweetness and moisture to the batter. 
• Create a Parchment Paper Sling – I like to let my parchment paper hang over both sides of the loaf pan. Then, all I have to do is lift it up to remove the bread! 
• Avoid Overmixing – The banana bread batter will be very thick. This is okay! Stir just until the ingredients are incorporated. Continuing to mix will overwork the gluten in the flour, causing the bread to turn out dense. 
• Layer the Cinnamon Swirl Carefully – Spread half the batter in the pan, sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly, then add the rest of the batter. Swirl just once or twice with a knife. Too much mixing will blur the layers, and you won’t get the distinct sweet cinnamon taste. 
• Cover the Bread – Tent the bread with foil halfway through baking to prevent the top from burning before the center sets. 
• Cool Before Slicing – Let the bread rest in the pan for 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Cutting too soon can make the slices gummy and cause them to crumble and fall apart. 

Variations 

• Add-Ins – Stir in ½ cup of chopped walnuts, pecans, or chocolate chips for extra texture and flavor.
• Spices – Add a pinch of nutmeg, cardamom, or pumpkin pie spice along with the cinnamon for extra warmth.
• Icing Options – Skip the cottage cheese icing, and sprinkle more cinnamon sugar on top, use a quick powdered sugar glaze instead, or drizzle with nut butter instead. Or, use your favorite store-bought option for a quick topping! 
• Muffins or Mini Loaves – Bake the batter in muffin tins (20–25 minutes) or mini loaf pans (35–40 minutes) for individual portions. They make for cute gifts during the holidays! 

How to Store

After letting the bread cool completely, slice, and place it in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months! When ready, simply warm up a slice in the microwave for a few seconds and enjoy.

More Quick Bread Recipes

• Gluten Free Blueberry Bread
• Healthy Pumpkin Bread Recipe
• Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
• Gingerbread Loaf Recipe
• Sandwich Bread Recipe
• The BEST Vegan Zucchini Bread

Cottage Cheese Recipes You’ll Love

• Cottage Cheese Brownies
• Cottage Cheese Muffins
• Cottage Cheese Ice Cream 
• Cottage Cheese Cinnamon Rolls
• Cottage Cheese Waffles
• Cottage Cheese Pancakes

Find more here: 35+ cottage cheese recipes!

5 from 8 votes

Print Recipe

Cottage Cheese Banana Bread

I make this Cottage Cheese Banana Bread recipe almost every week and it's SO good! Higher in protein and made in 10-minutes prep time (almost entirely in a blender), I love how easy this recipe is. It's made with cottage cheese, so each slice has 5 grams of protein and that perfect cinnamon swirl filling layer! The 2-ingredient icing tastes like cream cheese goodness, but it's also higher in protein. My family loves this Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread recipe – every slice tastes like a treat!

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 Slices

Calories: 233 kcal

Author: Christine McMichael

Equipment

• Loaf Pan
• Blender
• Small Blender optional

Ingredients

• ▢ 3 large ripe bananas (about 1 cup mashed)
• ▢ 1/2 cup whole milk cottage cheese
• ▢ 1/3 cup maple syrup
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/4 cup butter (melted and cooled)
• ▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cinnamon Swirl

• ▢ 1/2 cup sugar
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Optional Icing

• ▢ 1/4 cup whole milk cottage cheese
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons maple syrup

Instructions

• Adjust the oven rack to the lower third or middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on the sides.
• Combine the bananas, cottage cheese, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla in a blender. Blend until smooth.
• Stir in the melted and cooled butter.
• Whisk the flour, baking soda, and cinnamon together.
• Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. The batter will be thick!
• Spoon half of the batter into the loaf pan.
• Mix the ingredients for the cinnamon swirl together, then evenly pour over the batter in the loaf pan.
• Top with the remaining batter and carefully spread it, being cautious not to move the cinnamon sugar mixture too much.
• Use a knife to swirl the batter down the center (but avoid overdoing it as it could mix the layers a bit too much).
• Bake for 60-65 minutes, covering halfway to keep from over-browning on top.
• To make the icing, blend the cottage cheese and maple syrup until smooth. Remove and set aside. I like to use a small blender cup for this!
• Let the banana bread cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan, then remove and let it cool on a cooling rack for another 10 minutes.
• Drizzle with the icing, slice, and enjoy!

Video

Notes

• You can skip the icing and just make more cinnamon sugar to add on top before baking. Or, you can use store-bought icing!

Nutrition

Serving: 1 Slice | Calories: 233 kcal | Carbohydrates: 41 g | Protein: 5 g | Fat: 6 g | Saturated Fat: 3 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g | Trans Fat: 0.2 g | Cholesterol: 43 mg | Sodium: 222 mg | Potassium: 202 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 20 g | Vitamin A: 206 IU | Vitamin C: 3 mg | Calcium: 43 mg | Iron: 1 mg

Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @jar.of.lemons or tag #JarOfLemons!