About This Recipe

Why Cottage Cheese bread?

I had to ask myself this question when I discovered “cottage cheese bread” was trending on Pinterest and a viral recipe on TikTok. The reason this bread is so beloved: protein. This bread includes a large amount of cottage cheese and egg whites, which make it a protein sensation.

What kind of cottage cheese bread is this?

I have seen many versions of cottage cheese bread since beginning my research on this recipe. There are two kinds that stand out as the most popular: the flourless cottage cheese bread and the bread machine cottage cheese bread. The flourless version, made by beating egg whites, mixing with cottage cheese, and baking, has been a social media sensation. It may be good, but it is not something attainable with sourdough baking. The bread machine version, made with flour, water, egg whites, cottage cheese, and yeast is simple, but I wanted even better, fluffier results and I wanted it to be sourdough.

This cottage cheese bread is a simple sandwich bread made with the basics, similar to the bread machine version, and includes flour. To keep the bread light and fluffy, I have increased the hydration, creating a dough that is fairly wet. This version is developed by hand, rather than by stand mixer, because of this. This bread does not include enrichments like butter or sugar to make it taste “better.” This keeps the health value high. Does it still taste good? Absolutely. I would not publish a recipe that didn’t.

The truth about the comparison to Brioche:

When described, this bread is often compared to brioche. I think this comparison is incredibly deceptive. Those who make this comparison may not understand the unique characteristics of brioche.

Both breads are light and fluffy, due to the addition of egg. Brioche is enriched with milk, egg, sugar, and butter. Cottage cheese bread is only enriched with cottage cheese and egg whites. Brioche is sweet and fatty. The eggs make it fluffy and the butter makes it melt in your mouth. Cottage cheese bread is not sweet or fatty. It has no added sugar and does not melt in your mouth. The only similarity is the fluffiness added from the egg whites.

Altogether, while cottage cheese bread and brioche are both fluffy breads, they are not the same. One is meant as a health food, while the other is used as a base for sweet recipes. The lack of sugar and fat in cottage cheese bread leads to a completely different end result.

What I love about this recipe:

My honest-to-goodness favorite thing about this recipe is that I can feed it to my kids and they think it is just regular white bread. They love it. And, I get the satisfaction of knowing they are receiving a good amount of protein from it. There is absolutely nothing “bad” in this recipe. I did not even choose to wash the loaf with butter like I do many of my sandwich breads. The combination of high hydration plus large amount of egg whites creates a bread that is light and fluffy. The cottage cheese does not add a fowl flavor. It acts more like milk in the dough more than anything else, which is a common addition to sandwich bread. Overall, this bread is like a feel-good, healthy version of a white bread.

Why this recipe works

Flour choice and Percentage

Flour choice, and its total in the final recipe, is very intentional. One of my recipe goals was to make this bread as simple as possible, and a good-quality bread flour allows this to become a reality, aiding tremendously in gluten formation and development (which is more difficult in this recipe). The extra dough strength allows the baking timeline to be much more flexible when it comes to fermentation. I love to make this bread as an overnight dough, shaping and leaving in the loaf pan until morning, which would not be possible without sufficient dough strength (otherwise, the loaf would collapse). Last, the smaller overall percentage of flour creates a wetter dough, which is a necessary component of keeping this loaf light. Too much flour and the end result tastes like cardboard. By using a high-quality bread flour, it is possible to do this while also maintaining sufficient dough strength and obtaining flexible fermenting time.

Cottage cheese

Because cottage cheese is a dairy product, the effects are similar to that of milk. Cottage cheese adds density to the dough and has a tendency to burn if baked at too high of a temperature in the oven. If you are not a fan of cottage cheese, fear not – its use in this recipe does not lead to a strong “cottage cheese” flavor. The most important reason for its addition is protein, making the end product more nutritious. Because cottage cheese contains moisture, its use, combined with the use of egg whites, means the addition of any other kind of liquid (milk or water) is not necessary in this recipe. By keeping this ingredient in proportion with everything else, its health benefits can shine, while still producing a delicious bread.

