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Creamy Cottage Cheese Strawberry Parfait

May 25, 2023 by Gina +

High protein creamy, blended cottage cheese that’s lightly sweetened and nestled in between layers of strawberry jam and crushed graham cracker. It’s an easy dessert that’s healthy too.

This combination of simple ingredients creates a treat that’s perfect for after dinner or as a snack. The combination of creamy cottage cheese, sweet strawberry jam, and crunchy graham cracker can be the ideal way to satisfy a sweet tooth. Not only is this cottage cheese parfait dessert tasty, but it also has the added benefit of protein, which can leave you feeling full and satisfied for hours.

Jump to Recipe

A clear glass cup with a strawberry cheesecake parfait filed inside.  Another serving is to the right

For an extra sweet treat, you can top the cottage cheese parfait with fresh berries and a dollop of whipped cream, or even a sprinkle of cinnamon. Adding these extra layers of flavor will make for a truly delicious, nutritious, and satisfying snack. Even better, you can easily tweak the recipe to fit your mood – swap out the strawberry jam for blueberry, or use shortbread cookies instead of graham crackers, and you have a totally new and unique treat. With just a few simple ingredients you can create a wide variety of sweet and satisfying treats.

A board with two glass cups and strawberry cheesecake parfaits inside.  Decorative strawberries placed around on glass dishes.  Graham cracker crumbs also placed around.

For this recipe, and all my cottage cheese recipes, I love using Good Culture cottage cheese. It’s thick, creamy, and has the best flavor. If you choose to use another one, aim to pick one that is small curd, and not runny. That will help create the thickest and fluffiest filling. For the graham crackers, I like these or these because they don’t have a ton of sugar, but use what you like. For the strawberry jam, I made one with strawberries, a little maple syrup, lemon, and chia seeds. Of course, you can use a jarred one, but those often have a lot more sugar. All in all, this can be super simple, or with a few extra steps, a super healthy treat.

A board with two glass cups and strawberry cheesecake parfaits inside.  Decorative strawberries placed around on glass dishes.  Graham cracker crumbs also placed around.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE PARFAIT


  • Graham crackers
  • Cottage cheese
  • Maple syrup or honey
  • Strawberry jam (or strawberries, lemon, and chia seed for homemade jam)
  • Lemon
  • Lemon zest

HOW TO MAKE COTTAGE CHEESE PARFAITS


  • If you want to make the strawberry jam, start by cooking the strawberries in a small pan on medium heat. Cook until they start to break down.
  • Stir in the chia seed, maple syrup, and a little lemon with a pinch of salt. Turn off the heat and allow the chia seeds to thicken the jam. Once cooled, store in fridge before serving.
  • For the cottage cheese, place all the ingredients, the cottage cheese, maple syrup, lemon, and lemon zest in a food processor and blend until thick and creamy. Don’t over blend. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.
  • To serve, take 5-6 graham cracker sheets and place them in a plastic bag. Gently tap with something heavy to break them into crumbles.
  • Take 4 small dishes, layer in graham crackers, then the cottage cheese, jam, more cottage cheese, then top with some more graham crackers. Serve cooled. You can even add some whipped cream and fresh berries if you want.

TIPS AND COMMON QUESTIONS FOR PARFAITS


  • Do I have to include the cottage cheese? This isn’t totally necessary, but it is a great protein addition.
  • Keep an eye on the pasta towards the end. You do not want to overcook it.
  • Vegetarian options? I would suggest using a plant-based meat substitute or skipping the meat altogether. Mushrooms would be a nice addition too.
  • Can I sneak in some more vegetables? Absolutely, at the end, stirring through some spinach is a good way to get some greens. Give it a chop and the hot pasta will wilt the greens.
A clear glass cup sits on a wood board with a strawberry cheesecake parfait filed inside.  Another serving is to the right

MORE RECIPES LIKE THIS


  • Protein Peanut Butter Cups
  • Apple Crumb Bars
  • Cottage Cheese Pancakes

Cottage Cheese Strawberry Parfait

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cool Time 1 hour hr
Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Servings: 4 parfaits
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

