Blueberry and Lemon Zest Cottage Cheese Bites
Mini protein-packed cottage cheese bites with blueberries, oats, and lemon zest. Perfect light snack ready in 30 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 bites 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 cup rolled oats (old-fashioned, not quick oats)
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 large lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan generously.
- In a blender or food processor, combine cottage cheese, oats, egg, honey, vanilla, lemon zest, baking powder, and salt. Pulse until oats are broken down and mixture is well-combined.
- Pour batter into a bowl and gently fold in blueberries with a spatula, being careful not to break them.
- Let the batter rest for 5 minutes to thicken slightly as oats absorb moisture.
- Divide batter among the 24 mini muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full for perfect shape.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, until bites are firm to touch and lightly golden on edges.
- Allow bites to cool in pan for 3-4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Use full-fat cottage cheese for creamiest texture. Old-fashioned rolled oats work best, not quick oats.
- Fresh berries are ideal but frozen work if kept frozen. Zest only the yellow part of lemon to avoid bitter pith.
- Don’t skip the 5-minute rest as it helps bites hold together. Let cool completely so they set properly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 bites
- Calories: 85 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 95 mg
- Fat: 2 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg