Cottage Cheese Pizza Buns (12g Protein Each)

These Cottage Cheese Pizza Buns are high protein, gluten free, and taste like cheesy pizza bread, with 12g of protein per bun and no yeast or kneading.

Cottage cheese is having its whole moment and I am so here for it, but the viral ice cream and the pasta sauce have nothing on these.

Cottage cheese pizza buns are soft, high-protein buns made from cottage cheese, eggs, and gluten-free flour, topped with marinara, mozzarella, and pepperoni, then baked until golden and bubbly.

They taste like a cross between a slice of pizza and a warm cheesy biscuit, they hit 12g of protein per bun, and there’s no yeast, no kneading, no fancy dough skills. I make these on the days I want pizza but also want to actually hit my protein, and my comment section is full of moms whose toddlers inhale them too.

If you love this kind of thing, my 23 High Protein Cottage Cheese Recipes roundup has a spot for these.

Why You’ll Love These

• 12g of protein per bun, from the cottage cheese, eggs, and mozzarella doing the work.
• One bowl, no yeast, no rolling. Mix, scoop, top, bake.
• Kid-approved and freezer-friendly, which makes them my go-to for meal prep and after-school snacks.
• Fully customizable, so you can load them with whatever pizza toppings you have.

Ingredients

Here’s what goes in. Exact amounts, nutrition, and the full method are in the recipe card at the bottom.

• Cottage cheese — the protein base, and it melts into the dough so you don’t taste it. Use a thick, good-quality cottage cheese. Runny cottage cheese is the number one reason these spread, so if yours looks watery, strain it first.
• Eggs — bind everything and help the buns rise.
• Gluten-free all-purpose flour — keeps them gluten free. Regular all-purpose works too, or almond flour for a lower-carb version, though the texture is a little softer.
• Baking powder — the lift. Don’t skip it, it’s what makes them puff instead of flatten.
• Italian seasoning — that herby, classic pizza flavor.
• Shredded mozzarella — for the melty top and inside. Any melting cheese blend works.
• Marinara — or pizza sauce, or pesto for a twist.
• Pepperoni — turkey pepperoni or cooked sausage both work, or leave it off to keep them vegetarian.

How To Make Cottage Cheese Pizza Buns

1. Preheat. Heat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.
2. Strain if needed. If your cottage cheese looks watery, strain it through a fine mesh sieve or press it in a paper towel first. This is the step that keeps your buns from spreading flat.
3. Mix. In a large bowl, combine the cottage cheese, eggs, Italian seasoning, gluten-free flour, baking powder, and half of the shredded mozzarella.
4. Shape. Portion the mixture into 6 buns on the baking sheet. Press each one down slightly and shape the edges up so they hold their round shape.
5. Top. Spoon marinara over each bun, then add the rest of the mozzarella and your pepperoni.
6. Bake. Bake 25 to 28 minutes, until golden and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Let them cool a few minutes before serving.

Tips For The Best Pizza Buns

Thick cottage cheese is the whole game here. The thicker your cottage cheese, the better your buns hold, so start there and strain it if you need to.

• Don’t overmix the dough. Stir just until it comes together. Overmixing makes them dense.
• Give them room on the pan so the hot air can crisp the edges instead of steaming them together.
• A drizzle of hot honey at the end takes these somewhere really good, part sweet, part savory, all pizza.

Why Did My Pizza Buns Spread?

The thing that goes wrong most often is buns that spread into one flat sheet instead of staying as buns, and it almost always comes down to runny cottage cheese adding too much liquid to the dough. Three fixes handle it.

Use a thick, full-fat cottage cheese to start. Strain it through a fine mesh sieve if it looks loose before you mix. And add an extra tablespoon of flour if the dough feels too wet to scoop and shape. Shaping the edges up slightly before they go in the oven helps them hold too.

How To Store

Store cooled buns in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat and get the outside crisp again, warm them in the oven, toaster oven, or air fryer at 350°F for 5 to 8 minutes. The microwave works in a pinch, but the base won’t crisp back up.

To freeze, wrap the buns individually and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat straight from frozen in the oven or air fryer.

Cottage Cheese Pizza Buns FAQ

Do cottage cheese pizza buns taste like cottage cheese? No. Once they bake, the cottage cheese melts into the dough and just tastes like soft, savory pizza bread. Nobody at my table can pick out the cottage cheese.

Are these gluten free? Yes, this recipe uses a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. If you don’t need them gluten free, regular all-purpose flour works in the same amount.

Can I make cottage cheese pizza buns in the air fryer? Yes. Air fry at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes, checking early since air fryers run hot and vary.

Can I freeze them? Yes. Wrap them individually and freeze for up to 2 months, then reheat in the oven or air fryer so the edges crisp back up.

How much protein is in each bun? Each bun has 12g of protein, coming from the cottage cheese, eggs, and mozzarella.

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5 from 4 votes

Cottage Cheese Pizza Buns

These cottage cheese pizza buns are high protein, gluten free, and ready in 30 minutes with 12g protein per bun. Soft, cheesy, and freezer-friendly.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6 pizza buns

Calories: 165kcal

Author: Bailey Campbell

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going to sleep

Ingredients 

1x2x3x4x

• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp italian seasoning
• ½ cup gluten-free all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese divided
• ½ cup marinara sauce
• 12 turkey pepperoni slices chopped into pieces

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the cottage cheese, eggs, Italian seasoning, gluten-free flour, baking powder, and half of the shredded mozzarella. Mix until fully combined.
• Using a cookie scoop or large spoon, portion the mixture into 6 equal buns on the prepared baking sheet. Press each down slightly to form a flat surface.
• Top each bun with a spoonful of marinara sauce, a sprinkle of the remaining mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni slices (or your preferred toppings).
• Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until the buns are golden and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
• Let cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1bun | Calories: 165kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 506mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g

The nutrition information provided is calculated based on industry-standard software and should be used as a general guide only. The information may vary depending on ingredient substitutions, cooking techniques, and individual serving sizes. It is the responsibility of the reader to ensure the accuracy and appropriateness of the nutritional information provided. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalized medical or nutritional advice.

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More High Protein Cottage Cheese Recipes

• Edible Cottage Cheese Cookie Dough
• Cottage Cheese Queso Dip
• Cottage Cheese Pizza Bowl
• High Protein Healthy Strawberry Cheesecake Bites
• Cottage Cheese Alfredo Sauce
• 3 Ingredient Creamy Ranch Dip

If you make these cottage cheese pizza buns, leave a star rating and a comment below, real ratings are what help this recipe show up for other people hunting for a high-protein pizza fix. And if you build a good batch, share it on Instagram or Pinterest and tag @basicswithbails so I can see your toppings.