Turn Yogurt Into Frozen 'Cookies' For A Protein-Packed Treat

If you are trying to add more nutrient-dense ingredients into your diet, yogurt is a great option. Yogurt is full of healthy fats, proteins in the form of casein and whey, and vitamins and minerals such as B12, calcium, phosphorus, and riboflavin. When you eat yogurt, you are also getting a healthy serving of helpful bacteria called probiotics, which have been shown to improve gut and digestive function, lower cholesterol, build a strong immune system, and help your body to more efficiently absorb crucial vitamins (via Healthline). You may be wondering: Does freezing yogurt kill the active cultures? Fortunately, the answer is no!

You don't just have to eat spoonfuls of plain, unsweetened yogurt to reap these health benefits, though — you can actually turn frozen yogurt into a sort of cookie for a protein-packed sweet treat. While no baking is involved, and they aren't exactly a cookie, frozen yogurt can easily be made into an endlessly customizable snack that may be just as satisfying as something from the bakery case.

So the cookies don't stick, you need a sheet tray or even just a plate lined with parchment paper, wax paper, or a silicone mat. For these cookies to freeze with some structural integrity, you need a Greek-style yogurt. Dairy-free yogurt works too, as long as it is pretty thick. Otherwise, the frozen yogurt cookie will not hold its shape.

If you love the tang of original tart frozen yogurt, use plain, and just dress it up with toppings. Otherwise, use any flavored yogurt you like. A six-ounce, single-serve yogurt cup makes a good-sized round, but you can also eyeball it from a large container. Spread the yogurt into a circular shape that is ¼ – ½ inch thick. You can make it a little thinner if you prefer, but remember that the thinner it is, the more quickly it will melt when you pull it out of the freezer. 

Cover with whatever toppings strike your fancy — chocolate chips, nuts, sauces, granola, nut butter, or even crumbled-up cookies. This is also another easy way to dress up delicious summer fruit. Up the protein with additions like chia seeds, hemp hearts, flax meal, or stir in a scoop of protein powder into the yogurt before shaping it. Freeze your cookie for about two hours or so, and enjoy! Or, for a decadent twist, dunk them in melted chocolate and pop them in the freezer for another few minutes to set. 

Go tropical with pineapple yogurt, shredded coconut, white chocolate chips, and some macadamia nuts, walnuts, or cashews for a crunch. For a sweet-tart delight, use plain frozen yogurt, assorted berries, and a generous drizzle of sweetened condensed milk. Stir honey into plain yogurt first, then top with pistachios and vanilla wafers. Swirl a spoonful of jam or a scoop of dulce de leche into a plain Greek yogurt cookie. Go pretty in pink with strawberry yogurt topped with more strawberries, raspberries, and a few pink sprinkles. Crumble some Oreo cookies on top of vanilla yogurt for a cookies-and-cream vibe, or go with graham crackers, mini marshmallows, and dark chocolate chips.

You also don't have to stick with a round cookie shape! Spread yogurt across the whole sheet pan and break it into shards once set to make frozen yogurt bark. You can also go bite-sized. Put the yogurt into a piping bag or plastic bag with the corner snipped off, and pipe tiny rounds of different yogurt flavors. Press a single M&M into the top of each one for adorable frozen yogurt cookie bites. Frozen yogurt cookies are a fun and delicious way to both treat yourself, and snack on some extra protein.