Craving something thick, cold, and chocolatey doesn’t have to mean a drive-thru run. This copycat uses cottage cheese as the base — the same trick behind a lot of the high-protein “fast food dessert” recipes going around right now — and blends up just as thick and creamy as the real thing, with a lot more protein and a lot less sugar.
When you want a brighter, berry-forward variation, this high-protein strawberry McFlurry copycat is another quick choice.
This recipe is part of our High-Protein Desserts collection, where you can find the full fast-food copycat dessert cluster in one place.
You don’t need a Ninja Creami or any special equipment for this version. A regular blender does the job. For more ideas like this, see our other high-protein snacks.
Why cottage cheese works here
Cottage cheese sounds like an odd base for a milkshake, but blended long enough, it turns completely smooth — no curds, no graininess. A cup of low-fat cottage cheese has about 28 grams of protein on its own, which is most of the reason this tastes so rich without needing much added sugar to feel indulgent.
What you need
Just a blender or food processor. That’s it — no ice cream maker, no Ninja Creami required (though notes below cover that option if you have one). If you want a shelf-stable snack option too, our high-protein trail mix and snack ideas are useful for days when you do not want to blend anything.
Blending and texture tips
The recipe card below keeps the measured ingredients and method in one place. The main technique is simple: blend the cottage cheese base longer than you think you need to, then add ice only after the mixture is completely smooth.
Have a Ninja Creami like this? Skip the ice, freeze the blended base overnight, then spin it for a thicker, scoopable version.
How much protein is actually in this
Using the ingredients above: about 14g protein per serving from the cottage cheese, roughly 12g from the protein powder, and a couple more grams from the milk and cocoa powder — landing around 28 grams of protein per serving. Exact numbers will shift a little depending on your specific protein powder and milk, but this is a realistic, checkable estimate, not a rounded-up guess.
Recipe card
High-Protein Wendy’s Frosty Copycat
Ingredients
Method
- Add the cottage cheese, protein powder, milk, cocoa powder, sweetener, and salt to a blender.
- Blend on high for 1-2 minutes, until completely smooth. Scrape down the sides if needed — you want zero visible curds before moving on.
- Add the ice cubes and blend again until thick and frosty, similar to soft-serve. If it’s too thick for your blender to move, add a small splash more milk.
- Pour into a glass and eat right away with a spoon or a thick straw, the way you’d eat an actual Frosty.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this without protein powder?
Yes. Skip it and you’ll land closer to 14-16 grams of protein per serving instead of 28 — still solid for a dessert. Add an extra 1/4 cup cottage cheese if you want to close some of that gap.
Will I actually taste the cottage cheese?
Not if you blend it long enough. A full 1-2 minutes on high turns it completely smooth — it comes out tasting like a thick chocolate milkshake, not like cottage cheese.
Can I use Greek yogurt instead of cottage cheese?
You can, though the texture will be a little less thick and rich — cottage cheese has more body once it’s frozen and blended.
Do I need a Ninja Creami for this?
No. The blender version is genuinely just as good for a quick fix — the Ninja Creami version in the notes above is just a bonus if you already own one.
Photo by Leah Rolando on Pexels.
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