Egg Whites Over Eggs

I had to test both egg whites and whole eggs, knowing this question would come up. Both egg whites and whole eggs add the same fluffiness to the loaf. In the end, I chose to use only egg whites for their more neutral flavor. Because this dough is not enriched in the same way as brioche, with additions of sugar and fat, the flavor that the egg yolks bring alone is not my preference. This recipe can be made with freshly separated egg whites, or with egg whites that come in a carton at the store and have been pasteurized. I do provide modifications for using whole eggs, if desired, noting the flavor difference that is brought to the loaf.

Gluten Development

Due to the high hydration of this recipe, I chose to strengthen this dough by hand. This dough is a bit different from a basic bread made with water as the primary liquid – it is much stickier and the gluten does not develop as easily. For this reason, I have chosen a combination of kneading and stretch-and-folds to help develop the dough appropriately. A well-developed dough also means a more flexible fermentation, meaning those choosing to do this as an overnight ferment will not have to worry about deflation.

Reverse Fermentation

This recipe works a bit in reverse order. The dough is strengthened and then immediately shaped, rather than resting for a period of time (bulk fermentation) beforehand. I actually switched the timing for bulk fermentation and final proof for the sake of simplicity. After the dough is shaped, it gets a long rest before being baked, meaning there are no more steps (besides the egg wash) in the process. I found this to be incredibly simple and to fit my desired, overnight, baking timeline (though, this bread can easily be strengthened in the morning and baked in the evening).

Final Fermentation Timing

After the dough is shaped and in the loaf pan, it rests for a long time, which is only possible if the dough is well-developed (otherwise it would deflate). This long rest makes it simple to prepare the night before and bake first thing in the morning. This dough can rest up to twelve hours in the loaf pan in cooler home temperatures (68-70 F) and up to nine hours in warmer home temperatures (75 F). If your home is much warmer than this, I recommend beginning this recipe in the morning and baking when the dough is appropriately risen, which will be a much quicker timeline.

Shaping

Shaping this dough is simple, but does require some considerations. Because this dough is being shaped early in the fermentation process, it is still fairly sticky. I use a heavy dusting of flour to make shaping more manageable. Other than this, the dough is shaped into a rectangle, folded into thirds, and rolled up before being placed in the loaf pan.

The Wash

I wanted to keep all the ingredients for this recipe simple, healthy, and high protein. Therefore, I chose not to use butter (my favorite sandwich bread wash) for this loaf. Instead, I use an egg, which is whisked altogether and brushed on top before baking. Depending on if you are separating fresh eggs or using pasteurized egg whites from a carton, you may or may not have extra egg yolks. A single egg yolk can be used in place of one whole egg for the wash. The difference here will be the shine. Egg whites create shine on baked goods, while egg yolks create a beautiful dark color. A bread washed with one whole egg will have a beautiful golden color and be shiny, while a bread washed with just the egg yolk will have a beautiful golden color without shine.

Baking method: Temperature

Many cottage cheese bread recipes bake their loaves at a higher temperature than I have written for this recipe. When attempting baking this bread at higher temperatures (400 F), I found the loaf to become exceedingly dark (the cottage cheese) and to develop a very thick crust. Baking the bread lower (350 F) turns out a much better end result.

Baking method: Steam

This recipe uses a pan of boiling water next to the loaf of sandwich bread as it bakes to create steam. This steam is important for helping the bread expand to its maximum potential before the crust begins to harden, and for keeping the loaf soft (this is not a crusty bread!) while baking.

Suggested Overnight Baking Timeline

7 PM

+Mix the dough

7:30 PM

+Begin the strengthening process

10 PM

+Shape the dough

7-9 AM

+Bake and enjoy!

Suggested Daytime Baking Timeline

8 AM

+Mix the dough

8:30 AM

+Begin the strengthening process

11 AM

+Shape the dough

7 PM

+Bake and enjoy!

FAQs

What kind of cottage cheese should I use?

Any kind of cottage cheese will work in this recipe. The fat content in the cheese will not make a huge difference and, because the cottage gets blended, the curd size does not matter. Use whatever you prefer in this recipe.

