This cinnamon cottage cheese toast is basically cinnamon toast's glow up! If your kid loves the classic cinnamon sugar toast but you're always looking for ways to sneak in a little more protein or if you grew up on the 90's cinnamon sugar toast, this one's for you.
It's my sweet twist on the cottage cheese toast trend. Instead of the savory cheesy version, we're blending cottage cheese with egg, cinnamon, maple syrup, and vanilla to get a creamy, custardy topping that bakes up golden in the air fryer. It tastes like French toast met cinnamon sugar toast, and it's ready in under 10 minutes?!
It's the kind of recipe that feels like a treat but is actually doing a lot of nutritional heavy lifting. Perfect for breakfast, an after-school snack, or even a fun weekend brunch for the whole family.
Why You'll Love This Cinnamon Cottage Cheese Toast
- Ready in under 10 minutes in the air fryer or oven
- Tastes like a treat but packed with protein
- Made with just a handful of pantry staples
- Toddler and kid-friendly
- Great for breakfast, snack, or a fun brunch
- Easy to customize with different toppings
I bet you'd also love my cottage cheese pizza toast too! Makes the easiest kid-friendly lunch or dinner that pairs so well with my zucchini fries.
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Ingredients You'll Need
Here's all you'll need to make this cinnamon cottage cheese toast:
- Bread - any bread works! whole wheat, sourdough, or your favorite gluten-free bread are all great options
- Cottage cheese - adds protein and creates a creamy filling! blend it first if your little one prefers a smoother texture
- Egg - helps bind everything together so the topping stays creamy instead of watery
- Vanilla extract - rounds out the flavor and makes it taste bakery style
- Cinnamon - the star of the show, gives it that classic cinnamon toast flavor
- Sugar (coconut sugar, brown sugar, or any granulated sugar) optional for sweetness - helps with that classic cinnamon sugar toast crunch vibe
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Your Cottage Cheese Toast
- Step 1: Preheat your air fryer or oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, stir together the cottage cheese, egg, vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, and cinnamon until well combined.
- Step 2: Lightly press the center of each slice of bread with the back of a spoon to create a shallow well.
- Step 3: Spread the cottage cheese mixture evenly over each slice, then sprinkle with extra cinnamon + sugar.
- Step 4: Air fry for 6-8 minutes, or until the topping is set and lightly golden. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.
Hint for the Best Cottage Cheese Toast
For the creamiest texture, use full-fat cottage cheese and blend it smooth before mixing. This keeps the topping from looking grainy and gives you that custardy French toast feel.
Substitutions
This cinnamon cottage cheese toast is super easy to customize!
- Use blended cottage cheese for a smoother texture or sub Greek yogurt
- Swap maple syrup for honey or a mashed banana for a naturally sweetened version
- Use your favorite gluten-free bread if needed
- Egg free? - just omit the egg! It'll be a bit more like custard texture and soft, but it still is so yum!
Variations
This cinnamon cottage cheese toast is super easy to change up the flavor!
- Apple Cinnamon - top with warm sautéed cinnamon apples after baking
- Banana Bread Style - stir mashed banana into the cottage cheese mixture
- French Toast Style - add a pinch of nutmeg and swap vanilla for maple extract
- Chocolate Chip - sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top before air frying
- Savory Pizza Toast - use mozzarella cheese and Italian seasoning, top with mini pepperoni after baking and serve with marinara for dipping
Equipment
All you need for this recipe is an air fryer, a small mixing bowl, a fork or whisk to combine the filling, measuring cups and spoons, and a spoon or small spatula to spread the cottage cheese mixture evenly over the bread. A butter knife also works well for lightly pressing the center of the bread before adding the filling.
Storing Your Air Fryer Cottage Cheese Toast
Store any leftover cottage cheese toast in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When you're ready to enjoy it again, reheat it in the air fryer at 350°F for 2-3 minutes until warmed through and crispy. While you can microwave it, the bread will be much softer, so I recommend using the air fryer whenever possible for the best texture.
Tiff's Dietitian Tip
Pairing a carbohydrate with a protein source is one of my favorite ways to make a sweet breakfast more filling. Blending cottage cheese into the topping adds protein and calcium without making this feel like anything other than a treat. You can even use your favorite whole grain or wheat bread for added fiber and staying power! Serve it alongside some fruit (like these cinnamon apples) for an easy, balanced breakfast.
FAQ
Yes! Bake at 400°F for 8-12 minutes, or until the topping is set and the cheese is melted and lightly golden.
It's definitely best fresh, but leftovers reheat well in the air fryer for a quick meal the next day.
Any sturdy sandwich bread works well, including whole wheat, sourdough, white, or your favorite gluten-free bread. Just choose a slice that's thick enough to hold the topping.
Totally!! Just omit any of the optional sugar and use the cinnamon as the primary sweetener.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this cinnamon cottage cheese toast:
Cinnamon Cottage Cheese Toast
Equipment
- air fryer or oven
- whisk or fork
Ingredients
- 2 slices bread
- ½ cup cottage cheese
- 1 large egg omit for egg-free
- ½-1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1-2 teaspoon coconut or brown sugar optional! can sub maple syrup or honey
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (just a light splash)
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. In a small bowl, whisk together the cottage cheese, egg, cinnamon, and vanilla until well combined.
- Lightly press the center of each slice of bread with the back of a spoon to create a shallow well.
- Divide the cottage cheese mixture evenly between the slices, spreading it almost to the edges. Then sprinkle extra cinnamon and the optional brown sugar (or drizzle maple syrup or honey) on top.
- Air fry for 6-8 minutes, or until the topping is set and lightly golden. Let cool for 2-3 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar if desired.
Notes
- Blend the cottage cheese first if you prefer a smoother texture.
- Air fryer cooking times may vary, so begin checking around 5-6 minutes.
- Whole grain bread gives this extra fiber, but any sturdy sandwich bread will work.
- Make this no added sugar by omitting the optional sweetener.
- Make this dairy-free by subbing cottage cheese with favorite dairy-free yogurt, and make it egg-free by just omitting the egg (it'll be slightly softer but still works).
- The salt/sodium is coming from the bread and cottage cheese mainly, choose low-sodium options if wanting less salt.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and reheat in the air fryer.
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