Cottage Cheese Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
After my Cottage Cheese Pancakes and Cottage Cheese Muffins went completely viral on Instagram, I knew I needed to try adding cottage cheese to cinnamon rolls. And after many tests, I can honestly say these are perfect!
They’re truly the FLUFFIEST sweet cinnamon rolls I’ve ever made, and the most amazing thing is that they’re made without yeast! You’d never even guess that there’s cottage cheese in this recipe. And while it may sound crazy to add cottage cheese to cinnamon rolls, it actually gives them the best texture and flavor while adding protein. I love making a double batch of these and keeping them in the fridge for quick healthy breakfasts everyday of the week!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick & Easy – No yeast, no rising, no stress. Just mix, roll, and bake!
- 5 g Protein – Each roll is higher in protein thanks to the blended cottage cheese – no protein powder required.
- SUPER Fluffy & Soft – The dough is tender and moist with a perfectly golden edge.
- 30 Minutes Total – Yes, you can have homemade cinnamon rolls today.
- Double Batch – These are perfect for doubling or even tripling the recipe and keeping in the fridge or freezer for whenever you’re craving them!
You’ll Also Love: 45+ High-Protein Breakfast Ideas
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make these better-for-you cinnamon rolls:
For the Dough
- Cottage Cheese – I like to use high-quality whole milk cottage cheese for a richer flavor and better texture.
- Vanilla Extract
- Maple Syrup – This natural sweetener sweetens the dough to perfection! Agave syrup would also work great.
- All-Purpose Flour – The classic base for cinnamon roll dough. I haven’t tried them with a gluten-free flour yet, but I think it could work well! Just add 1-2 Tablespoons of milk to keep them from being too dry.
- Baking Powder – No yeast needed here—this helps the rolls rise quickly and turn out fluffy!
For the Filling
- Coconut Oil – Or melted butter. Use whichever you have on hand!
- Brown Sugar – For that classic cinnamon roll sweetness.
- Cinnamon – Use 2 to 3 teaspoons depending on how bold you want it.
For the Glaze
- Powdered Sugar – Creates that smooth, sweet finish on top.
- Blended Cottage Cheese Mixture – A couple of tablespoons from the blended base get whisked into the glaze for a creamy twist.
How to Make Cottage Cheese Cinnamon Rolls
This easy high-protein breakfast recipe has truly become one of my favorites! All you’ll need is a small blender, a round cake pan, and 30 minutes. Here’s how to make easy Cottage Cheese Cinnamon Rolls:
- Blend the Wet Ingredients – Blend cottage cheese, vanilla, and maple syrup until smooth. Set aside 2 tablespoons for the glaze.
- Make the Dough – Mix the blended cottage cheese with flour and baking powder until a dough forms. Roll it out into a rectangle.
- Add the Filling – Brush with melted coconut oil or butter, then sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar.
- Roll & Slice – Roll the dough into a log, slice into 10 even rolls, and add them to a greased pan.
- Bake – Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges.
- Add the Glaze – Let cool slightly, then drizzle the creamy glaze over the top!
Christine’s Tips
- It’s ok if cottage cheese isn’t perfectly blended. Do your best and call it good enough!
- A small cup blender works best for blending the cottage cheese with the other ingredients.
- This recipe works great with whole milk greek yogurt, too!
- Lightly Flour Your Surface – this makes rolling out the dough easier and keeps it from sticking.
- Be sure not to overmix the dough! Just mix until it comes together.
- Feel free to blend the cottage cheese mixture the night before to save time in the morning!
- These rolls are best warm, so pop leftovers in the microwave for a few seconds before serving.
Variations
Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls – Add 2 tablespoons of pumpkin puree to the blended cottage cheese mixture and replace the cinnamon with pumpkin pie spice. Perfect for fall!
Maple Pecan Cinnamon Rolls – Sprinkle chopped pecans over the filling and drizzle with pure maple syrup instead of glaze for a cozy, nutty twist.
Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Rolls – Mix mini chocolate chips into the cinnamon sugar filling for a sweet, melty surprise in every bite.
Chai-Spiced Rolls – Swap the cinnamon for a blend of chai spices (think cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, and clove) for a cozy, spiced variation.
Apple Cinnamon Rolls – Add a thin layer of finely chopped apples to the filling. Granny Smith works great here for a tart-sweet combo!
How to Store
Refrigerator – Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
Freezer – Freeze cinnamon rolls in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and warm before serving.
FAQ: Cottage Cheese Cinnamon Rolls
Yes, you totally can! While this recipe is designed to be a no-yeast, quick-and-easy version, you can absolutely adapt it for a yeast-based dough if you’re craving that classic fluffy texture.
Here’s how to do it:
1. Use 1 packet (about 2 ¼ teaspoons) of active dry yeast in place of the baking powder.
2. Warm the blended cottage cheese mixture slightly (just lukewarm—not hot!) to help activate the yeast. You can microwave it for about 10–15 seconds.
3. Stir the yeast into the warm cottage cheese mixture with 1 teaspoon of sugar and let it sit for 5–10 minutes until it starts to get foamy.