Cheese layer
  • 1 16oz container cottage cheese small curd, not runny
  • juice from half a lemon & zest
  • 3-4 tbsp maple syrup
Graham Cracker Layer
  • 5-6 graham cracker sheets
Strawberry Jam Layer
  • 2 cups stawberries
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • juice from 1/2 lemon
  • 1 tbsp chia seed
  • pinch of salt

Method
 

  1. For the strawberry layer, add the strawberries to a small pot over medium heat.  Simmer with maple syrup until the strawberries break down, about 5 minutes.  Add the chia seed and lemon juice.  Mash then turn off the heat until it thickens.
  2. For the cheese layer, blend everything in a food processor, until thick and smooth.
  3. Place the jam and cheese layer separately in the fridge to cool. This is best served chilled
  4. To assemble, grab 4 small jarsLayer a spoonful of graham crackers, then some of the cheese filling, some strawberry, and more of the cheese filling, then top with more graham crackers.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
A clear glass cup with a strawberry cheesecake parfait filed inside.  Another serving is to the right

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Filed Under: Breakfast, Desserts, Recipes Tagged With: cottage cheese, dessert, healthy dessert, high protein, parfait, refined sugar free, strawberry

Trackbacks

  1. Chicken Flautas - Gina Gibson says:
    June 7, 2023 at 9:21 am

    […] High Protein Strawberry Parfaits […]

  2. Our Best Cottage Cheese Desserts – thehappy-chef.com says:
    January 29, 2025 at 4:18 am

    […] 8. Strawberry Cottage Cheese Parfait […]

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I love knowing the recipe has already been thoroughly tested, so I can make dinner without wondering if it’s going to turn out. It makes weeknight cooking feel so much easier.
If you’re looking for more dependable, family-friendly dinner ideas, this recipe is available on the America’s Test Kitchen app and website. I’ve linked everything in my bio so it’s easy to find.
Save this for your next busy weeknight, and let me know if you give it a try!

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large carb-balanced burrito-sized tortilla
1 egg
Shredded cheese
2 slices bacon
1/2 avocado, mashed
1 hash brown

Instructions:
Cook the bacon and chop it up. Mash the avocado and season with salt, mix in the bacon, and spread it on the tortilla. Cook the egg with a little shredded cheese, letting it cook mostly through, then fold it. Top the avocado with the hash brown, then add the folded egg. Fold the tortilla into a burrito and crisp it in a pan.
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serves 6
1 lb lean 93/7 ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
1/2 onion
3.5 oz shredded cheddar + 2 tbsp for the meat mix
1/3 cup Greek yogurt (swap for sour cream if you want)
1 can fat-free refried beans
6 low-cal carb-balanced tortillas (70 cal each) @missionfoodsus 
Queso

How to make it:
Brown the beef, add taco seasoning, let it simmer
Stir in Greek yogurt + 2 tbsp shredded cheese
Cut a slit from center to edge of each tortilla
Layer beans on one section, meat on another, nacho cheese on the last
Fold into a triangle
Arrange in a ring in your cast iron skillet
Top with shredded cheese 
Bake at 375°F for 15 minutes

We top with sour cream, shredded lettuce, salsa, and guacamole 

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Here’s how I make it:

A big handful of cherry tomatoes
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
Olive oil
Salt + pepper
Squeeze of fresh lemon
Good Culture cottage cheese @good_culture 
Toasted sourdough for serving

Heat a good drizzle of olive oil in a skillet and add the cherry tomatoes. Let them cook until blistered and starting to burst, then give them a light mash.

Add the white beans, season really well with salt and pepper and finish with a squeeze of lemon. Let everything warm together for a few minutes.

Spoon into a bowl, add plenty of cottage cheese on top and serve with toasted or crusty sourdough for scooping.

So simple. SO good.
Save this one for tomato season. 🍅🤍
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Comment “MUFFIN” and I’ll send you the recipe!
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This Skillet-Roasted Chicken with Garlicky Spinach and Beans recipe from @testkitchen is the kind of weeknight dinner you’ll want to keep. It’s simple, flavorful, and comes together in under 45 minutes, which is exactly what I need on busy evenings.
I love knowing the recipe has already been thoroughly tested, so I can make dinner without wondering if it’s going to turn out. It makes weeknight cooking feel so much easier.
If you’re looking for more dependable, family-friendly dinner ideas, this recipe is available on the America’s Test Kitchen app and website. I’ve linked everything in my bio so it’s easy to find.
Save this for your next busy weeknight, and let me know if you give it a try!

