I Perfected the Cottage Cheese Chips Recipe—Here’s How to Make Them

Cottage cheese has been having a moment for years now, and the craze shows no signs of slowing down. We’ve seen it blended into creamy dips, stirred into eggs and baked into everything from wraps, sandwiches, desserts to breakfast staples like oats. Now, social media’s favorite high-protein dairy staple is getting the chip transformation.

Creators are turning spoonfuls of cottage cheese into thin, crispy rounds with just a few seasonings and a hot oven. The result is a salty, savory snack that’s easy to make at home and satisfying enough to curb a chip craving.

The idea gained popularity via TikTok creator @the.brittney, whose video helped inspire the cottage cheese chip trend. Naturally, we had to try it for ourselves to see whether the recipe was actually as easy as it looked—and whether the finished chips lived up to the hype.

Before baking: spoonfuls of cottage cheese with seasoning

After baking: crisp cottage cheese chips

Avoid moisture and oil: I originally planned to test three flavors: pesto, chili crisp, and cacio e pepe. But the pesto contained too much moisture and the chili crisp added too much oil, causing both versions to burn before they became crisp.

Focus on dry seasonings: I used za’atar and a cacio e pepe-inspired combination of Parmesan and cracked black pepper, which delivered much better results.

The baking method matters, too: Some versions of the recipe suggest skipping parchment paper for extra crispiness and baking the chips for 20 to 25 minutes. In my testing, that approach produced chips that were deeply burned and inedible.

For the most reliable results: I recommend lining the baking sheets with parchment and lightly spraying the paper with nonstick cooking spray. Bake the chips at 350°F, rotating the pans halfway through. They’ll still look pale for much of the cooking time, but they can go from lightly browned to burned very quickly during the final few minutes, so keep a close eye on them.

Let the chips cool briefly before eating; they’ll firm up as they stand, but they won’t become as crisp as a traditional chip. They have more of a chewy-crisp texture and are best enjoyed soon after baking, so make only as many as you plan to eat that day.

Active: 10 min.
Total: 30 min.
Makes: 24 chips, or 4 servings

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 heaping cup cottage cheese, drained if liquidy
• 1/2 tsp za’atar
• 1 tsp grated Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 1/8 tsp cracked black pepper

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Drop heaping teaspoons of cottage cheese onto prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart; you should have about 12 per sheet. Flatten with the back of a spoon into thin rounds roughly the size of a quarter. Sprinkle the rounds on one sheet with za’atar and the remaining rounds with Parmesan and black pepper.
3. Bake, rotating baking sheets and switching their positions halfway through, until browned on edges and dry-looking, 18 to 20 minutes. Keep a close eye on the chips during the final few minutes, as they can burn quickly. Let cool slightly before serving.

They do—provided you keep a close eye on them. The chips are easy to assemble, endlessly customizable and especially satisfying if you like salty, crispy snacks.

They don’t taste exactly like traditional potato chips, but they offer a delicate crunch and savory flavor that makes them surprisingly snackable. The thyme and sesame seeds in za’atar add a nutty, herb flavor while the sumac gives the chips a subtle citrusy zing. The Parmesan and black pepper version has the salty bite of a cheese crisp.

“As a dietitian, I like that cottage cheese chips are such an easy, customizable snack,” says Stefani Sassos, M.S., R.D.N., C.D.N., Good Housekeeping’s Nutrition and Fitness Director. “They offer protein and calcium, and they’re a lower-carb alternative to traditional chips.” Sassos says she was also surprised by the texture: “I’m not usually a fan of the taste or texture of plain cottage cheese, but I absolutely loved it baked into a crispy chip with seasonings.”

She notes that the cottage cheese and seasonings can contribute quite a bit of sodium, and the chips don’t provide much fiber. For a more balanced snack, Sassos recommends pairing them with a fiber-rich dip or topping, such as guacamole or hummus.