Cottage Cheese Banana Bread Irresistibly Moist Magic
Make ultra-moist, protein-packed cottage cheese banana bread in one bowl, with easy swaps, pro tips, and storage ideas for breakfast or snacks.
Ingredients
- A short reliable list for a one-bowl, high-protein banana bread with a tender crumb. Choose overripe bananas and small-curd cottage cheese for the moistest results.
- Yield: 1 loaf 9×5-inch • Servings: 10–12 slices
Dry
- All-purpose flour — 2 cups 240 g, spooned and leveled
- Swap up to 1 cup with whole-wheat pastry flour or a 1:1 gluten-free blend.
- Baking soda — 1 tsp 5 g
- Baking powder — 1 tsp 4 g
- Fine salt — ½ tsp 3 g
- Ground cinnamon — 1 tsp optional
Wet
- Overripe bananas mashed — 1½ cups (360 g), about 3–4 medium
- Small-curd cottage cheese 2% — 1 cup (240 g)
- Blend smooth for an ultra-moist uniform crumb; drain if watery.
- Large eggs room temp — 2
- Brown sugar or coconut sugar — ½ cup 100 g
- For lightly sweet loaf reduce to ⅓ cup (65 g); for maple, use ⅓ cup (80 ml).
- Neutral oil or melted butter — ⅓ cup 80 ml
- Vanilla extract — 2 tsp
Optional add-ins
- Walnuts or pecans chopped — ½ cup (60 g)
- Dark chocolate chips — ½–¾ cup 85–130 g
- Blueberries — ½ cup 70 g, toss with 1 tsp flour to prevent sinking
Finishing options
- Raw sugar — 1–2 tsp for a delicate crackly top
- Banana slices — 4–6 thin rounds for a bakery-style look
- Pan notes: Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with a parchment sling for easy lift-out. This cottage cheese banana bread batter also fits an 8.5×4.5-inch pan; bake time may run slightly longer.
Instructions
Prep the pan and oven
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with a parchment sling and lightly oil it. This helps release a moist banana bread recipe without tearing.
Mash the bananas
- In a large bowl, mash 1½ cups overripe bananas until mostly smooth with a few small lumps. Lumps = flavor pockets.
Smooth the cottage cheese
- Stir 1 cup small-curd cottage cheese until creamy. For an ultra-uniform crumb, blend it 10–15 seconds. Add to the bowl with the bananas.
Whisk in the wet ingredients
- Add 2 eggs, ½ cup sugar (or ⅓ cup maple), ⅓ cup oil or melted butter, and 2 tsp vanilla. Whisk until glossy. This is the base of your high-protein banana bread.
Add the dry ingredients
- Sprinkle over the surface: 2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp fine salt, and 1 tsp cinnamon (optional).
- Tip: Spoon and level flour or weigh 240 g to avoid a dense loaf.
Fold, don’t beat
- Use a spatula to fold dry into wet just until the flour streaks disappear. Overmixing toughens the crumb.
Rest the batter (short and sweet)
- Let the batter sit 5–10 minutes to hydrate the flour for a tender crumb. Fold in add-ins now: ½ cup walnuts or ½–¾ cup chocolate chips. For blueberries, toss with 1 tsp flour before folding.
Pan it like a pro
- Scrape batter into the lined pan. For a bakery look, sprinkle 1–2 tsp raw sugar on top or lay a few thin banana slices.
Bake
- Bake 50–60 minutes. Start checking at 50 minutes.
- Doneness cues: A toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs, or the center reads 200–205°F (93–96°C).
- If the top browns early, tent loosely with foil around 35–40 minutes.
Cool for structure
- Cool in the pan 10–15 minutes, then lift out to a rack and cool at least 1 hour before slicing. This sets the crumb and locks in moisture.
Serving note: Slice with a serrated knife. For day-two softness, wrap the cooled loaf tightly or store slices in an airtight box. This cottage cheese banana bread stays plush and sliceable all week.
Notes
Nutrition Information (per serving, estimated)
| Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Saturated Fat | Fiber | Sugar | Sodium |
| ~215 | ~5.6 g | ~31.2 g | ~7.7 g | ~1.5 g | ~1.3 g | ~12–13 g | ~300 mg |