Comment ‘recipe’ and I will send you the link to try out America’s Test Kitchen.
This breakfast burrito is one of my favorite ways This breakfast burrito is one of my favorite ways to start the day. Crispy bacon, mashed avocado, a folded cheesy egg, and a hash brown all wrapped up in a carb-balanced tortilla and crisped in the pan. It’s simple, it’s filling, and delish! 

large carb-balanced burrito-sized tortilla
1 egg
Shredded cheese
2 slices bacon
1/2 avocado, mashed
1 hash brown

Instructions:
Cook the bacon and chop it up. Mash the avocado and season with salt, mix in the bacon, and spread it on the tortilla. Cook the egg with a little shredded cheese, letting it cook mostly through, then fold it. Top the avocado with the hash brown, then add the folded egg. Fold the tortilla into a burrito and crisp it in a pan.
High-Protein Burrito Bake If you love taco night High-Protein Burrito Bake 

If you love taco night but want something a little lighter and higher protein, this one’s for you. Folded burritos baked in a ring in the cast iron — easy weeknight dinner and meal-prep friendly

serves 6
1 lb lean 93/7 ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
1/2 onion
3.5 oz shredded cheddar + 2 tbsp for the meat mix
1/3 cup Greek yogurt (swap for sour cream if you want)
1 can fat-free refried beans
6 low-cal carb-balanced tortillas (70 cal each) @missionfoodsus 
Queso

How to make it:
Brown the beef, add taco seasoning, let it simmer
Stir in Greek yogurt + 2 tbsp shredded cheese
Cut a slit from center to edge of each tortilla
Layer beans on one section, meat on another, nacho cheese on the last
Fold into a triangle
Arrange in a ring in your cast iron skillet
Top with shredded cheese 
Bake at 375°F for 15 minutes

We top with sour cream, shredded lettuce, salsa, and guacamole 

Save this for your next easy weeknight dinner 🙌
One of my favorite ways to eat summer tomatoes 🍅 One of my favorite ways to eat summer tomatoes 🍅

Blistered cherry tomatoes, creamy white beans, cottage cheese and plenty of crusty sourdough. It’s simple, hearty, satisfying and has plenty of protein without feeling like a “high-protein” meal.

Here’s how I make it:

A big handful of cherry tomatoes
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
Olive oil
Salt + pepper
Squeeze of fresh lemon
Good Culture cottage cheese @good_culture 
Toasted sourdough for serving

Heat a good drizzle of olive oil in a skillet and add the cherry tomatoes. Let them cook until blistered and starting to burst, then give them a light mash.

Add the white beans, season really well with salt and pepper and finish with a squeeze of lemon. Let everything warm together for a few minutes.

Spoon into a bowl, add plenty of cottage cheese on top and serve with toasted or crusty sourdough for scooping.

So simple. SO good.
Save this one for tomato season. 🍅🤍
Creamy Summer Squash Orzo with Steak Tips #ad Thi Creamy Summer Squash Orzo with Steak Tips  #ad
This Creamy Summer Squash Orzo with Steak Tips from @testkitchen is one of those dinners that feels a little special without taking all evening to make.

I love recipes that are simple enough for a weeknight but still feel like a meal everyone is excited to sit down for. This one comes together in under 45 minutes, and I know I can count on it because America’s Test Kitchen recipes are so well tested.

If you’re looking for new weeknight dinner ideas that actually work, this recipe is a great place to start. You can find it on the America’s Test Kitchen app and website—I’ve linked it in my bio to make it easy to find.

Save this one for the next time you’re wondering what to make for dinner!
Jumbo Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins Tall go Jumbo Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

Tall golden tops, soft centers, melty chocolate, crunchy sugar on top—and the brown butter makes them SO good. Serve them warm. You can even freeze the rest for later.

