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Cottage Cheese Waffles made with whole grain oats and a boost of protein for a wholesome approach to breakfast! Simple to make in bulk, each waffle contains 13 grams of protein.
After making and loving my Cottage Cheese Pancakes, I immediately knew I needed to make a waffle version, and I’m so happy I did!
Light and fluffy, a good source of protein, this easy waffle recipe is the perfect balanced breakfast. The complex carbs and protein keeps you feeling full for hours. Enjoy a couple of them topped with fresh fruit, butter, or your favorite toppings for a lovely healthy breakfast!
Every time I make a batch, I always kick myself for not making a double batch, because my husband and I power through them so quickly.
One of my favorite parts about this recipe is that it can be customized to include other flavors. Simply see my Ways to Customize section below for all sorts of waffle flavors. Make them in bulk for a little meal prep action for busy mornings too!
The straightforward ingredients are easy to find at any grocery store! Here is a detailed description of each so you know their individual purpose.
Ingredients for Cottage Cheese Waffles:
Oats: I prefer cooking and baking with oats over all-purpose flour because they add a little fiber for a slow-burning carbohydrate source. I also love their oatty flavor! For gluten-free waffles, be sure to use certified gluten-free oats. I use gluten-free sprouted oats.
Cottage Cheese: The all star ingredient here, cottage cheese adds moisture, protein, and a slight tang to the waffles for a powerhouse breakfast!
I use 5% milkfat cottage cheese for a richer taste, but you can also use nonfat cottage cheese if you prefer.
Large Eggs: Aid in producing a fluffy texture and ensures the waffles turn out as a cohesive whole.
Milk (or Water): A little extra liquid to make the batter come together. You can also use egg whites for extra protein.
Baking Powder: The leavening agent, which results in fluffy waffles.
Ground Cinnamon (optional): Brings warm flavor, which I find irresistible!
Vanilla Extract (optional): A slight vanilla undertone gives the waffles an almost dessert-like essence.
Pure Maple Syrup (optional): A touch of sweetener gives the waffles a very subtle touch. Swap it for brown sugar or sugar-free sweetener if you prefer. Skip it if you prefer minimal added sugar.
Sea Salt: Helps round out the flavor profile.
This recipe makes the perfect base for other flavors! Here are some great options.
Ways to Customize:
- Cranberry Orange: Mix 1 tablespoon of orange zest into the batter along with ⅓ cup of dried cranberries.
- Blueberry Bliss: After transferring some waffle batter to the waffle iron, sprinkle either fresh blueberries or dried blueberries on top of the raw batter before replacing the cover. I recommend dried blueberries for the tastiest results!
- Chocolate Infusion: Follow the same step above using semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Lemon Poppy Seed: Mix 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon zest in with the batter and 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds.
- Cinnamon Raisin: Increase the amount of cinnamon to 1 tablespoon, and add ⅓ cup of raisins to the batter.
Now that I’ve covered the simple ingredients, it’s time to make this delicious breakfast.
How to Make Cottage Cheese Waffles:
Transfer the oats, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and sea salt to a high-speed blender and blend for 60 seconds, or until a flour forms.
Add in the eggs, cottage cheese, milk (or water), avocado oil, and pure maple syrup (the wet ingredients). Blend until everything is well combined and a smooth batter forms.
Turn on your waffle iron and wait for a few minutes to allow it to heat up all the way. Note: You can use a Belgian waffle maker or a mini waffle iron.
Spray the waffle irons with cooking spray. Measure out ½ cup of waffle batter and transfer it to the preheated waffle iron. Replace the lid and wait for 3-5 minutes, or until the waffle iron indicates that the cooking process is complete.
Use a butter knife to help lift the waffle from the iron and transfer it to a plate.
Repeat for the remaining batter.
Serve waffles with your choice of toppings! Butter, peanut butter (or almond butter), fresh fruit such as fresh blueberries or sliced banana, a sprinkle of nuts or seeds, and pure maple syrup or honey are all lovely options.
Storage Options:
- Reheating Instructions: Reheat refrigerated or frozen waffles in a toaster, toaster oven, air fryer, or in the microwave until thoroughly warmed through.
- Refrigerator: Store waffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
- Freezer: For longer term storage, freeze waffles in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months.
Recipe Tips:
- Belgian waffles (which are relatively large) require a heaping 1/2 cup of batter, where smaller waffles using a small waffle iron require about 1/3 cup. This recipe makes about 5 Belgian waffles, or 7 small waffles.