Can I use whole eggs instead of egg whites?

You can! I talk more about this above. Both will work, though the egg yolks will add a flavor to the dough that may or may not be to your liking. I prefer the neutral flavor of just the egg whites.

Why do I have to work this dough so much?

The increased protein from the cottage cheese and egg whites, in combination with the elimination of other liquids, means elasticity does not develop as easily. In order to create it, the dough is worked a bit longer than usual in the beginning. A strong dough ensures a loaf that can rise beautiful and tall in the oven and will not deflate if given a longer fermentation.

What is the difference between washing my dough with a whole egg versus just the egg yolk?

Egg whites create shine on baked goods, while egg yolks create a beautiful dark color. A bread washed with one whole egg will have a beautiful golden color and be shiny, while a bread washed with just the egg yolk will have a beautiful golden color without shine.

High Protein Cottage Cheese Bread

Recipe by Caitlin VincentCourse: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, SnackDifficulty: Intermediate

Prep time

minutes

Resting Time

8-12

hours

Baking Time

minutes

Yield

loaf

The viral cottage cheese bread turned sourdough. The perfect sandwich bread for those looking for ways to add protein to their diet, yet still enjoy bread.

Ingredients

185 g cottage cheese (¾ cup)
185 g egg whites (¾ cup)
150 g sourdough starter (⅔ cup)
30 g neutral oil (3 tbsp)
325 g bread flour (2 ⅔ cups)
10 g salt (1 ½ tsp)
For baking
1 egg or egg yolk (for washing)
Boiling water

Make the dough:
- Blend cottage cheese with the egg whites in a blender.
- Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add sourdough starter and neutral oil. Mix well.
- Add bread flour and salt. Mix everything to form a shaggy dough. Cover.
Strengthen the dough:
- Rest 30 minutes after mixing.
- Knead 2-3 minutes, using wet hands to prevent things from becoming too messy.
- Rest 30 minutes.
- Knead 2-3 minutes.
- Rest 30 minutes.
- Stretch and fold #1: 6-8 folds.
- Rest 30 minutes.
- Stretch and fold #2: 4-6 folds.
- Rest 30 minutess.
- OPTIONAL - Stretch and fold #3: 4 folds.
- OPTIONAL - Rest 30 minutes.
Shape the dough:
- Flour a working surface (fairly heavy, but not obnoxiously).
- Turn the dough out. It will still be sticky.
- Flour the top of the dough and pat into a rectangle.
- Fold the left and right sides of the dough into the center. Then, roll up the dough into a log. Pinch the seams closed.
- Transfer to a greased 9 X 5 inch (1.25 lb) loaf pan, seam side down.
Rest and rise:
- Cover the dough and allow it to rest and rise until it completely fills up the loaf pan and is level with, or slightly above, the edge. (About 8-9 hours, or up to 12 hours in a cooler environment.)
Wash and bake:
- Preheat an oven to 350 F (175 C).
- Boil some water in a tea kettle or over the stovetop.
- Make an egg wash by whisking one whole egg or one egg yolk (if you have some leftover from separating eggs) until smooth.
- Remove the cover from your dough and brush the egg wash all over the risen loaf. Don’t be afraid to pop any large air bubbles.
- Pour the boiling water into a water-safe, oven-safe pan placed next to the bread in the oven. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 190 F (88 C).
Cool and enjoy!
- Cool 5-10 minutes in the loaf pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Wait at least 30 minutes before slicing.
- Enjoy!
How to store: Store in a Ziploc bag on the counter for up to seven days, or slice and store in the freezer.
To reheat: From room temperature, toast for about two minutes. From frozen, toast for about four minutes. I do this in my air fryer at 400 F.

Watch the Video

Notes

You can use freshly separated whites or pasteurized, liquid egg whites that come in the carton for this recipe.
An optional substitution for the egg whites is whole eggs. Use 185 g of whole eggs, which is about three large (50 g) eggs plus one egg white (save the yolk for the wash). The flavor is not quite the same (and not my preference), but it still makes a good, high protein bread that is light and fluffy.