90 second Low Carb Keto Cottage Cheese Pancake Muffin
This easy keto cottage cheese pancake muffin recipe has 19 grams of protein and 5 total grams of carbs. It’s a mug pancake and perfect for busy mornings for anyone on a keto diet or low carb lifestyle. Oven, microwave and air fryer options!
Keto Mug Pancake
This new 90 second cottage cheese keto muffin is an adaption from my 3 ingredient keto cottage cheese waffle recipe that uses cottage cheese, eggs and whey protein powder.
My quick viral video on Tik Tok made it a game changer for getting a high protein meal quickly. The printable recipe card is at the bottom of this page with all nutritional information.
I then tried the batter as cottage cheese pancakes and they were also perfect and satisfying for those of us following a keto lifestyle.
I have to be honest with you, I really hate flipping pancakes at the stove. So with that in mind, the next time I decided to try the keto pancakes batter in a ramekin and in the microwave. I also tested it in the air fryer and baked in the oven.
This is a cross between a keto pancake recipe and low-carb muffins so delicious easy, keto pancake muffins that can be made ahead.
Low Carb Sweetener Options
In any of my keto recipes or low carb recipes, you can always choose to use whatever sweetener you prefer. I like to use liquid stevia and liquid monk fruit most often, but I also like this granular sweetener and confectioners sweetener that combines Monk Fruit & Allulose together.
Most sugar free low carb sweeteners you can buy at your local grocery store may not have the best quality ingredients and some even actually contain sugar.
Always read the ingredients listed on the package, even the ones that say stevia or monk fruit. Many granular low carb sweeteners that say they are cup for cup like sugar for baking recipes bulk up the product using another sweetener like erythritol.
Many people are now staying away from erythritol because of the recent studies showing it can cause problems with blood clots in certain people with health problems. It is certainly up to you to do the research and use what you feel comfortable with.
6 Simple Ingredients Needed
Cottage Cheese– I use 4% fat, lactose free from the brand Green Valley organic.
Eggs– room temperature is best so they incorporate better. I haven’t tested this recipe using liquid egg whites, but it probably would work fine. I promise this does not have an eggy taste.
Vanilla Whey protein powder– You could also use unflavored whey protein powder and add a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Vanilla stevia– or your favorite low carb sweetener. Here’s my Sweetener Guide & Conversion chart to decide how much to use of another low carb sweetener.
Baking powder– for a fluffy texture don’t skip this ingredient.
Avocado oil cooking spray, coconut oil or olive oil cooking spray or grease ramekins with a little butter.
Optional blueberries, raspberries or sugar free chocolate chips if desired. Allulose maple syrup is also delicious with a smear of butter on these.
Cooking Options
The best thing about this recipe is that you have a few great options for cooking it.
Microwave
Cooking time will vary in a microwave, so just start with 1 minute then check the bottom of the muffin, if it’s wet, microwave for another 30 seconds – 1 minute.
Oven
I think these sweet muffins have the best texture when they have been baked in the oven as opposed to the microwave or air fryer. They get nice and golden brown on top which is not something you will get when microwaving.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease two-8 ounce ramekins. Divide batter between both. Place onto a small baking sheet pan. Bake for 25-28 minutes until center is cooked and toothpick comes out clean.
Air Fryer
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two-8 ounce ramekins. Divide batter between both. Air Fry for 10-12 minutes until center is cooked and comes out clean with toothpick.
Can I replace cottage cheese?
Yes if you don’t want to use cottage cheese you can replace with ricotta cheese which has about the same amount of protein but it does add carbs and fat to the nutrition info I have below.
I do not recommend replacing cottage cheese with almond milk or even heavy cream, as it won’t have the same texture and you would need more keto flour.
I haven’t tried swapping with cream cheese though that make work but I’ve not tested to be sure if it would still have the great texture I got.
If you happen to be on tik tok and have seen the 2-ingredient cottage cheese bread, you will see it uses just liquid egg whites and cottage cheese though some other cottage cheese bread recipes actually use bread flour or all purpose flour and are NOT keto friendly or gluten free.
Always check the ingredients on tiktok- make the ones that don’t include regular all purpose flour and sugar, because there are a ton of content creators who care nothing about using quality ingredients for keto.
Keto Cottage Cheese Bread Recipes
When bread cravings happen, make any one of these low carb bread recipe.
90 second Cottage Cheese Keto Bread
90 Second Cottage Cheese Keto English Muffin
Keto Cottage Cheese Cloud Bread
Keto Cottage Cheese Cinnamon Swirl Loaf
Keto Air Fryer Cottage Cheese Cheddar Biscuits
Keto Cottage Cheese Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
Keto Cottage Cheese Brioche Rolls stuffed with cream cheese
Easy 90 second Keto Cottage Cheese Pancake Muffin
Easy 90 second Keto Cottage Cheese Pancake Muffin
Ingredients
Basic Waffle
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese or see swaps above
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup vanilla whey protein powder or see notes above
- 1 tsp Vanilla liquid stevia or see notes above
- 1 tbsp coconut flour or 2 tbsp almond flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
Optional
- 2 tbsp blueberries optional or even sugar free chocolate chips if you prefer
- Allulose Maple Syrup topping
Instructions
Microwave instructions
- Place the cottage cheese, eggs, whey, sweetener, coconut flour and blueberries if using, in a microwavable bowl and stir together . You can also add all ingredients, except blueberries, into a blender and blend on high until combined then add optional blueberries if using. Divide into 2 greased 8 ounce ramekins.
- Microwave 1 minute then check center with toothpick. Cook another 30 seconds to 1 minute until center is no longer wet.
Oven instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease two-8 ounce ramekins. Divide batter between both. Place onto a small baking sheet pan. Bake for 25-28 minutes until center is cooked and toothpick comes out clean.
Air Fryer Instructions
- Preheat to 350 degrees F. Grease two-8 ounce ramekins. Divide batter between both. Air Fry for 10-12 minutes until center is cooked and comes out clean with toothpick.
Notes
Nutrition
About Brenda
Brenda Bennett is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, certified Sugar Detox Coach, certified Keto Coach and certified Life Coach. She has been Sugar Free & Refined carb free for 17 years and has written 2 cookbooks, Sugar-Free Mom, and Naturally Keto and her 3rd book The 30-Day Sugar Elimination Diet, is a four part program to help you detox from sugar, eliminate cravings, balance blood sugar and lose weight all while eating a delicious, nutrient dense whole foods. Meal plan offers two tracks to follow, low carb or keto. She is the founder of the Sugar Free Fresh Start course and Sugar Free Tribe weight loss membership. Learn more.
If I wanted to use this recipe to make a cake (so it would serve 8-10), could I just multiply the ingredients by 4 times and bake it in a regular cake pan?
I don’t think this would be a good option for the texture of cake in my opinion. I’ve got a ton of mug cake recipes that would work better for you or regular vanilla cake like this https://www.sugarfreemom.com/recipes/sugar-free-keto-vanilla-birthday-cake-gluten-free-dairy-free-nut-free/
or these https://www.sugarfreemom.com/recipes/easy-sugar-free-vanilla-upside-down-cake-keto-gluten-free/
question, since there are 2 gm fiber, only 3 gm’s net carbs?
Yes I wrote that info under the notes in the recipe card.
Hi Brenda— a question about this recipe please. I made them today (I’m trying new ways to increase my protein) and had an absolute mess in the microwave. I did manage to clean it up (lol) and while it tasted good I’d like to have it more set. I used almond flour. Do you cook them one at a time or both together in the microwave? Or any other suggestions on what I did wrong? Many thanks, Daphne
What size ramekin did you use? Sounds like it wasn’t big enough and overflowed? And yes, one at a time to microwave.
I just made these cottage cheese pancakes muffins and they’re awesome. I’ll be making these on my regular weekly menu.
Thanks so much Karen!
Made it today with cherries instead of blueberries and 1/2 t vanilla liquid stevia. I made the oven version, and they were quite pretty! All I had was almond flour but would like to try with coconut too. Pretty tasty if you are craving pancakes! Definitely a light texture (almost souffle-y).
Thanks so much!