Change Up Basic Banana Bread With One High-Protein Ingredient For Moist Results

There are so many variations of banana bread out there. People have experimented with using sourdough in their loaves, as well as avocado, matcha, and even garlic or bacon. At one point during the COVID lockdown, Google searches for banana bread spiked over 800 percent (via Times Record News), so there are very few twists that haven't been tried out yet. But there is one  ingredient you can add to your banana bread if you're looking for a protein boost: cottage cheese.

Much like the Dubai chocolate and Swedish candy of "For You" pages past, cottage cheese has been everywhere in the 2020s. The fresh cheese, which is made by separating the curds and whey in milk, is actually believed to be one of the first cheeses produced in America, but it's popularity has grown thanks to social media platforms like TikTok. People have rediscovered the versatility of the ingredient, which has a mild taste, creamy texture, and low calorie content. It's also a protein powerhouse, packing up to 11 grams per ½ cup serving – all of which makes it an excellent addition to banana bread. 

Cottage cheese also has a lot of moisture, which leads to a softer crumb in baking. When used in banana bread, it creates a moist and tender texture which is retained even days later. It also provides a richer, creamier finish while eliminating the need for butter or oil. Plus, depending on how much cottage cheese you add, a slice of banana bread made with it can contain up to seven grams of protein, much more than your typical recipe.

It's easy to incorporate cottage cheese into banana bread. You can actually add cottage cheese into any baked goods by swapping it with butter at a 1:1 ratio, as it still holds the fat necessary for flaky tarts and tender cakes. For recipes where you don't want to add a lot of liquid, it's a good idea to strain the cheese, but it's not a necessary step for making banana bread. However, some bakers do like to blend cottage cheese for a few seconds to ensure a smooth texture.

Full-fat cottage cheese will provide the richest texture, but low-fat works too. It's also best to pick a high-quality brand when possible. You want to use about ½ cup of cottage cheese per 1½ cups of flour and 1¼ cups of mashed bananas. Add the other ingredients as usual — eggs, baking powder, and sweetener (you can use sugar, coconut sugar, honey, maple syrup, it's totally up to you). Blend the cottage cheese with the bananas and eggs before adding it to the dry ingredients, or just whisk everything together by hand.

The one thing to keep in mind is that the toothpick test you'd do for bakes like brownies doesn't always work for cottage cheese banana bread because of the high moisture content. Instead, check the temperature of the bread with a thermometer if you can. It should be around 200 degrees Fahrenheit when ready and the exterior will be golden brown. It usually takes about 40 to 50 minutes in a 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven to reach that stage.