- In order to get everything to blend together evenly, you may need to stop the blender once or twice to scrape the sides using a rubber spatula. This ensures all of the flour mixture gets mixed in evenly.
- For a richer flavor, use 4 tablespoons of avocado oil instead of 2.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes! If you’d prefer to use gluten-free all-purpose flour or regular all-purpose flour, use 1 ⅔ cups instead of 2. The batter should be relatively thick (not runny). If it is runny, add 2 to 5 tablespoons of flour, until the consistency thickens up.
It does indeed! Feel free to swap out the cottage cheese with an equal amount of plain Greek yogurt (1 cup). The protein content is roughly the same too.
Yes! For extra protein, use 1.5 cups of oats and ⅓ cup of your favorite protein powder. Do note that the texture of the waffles is a little less fluffy with this option.
You can also swap the milk for egg whites for more protein.
The next time you’re craving waffles, whip up a batch of these beauties for a high-protein breakfast! If you’re like me and you love a sweet treat but you also mind your protein, this easy cottage cheese waffle recipe is perfect for you!
If you’re like me and you occasionally love something sweet and high protein for breakfast, check out some of my other breakfast options.
More Sweet High Protein Breakfast Recipes:
- Blueberry Lemon Breakfast Bread
- Oatmeal Protein Pancakes
- Protein Cinnamon Roll Bread
- Sweet Potato Protein Waffles
- Banana Oat Waffles
High protein waffles for life!
Cottage Cheese Waffles
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups quick oats
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon, optional
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- ⅓ cup milk or water
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil
- 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup or honey, optional
Instructions
- Transfer the oats, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and sea salt to a high-speed blender or a food processor and blend for 60 seconds, or until a flour forms.
- Add in the eggs, cottage cheese, milk (or water), avocado oil, and pure maple syrup (the wet ingredients). Blend until everything is well combined and a smooth batter forms.
- Turn on your waffle iron and wait for a few minutes to allow it to heat up all the way. Note: You can use a Belgian waffle maker or a mini waffle iron. Spray the waffle irons with cooking spray. Measure out ½ cup of waffle batter and transfer it to the preheated waffle iron. Replace the lid and wait for 3-5 minutes, or until the waffle iron indicates that the cooking process is complete.
- Use a butter knife to help lift the waffle from the iron and transfer it to a plate.
- Repeat for the remaining batter.
- Serve waffles with your choice of toppings! Butter, peanut butter (or almond butter), fresh fruit such as fresh blueberries or sliced banana, a sprinkle of nuts or seeds, and pure maple syrup or honey are all lovely options.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!
I cannot tell you how happy I am with these delicious waffles! They are everything I’ve been looking for. Easy, Without expensive ingredients, well balanced, no wheat or sugar. And did I say delicious! THANK YOU SO MUCH! They are perfect to keep in the refrigerator and toast for my husband’s early job mornings. BTW I don’t have a high speed blender. I used a food processor to blend the dry ingredients. It was a coarse blend, but the waffles are superb anyway!
Thanks so much for the sweet note and feedback, Janet! I’m happy to hear the recipe works out in a food processor too – I’ll add that note to the recipe card! For me, these waffles check all the boxes too, so I’m thrilled the recipe works out so well for you and your husband too!
I tried this recipe with regular sprouted oats and it works fine. I ran out of cottage cheese so I subbed full fat greek yogurt. I added ground ginger and I think vanilla extract would be a good addition. ( I wish I thought of the vanilla before I made these)
I made regular waffles as I don’t have a Belgium waffle machine and they turned very good . They have a really good texture and crunch. I only made half the recipe and I got 3 nice size waffles. I would make these again.
Ah, yes, I’ll make a note about vanilla extract in the recipe, as I think this is a fabulous idea! It really does add something extra special 🙂 I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe and that you’d try it again – this always warms my heart!
Am I correct in that this recipe will work with regular, NOT quick, oats, also? My birthday is coming up and I’ve suggested to my daughters that they get me a waffle iron as I’ve been craving waffles for awhile. I only buy organic whole oats. Since it is ground up into a flour, I am assuming it will turn out the same. Thanks! PS. Always love your recipes, Julia. I have so many of them pinned!
Hi Karen! You can use either quick oat or rolled oats (old fashioned oats) for the recipe. Essentially any kind except for steel cut oats. Steel cut oats won’t work, but anything else will 🙂 I hope you love the waffles! 😀