Description

A light, high-protein lemon raspberry cottage cheese bake with a creamy custard-like texture that serves as a nutritious breakfast or guilt-free dessert. This bake combines fresh lemon zest and juice with full-fat cottage cheese, raspberries, almond flour, and a touch of honey or maple syrup to create a tangy-sweet, protein-packed dish that’s easy to prepare and loved by the whole family.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

2 cups cottage cheese (full-fat recommended for best texture)
3 large eggs (room temperature preferred)
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries (if using frozen, do not thaw)
1/2 cup almond flour or gluten-free flour blend (almond flour keeps it naturally gluten-free)
1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (pure vanilla recommended)
Zest and juice of 1 small lemon (yields about 2 tablespoons juice)
1 teaspoon baking powder (aluminum-free preferred)

Instructions

Preheat and prepare dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8×8-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray, and optionally line the bottom with parchment paper leaving an overhang on two sides to act as handles for easy removal.
Mix wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cottage cheese, eggs, honey or maple syrup, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice until well combined. Small curds in the mixture are ideal for texture; for a smoother consistency, blend the cottage cheese alone before adding other ingredients.
Add dry ingredients: Gently fold in almond flour and baking powder using a spatula. Mix just until no dry flour remains and the batter resembles thick pancake batter. Avoid overmixing to maintain a light, custard-like texture.
Fold in raspberries: Carefully fold in the raspberries. If using frozen berries, add them directly from the freezer without thawing to reduce juice release and maintain berry shape.
Bake the mixture: Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until edges are lightly golden and slightly pulling away from the pan sides, and the center jiggles only slightly when shaken.
Rest and serve: Let the bake rest in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes to allow it to set properly and become sliceable. Cut into 9 equal squares. Serve warm, room temperature, or chilled from the refrigerator.

Notes

For a smoother texture, blend cottage cheese alone before combining with other ingredients.
Full-fat cottage cheese provides the creamiest, most luxurious mouthfeel; low-fat works but with less richness.
If cottage cheese is very wet, drain briefly using a fine mesh sieve to avoid excess moisture in the batter.
Avoid overmixing after adding flour to prevent a dense texture and breaking down berries.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; place parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking.
Freeze individual slices wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes or microwave from frozen for 45 seconds.
Reheat refrigerated slices in the microwave for 20-30 seconds or in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Category: Breakfast
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: lemon raspberry bake, cottage cheese bake, high protein breakfast, gluten free breakfast, lemon dessert bake, easy breakfast recipes, protein packed breakfast, healthy brunch recipes