TikTokers Are Turning Cottage Cheese Into Ice Cream & Pancakes

It’s no secret that TikTok’s foodie community isn’t afraid to create some truly wild snack recommendations, like Fruit Roll-Up ice cream bites or fried cheese-covered pickles. That’s why you might be surprised to learn the treat that’s been all over #FoodTok lately doesn’t contain a mix of ingredients that make no sense together, or require you to follow an overly confusing recipe, either. It’s cottage cheese. No, seriously.

Though it’s definitely not the strangest snack to go viral on the platform, the cottage cheese trend is still pretty divisive. Many of the videos about cottage cheese begin with some sort of disclaimer like, “don’t knock it until you try it,” or “I’ve never been a fan of cottage cheese until...,” which means if you’re hesitant to hop on the trend, you’re probably not the only one. That said, it seems as though the ingredient has gained a lot of new fans since the trend took off, so it can’t be that bad, right? In fact, the hashtag #cottagecheese has gained over 200 million views as of April 20, so it looks like the curdled milk product is finally getting its redemption arc.

The tag is filled with tips on how to incorporate it into meals without making it taste, well, gross, and has recipes for just about every mood, from cottage cheese toast to cottage cheese ice cream. Yup, you read that right. Cottage. Cheese. Ice. Cream.

TikToker @feelgoodfoodie shares her tips on how to give your cottage cheese ice cream a strawberry cheesecake flair, but there are plenty of other flavor combos you can try, too, like banana cream and cookies and cream. To turn the cheese into a dessert, all you have to do is whip a tub of cottage cheese with a sweetener of your choice, like chocolate chips, peanut butter, or strawberries in a blender or food processor, then store it in the freezer until it’s nice a cold.

One of the most viral cottage cheese recipes on the platform is for avocado cottage cheese toast, which is the brunch favorite, but with an extra ingredient. User @brooklynbites admits they’ve never considered themself a “fan of cottage cheese” until trying this recipe, so if that’s not a promising review, IDK what is.

If you’re still not sold on the product’s texture, @chicago.dietitian has a hack for you: “whip your cottage cheese.” The user recommends a food processor to give the cheese a “fluffy, perfect consistency,” claiming that the light texture makes it pair well with pretty much every topping.

The reason why so many people seem to be embracing the once-unfavorable ingredient is because of its high protein content, making it a good substitute for things like hummus, pasta sauce, and nacho dip.

Still not on board with the trend? Maybe @rachlmansfield’s four-ingredient cottage cheese pancakes will do the trick. The creator claims you can add as many “mix-ins” as you want, so even if you’re not ready to fully commit to a cottage cheese breakfast just yet, at least you can add a nice helping of berries or chocolate chips to make it worth your while.

If there’s anything #FoodTok’s latest obsession has taught us, it’s that there are plenty of ways to incorporate cottage cheese into your life without compromising your taste buds. From breakfast to dessert, there’s a cottage cheese recipe for everything. And before you knock it, remember not to judge a cheese by its texture.