4. Mix the foamy yeast mixture with the flour to form the dough.
5. Knead for a few minutes until smooth, then cover and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
6. From there, follow the rest of the original steps: roll, fill, slice, and bake!
Whole milk cottage cheese creates the best texture—rich, moist, and fluffy. However, if you only have low-fat or fat-free, the rolls may turn out just a tad drier. Try adding about 1 Tablespoon of melted and cooled coconut oil into the batter, in that case!
Yes! You can blend the cottage cheese mixture the night before and store it in the fridge. You can also prep the rolls and refrigerate them (unbaked) overnight in an airtight container—just bake them fresh in the morning for the best texture.
More Protein Breakfast Recipes
- Dark Chocolate Breakfast Protein Oats
- Protein Banana Bread
- Strawberry Drop Pancake Bites
- Date Cake Recipe
- Whole30 Breakfast Casserole
Cottage Cheese Recipes You’ll Love
- Cottage Cheese Waffles
- Egg Bites w/ Cottage Cheese
- Cottage Cheese Brownies
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Overnight Oats
- Date Shake
- Cottage Cheese Ice Cream
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Cottage Cheese Cinnamon Rolls
Equipment
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 1/4 cup cottage cheese (whole milk, high-quality)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Filling
- 1 Tablespoon coconut oil (melted, or butter)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2-3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Glaze
- 3 Tablespoons powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons blended cottage cheese mixture (from above)
Instructions
- Blend the cottage cheese, vanilla, and maple syrup until smooth.
- Set aside 2 Tablespoons of the blended mixture to make the glaze later. Cover and refrigerate.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and grease a round 8-inch pan.
- Mix the flour, baking powder, and blended cottage cheese mixture just until combined.
- Form the dough into a ball.
- Roll out the dough into a 1/4" thick 9×13" rectangle on a lightly floured surface.
- Brush the melted coconut oil or butter over the top of the dough.
- Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon, evenly distributing it on top.
- From one end of dough, slowly roll it up until all the dough is used into a log. Using a sharp knife, slice into 10 even cinnamon rolls.
- Add each cinnamon roll dough to the pan.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the edges start to turn golden.
- Let cool for 5 minutes.
- Whisk the glaze together and spread over the cinnamon rolls. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- It’s ok if cottage cheese isn’t perfectly blended. Do your best and call it good enough!
- A small cup blender works best for blending the cottage cheese with the other ingredients.
- This recipe works great with whole milk greek yogurt, too!
catherine gregory says:
These were absolutely delicious!
Very easy to make . Thank you .
Jar Of Lemons replied:
Thanks, Catherine. I’m so glad you enjoyed these cinnamon rolls!
Josephine says:
Is that 1 AND 1/4 cup cottage cheese and 1 AND 3/4 cup flour? Or ONE 1/4 cup of cottage cheese and ONE 3/4 cup flour?
JOL Team replied:
Hey Josephine! It’s an “and” for each of the ingredients with a space: 1 and 1/4 cup cottage cheese, etc. Enjoy!
Lathiya Shanmugasundaram says:
These cottage cheese cinnamon rolls were awesome. When had warm it was heavenly. Making it again.
JOL Team replied:
So glad you loved them!
Alex says:
Will this be ok with low-fat cottage cheese? That’s what I have on hand!
JOL Team replied:
Hey Alex! Yes, you can use low-fat cottage cheese. I’d recommend adding 1 Tablespoon of melted and cooled coconut oil (or you can use butter if that’s what you have on hand) just to help prevent them from being a tad drier with the low-fat cottage cheese. Enjoy!
Ella says:
These turned out perfect! Light, fluffy, and not too sweet. A great twist on classic cinnamon rolls.
Jar Of Lemons replied:
Thanks so much, Ella. I’m glad you enjoyed this cinnamon roll recipe!
Swathi says:
Cottage cheese cinnamon rolls are delicious Love it, I am going to make the sourodugh version now.
Rob says:
This was such a quick and easy way to fulfill my cinnamon roll cravings without gaining weight! Will definitely be making more of these.
Jar Of Lemons replied:
Thanks, Rob. I appreciate the review!
Michele says:
These were surprisingly easy to make and they turned out perfectly. Loved the extra boost of protein!
Jar Of Lemons replied:
Thanks, Michele. I’m glad you enjoyed them!
Nicole says:
Do you know how to prevent the dough from being too sticky? I feel like I couldn’t roll my dough bc the dough was sticking to everything
JOL Team replied:
Hey Nicole, I lighly flour my work surface to prevent it from sticking. I hope this helps!
Audrey says:
I signed up for the course but typed my email wrong
JOL Team replied:
Hey Audrey, No worries! Feel free to sign up again with the corrected email address.
Sherri says:
All I can say is absolutely amazing!!!! They have to be tried to understand how good they are!!!
Jar Of Lemons replied:
Thanks so much, Sherri!!
Sandy says:
These are amazing! Do you have a recommendation for making the dough in advance? Can I refrigerate it overnight? Thanks!!!!
JOL Team replied:
Absolutely! You can either blend the cottage cheese mixture the night before to save time in the morning or you can prep the rolls and put them unbaked overnight in an airtight container and bake them fresh in the morning for the best texture. Enjoy!