Comment “MUFFIN” and I’ll send you the recipe!
Easy Skillet-Roasted Chicken with Garlicky Spinach Easy Skillet-Roasted Chicken with Garlicky Spinach & Beans  #ad
This Skillet-Roasted Chicken with Garlicky Spinach and Beans recipe from @testkitchen is the kind of weeknight dinner you’ll want to keep. It’s simple, flavorful, and comes together in under 45 minutes, which is exactly what I need on busy evenings.
I love knowing the recipe has already been thoroughly tested, so I can make dinner without wondering if it’s going to turn out. It makes weeknight cooking feel so much easier.
If you’re looking for more dependable, family-friendly dinner ideas, this recipe is available on the America’s Test Kitchen app and website. I’ve linked everything in my bio so it’s easy to find.
Save this for your next busy weeknight, and let me know if you give it a try!

Comment ‘recipe’ and I will send you the link to try out America’s Test Kitchen.
This breakfast burrito is one of my favorite ways This breakfast burrito is one of my favorite ways to start the day. Crispy bacon, mashed avocado, a folded cheesy egg, and a hash brown all wrapped up in a carb-balanced tortilla and crisped in the pan. It’s simple, it’s filling, and delish! 

large carb-balanced burrito-sized tortilla
1 egg
Shredded cheese
2 slices bacon
1/2 avocado, mashed
1 hash brown

Instructions:
Cook the bacon and chop it up. Mash the avocado and season with salt, mix in the bacon, and spread it on the tortilla. Cook the egg with a little shredded cheese, letting it cook mostly through, then fold it. Top the avocado with the hash brown, then add the folded egg. Fold the tortilla into a burrito and crisp it in a pan.
High-Protein Burrito Bake If you love taco night High-Protein Burrito Bake 

If you love taco night but want something a little lighter and higher protein, this one’s for you. Folded burritos baked in a ring in the cast iron — easy weeknight dinner and meal-prep friendly

serves 6
1 lb lean 93/7 ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
1/2 onion
3.5 oz shredded cheddar + 2 tbsp for the meat mix
1/3 cup Greek yogurt (swap for sour cream if you want)
1 can fat-free refried beans
6 low-cal carb-balanced tortillas (70 cal each) @missionfoodsus 
Queso

How to make it:
Brown the beef, add taco seasoning, let it simmer
Stir in Greek yogurt + 2 tbsp shredded cheese
Cut a slit from center to edge of each tortilla
Layer beans on one section, meat on another, nacho cheese on the last
Fold into a triangle
Arrange in a ring in your cast iron skillet
Top with shredded cheese 
Bake at 375°F for 15 minutes

We top with sour cream, shredded lettuce, salsa, and guacamole 

Save this for your next easy weeknight dinner 🙌
One of my favorite ways to eat summer tomatoes 🍅 One of my favorite ways to eat summer tomatoes 🍅

Blistered cherry tomatoes, creamy white beans, cottage cheese and plenty of crusty sourdough. It’s simple, hearty, satisfying and has plenty of protein without feeling like a “high-protein” meal.

Here’s how I make it:

A big handful of cherry tomatoes
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
Olive oil
Salt + pepper
Squeeze of fresh lemon
Good Culture cottage cheese @good_culture 
Toasted sourdough for serving

Heat a good drizzle of olive oil in a skillet and add the cherry tomatoes. Let them cook until blistered and starting to burst, then give them a light mash.

Add the white beans, season really well with salt and pepper and finish with a squeeze of lemon. Let everything warm together for a few minutes.

Spoon into a bowl, add plenty of cottage cheese on top and serve with toasted or crusty sourdough for scooping.

So simple. SO good.
Save this one for tomato season. 🍅🤍
Creamy Summer Squash Orzo with Steak Tips #ad Thi Creamy Summer Squash Orzo with Steak Tips  #ad
This Creamy Summer Squash Orzo with Steak Tips from @testkitchen is one of those dinners that feels a little special without taking all evening to make.

I love recipes that are simple enough for a weeknight but still feel like a meal everyone is excited to sit down for. This one comes together in under 45 minutes, and I know I can count on it because America’s Test Kitchen recipes are so well tested.

If you’re looking for new weeknight dinner ideas that actually work, this recipe is a great place to start. You can find it on the America’s Test Kitchen app and website—I’ve linked it in my bio to make it easy to find.

Save this one for the next time you’re wondering what to make for dinner!

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