Buzz
There's no denying that cottage cheese ice cream has become a sensation on the TikTok sun. Having a protein-rich cheese snack as a frozen dessert is hard to beat, though calling it 'ice cream' sets some lofty expectations. These expectations are tough to meet without ingredients like egg yolks and heavy cream. Instead of trying to create a subpar ice cream with cottage cheese, consider a small twist that turns it into a better dessert. Grab your popsicle molds and craft some delectable raspberry cheesecake pops.
Ice crystals aren't desirable in ice cream, but popsicles offer more flexibility. They vary widely in texture, ranging from frozen lime juice blocks to creamy fudgesicles. There's plenty of room for a little or even a lot of crystallization.
These popsicles are closer to fudgesicles in texture. Cottage cheese is blended with rich, tangy Greek yogurt and a dash of sugar until it resembles the smoothness of cheesecake batter. Add some fresh fruit, and you've created something divine. You could stop there and enjoy it as is, but having a popsicle waiting for you at any time can truly turn a gloomy day around.
How to make cottage cheese popsicles
This recipe is a breeze to prepare in the food processor, and since mine broke halfway through, I can confidently say it’s just as easy to make with an immersion blender. Start by adding the cottage cheese, yogurt, and sugar to the processor. Blend for about a minute, or until smooth, depending on your blender's power. The cheese will become finely blended, but if you rub it between your fingers, you might still feel some small bits. While the Greek yogurt helps smooth it out, a bit of texture may remain, so don't worry if it isn't completely silky—that's perfectly fine.
Blend in a few raspberries to create a lovely pink swirl, then add four or five more raspberries and roughly mash them with a spoon. This adds a beautiful finish and gives you little bursts of raspberry while you eat. Pour the mixture into your popsicle molds, and tap them against the countertop around twenty times to release any air bubbles. Freeze until solid, about four hours or overnight.
Although this recipe is mildly sweetened with granulated sugar, you can swap in other sweeteners like honey, agave, or stevia powder. Adjust the amount to your taste or leave it out entirely—it won’t affect the consistency much. (After all, they’re popsicles, and the consistency will always be perfect.) This recipe yields six flat popsicles, but you’ll get more if you use smaller molds or even DIY molds made from Dixie cups. Go ahead, treat yourself to a slice of 'cheesecake.'
Raspberry Cottage Cheesecake Pops
Ingredients for the popsicles:
1 ½ cups full-fat cottage cheese
½ cup plain Greek yogurt (or any flavor of your choice for a fun twist)
¼ cup sugar
8-10 fresh raspberries
Combine the cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and sugar in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add half of the raspberries and blend again to infuse some color. Gently mash the remaining raspberries into the mixture with a spoon to add texture, color, and flavor bursts. Pour the mixture into popsicle molds and freeze for a minimum of four hours or overnight for best results.
