This Salted Caramel Frozen Yogurt is the perfect combination of sweet and salty - a great option if you're looking for a heathy dessert recipe! You don't even need an ice cream maker - just a food processor or blender.
As a dietitian with a sweet tooth, I love making homemade frozen yogurt to have as a high protein dessert after dinner. This one skips the heavy cream and sugary corn syrup normally found in ice creams and frozen yogurts. Instead, I like to use a combo of Greek yogurt & cottage cheese and sweeten it with a little honey, dates (which have a natural caramel flavor), a little sea salt, and chocolate chips!
If you like this recipe, you may also enjoy my Chocolate Covered Frozen Greek Yogurt Bites or my Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream made with cottage cheese.
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Key Ingredients and Substitution Notes
This Salted Caramel Frozen Yogurt recipe is made with simple ingredients. Below are some notes but don't forget to check the recipe card at the bottom of this post for measurements.
- Greek Yogurt - you can use either vanilla flavored or plain Greek yogurt for this recipe. Whole milk Greek yogurt will make it the most creamy, but you can use non-fat yogurt if you don't mind some ice crystals.
- Cottage Cheese - cottage cheese is a good source of protein and also adds calcium and extra flavor to this recipe.
- Medjool Dates - dates contain natural sugar so they're a great way to add sweetness. In recipes like this, they are a huge hit because they have almost a salted caramel flavor and texture!
- Honey - just a bit of honey for more sweetness. You can use maple syrup or agave syrup or your favorite sweetener.
- Vanilla Extract - to add a creamy vanilla flavor.
- Sea Salt - a bit of sea salt enhances the flavor of the dates and honey.
- Chocolate Chips - this is optional, but I love to add mini dark chocolate chips to the top! Caramel sauce is a great option too.
How to Make Salted Caramel Frozen Yogurt
Below are the instructions for how to make this recipe. Check the recipe card for the full directions.
- Step 1: Remove the pits from your dates. Add the Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, honey, vanilla, dates, and sea salt to a high speed blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
- