PB+J Frozen Cottage Cheese Bark Recipe

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We could all use a healthy snack now and again, and even better yet when that snack happens to taste delicious. And if that snack is also freezer-friendly, packed with protein, with a satisfyingly crunchy texture, then you may have just hit the snacking jackpot. This frozen PB+J frozen cottage cheese bark recipe, from developer Katie Rosenhouse, checks all of the snacking boxes. Cottage cheese bark might sound unusual if you've never tried making it before, but this viral treat is deceptively delicious, and made with just six simple ingredients. 

While it's hard to pinpoint its exact origin, cottage cheese bark most likely evolved from the cottage cheese ice cream social media trend of recent years. These two treats have the same base: a blended cottage cheese mixture with fruits or other flavorings (meaning that your bark isn't going be full of curds). But instead of freezing and scooping the blended cottage cheese as you would with ice cream, bark is spread evenly, frozen, and broken into shards for a hand-held treat that's fuss-free to prepare. "The beauty of making a simple snack like frozen bark is that with a quick blend you can prepare a large quantity in minutes," Rosenhouse says. "Not only is this dessert-worthy snack quick to whip up, it's also versatile enough to work with any toppings or fruits you have on hand."

Unsurprisingly, you'll need a tub of your favorite cottage cheese brand to kick off this recipe. Rosenhouse opted for a 4% milkfat cottage cheese variety for this recipe, as its high fat content will leave you with a rich, creamy mouthfeel you just won't get from lower fat options. Other necessary ingredients include honey, fresh raspberries (that you'll freeze until firm before beginning the recipe), raspberry jam, peanut butter, and roasted peanuts.

Combine cottage cheese, honey, and raspberries in a blender or food processor, reserving 4 or 5 frozen raspberries in the freezer to sprinkle over the bark.

Blend or process until smooth, scraping down with a spatula as needed.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Spread the cottage cheese mixture evenly over the surface, about 1 centimeter thick.

Dollop or swirl raspberry jam on top.

Heat the peanut butter in the microwave until pourable.

Drizzle the peanut butter over the bark.

Sprinkle the bark with roasted peanuts.

Break up remaining frozen raspberries and sprinkle over the surface.

Freeze the bark for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Break up bark into large shards. Enjoy or store in an airtight container in the freezer.

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Frozen cottage cheese bark is equal parts delicious and incredibly easy to prepare, and it's highly customizable depending on your flavor preferences or what you have on hand. To start with, the raspberries can be easily swapped with other types of fruit, from strawberries or blueberries, cherries, peaches, and other juicy stone fruits. Choose a jam to match, or mix it up to incorporate two different fruit flavors into one bark, like peach-raspberry, cherry-apricot, and more. 

We don't recommend using lower fat cottage cheese, since the velvety mouthfeel of the bark will suffer, however, it is doable. If you prefer 1% or 2% milkfat cottage cheese, your bark will turn out, but it won't be quite as creamy and luscious. The peanut butter drizzle can be swapped for Nutella, melted chocolate, or even caramel sauce if desired. Depending on your desired final flavor profile, sprinkle the bark with granola, crumbled cookies, or candies in the place of the peanuts.

To keep your bark as tasty and fresh as the day it was made, storing it properly is key. Cottage cheese bark should be stored in an airtight container or freezer-safe zip-top bag in the freezer, layered between pieces of parchment paper to keep the shards from sticking together. This makes it easy to grab small portions without crumbling the rest of the bark. Avoid thawing and re-freezing, which can affect the texture of the bark and cause freezer burn to develop. 

Tightly sealed, the bark should remain at peak quality for up to 2 to 3 weeks. Past that point, you may start to notice freezer burn or a change in flavor, especially if you open and close the container often. Label and date your container to better keep track of when it was prepared. Following these storage tips will help ensure you can enjoy your frozen bark straight from the freezer whenever you're craving a sweet, protein-packed snack. 

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