Cottage Cheese Pumpkin Bread (High Protein) is a cozy, high-protein twist on the classic fall favorite. This loaf is sweetened naturally with maple syrup and coconut sugar, packed with warm pumpkin spice, and made extra moist thanks to cottage cheese and olive oil. It’s a wholesome yet indulgent recipe you’ll want to bake all season long.
For more yummy pumpkin recipes try my pumpkin beans, pumpkin dahl, or my pumpkin banana bread.
If you love cottage cheese like me you need to try these recipes: mint chocolate chip cottage cheese ice cream, pumpkin cottage cheese cheesecake or my lemon honey cottage cheese pancakes.
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Why you'll love this chocolate chip pumpkin bread
It is moist, fluffy, and full of warm fall spices.
Thanks to the cottage cheese it has protein, making it more nourishing than your average pumpkin bread.
It is naturally sweetened with maple syrup and coconut sugar making it refined sugar free.
It can easily be made gluten free with simple swaps.
Ingredients
- Eggs – Bind everything together and add structure.
Vanilla extract – Adds warmth and enhances flavor.
Olive oil – Keeps the bread moist and tender.
Cottage cheese – Adds protein and creaminess.
Maple syrup – Natural sweetness and moisture.
Coconut sugar – Deep, caramel-like sweetness (can sub brown sugar).
Pumpkin puree – The star ingredient; adds flavor, fiber, and moisture.
All-purpose flour – Provides structure.
Pumpkin spice – Warm fall flavor.
Salt – Balances the sweetness.
Baking soda – Helps the bread rise.
Chocolate chips – Optional, but add indulgent bursts of chocolate.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions
- Flour – Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend to keep this bread gluten free. Do not substitute with single flours like almond, oat, or coconut, as the texture will not turn out.
- Olive oil – Can be swapped for melted coconut oil, avocado oil, or melted butter.
- Cottage cheese – Sub with Greek yogurt or a plant-based yogurt for a dairy-free version.
- Maple syrup – Honey or agave can be used instead, though flavor will vary slightly.
- Coconut sugar – Brown sugar or regular cane sugar both work well.
- Chocolate chips – Feel free to omit or swap with chopped nuts, dried cranberries, or raisins.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Mix wet ingredients.
Stir in dry ingredients.
Fold in chocolate chips.
Pour into loaf pan and bake.
Let bread cool and dig in.
Recipe pro-tips
Line your loaf pan with parchment paper for easy removal.
Don’t overmix the batter—this keeps the bread light and fluffy.
Let the bread cool fully before slicing to prevent crumbling.
For a lighter version, omit the chocolate chips or swap them for chopped walnuts or pecans.
Not all canned pumpkin is created equal - I love this brand.
Storage instructions for pumpkin bread with olive oil
You can store the extra bread in a sealed container or bag in your fridge for up to 4 days. Alternatively you can freeze the bread for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQS
A lot of pumpkin bread is packed with a ton of sugar. This version uses about ½ of the sugar that a typical recipe would and it has added protein from the cottage cheese. It's still a dessert but is definitely a healthier option.
Yes, use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. Do not substitute with alternative flours such as oat, almond, or similar.
No, feel free to omit them!
Other breads and loafs to try
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Cottage Cheese Pumpkin Bread (High Protein)
Equipment
- 1 loaf pan
Ingredients
wet
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup +2 tablespoons olive oil I like kosterina - use code avocadoskillet for 20% off!
- ½ cup cottage cheese
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup coconut sugar can sub brown sugar
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie mix
dry
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon pumpkin spice
- pinch salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¾-1 cup chocolate chips you can omit if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Add all wet ingredients to a bowl and mix together until smooth. Add in dry ingredients* except for the chocolate chips and mix until smooth. Lastly fold in the chocolate chips.
- Add batter to a loaf pan lined with parchment paper or one that is heavily greased. I like to line mine as it is easier to get out.
- Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour - until a toothpick comes out clean. Everyone's oven is so different but I baked mine for about 55 minutes.
- Let pumpkin bread completely cool to set and then slice and enjoy. You CAN cut it while its still hot but it will be hard to cut and crumbly.
Annie Fransen says
UM JUST WOW. I had a can of pumpkin puree and lots of cottage cheese and didn't know what to do with them. I remembered seeing this recipe on Lemon8 but thought it didn't look AMAZING so I didn't make it. but then I did yesterday and I think I've eaten half the loaf it is so freaking delish. I used the exact recipe! soooo good!!
Kristi says
Thank you Annie!
Jenn says
This is so insanely delicious and I love that it’s healthy!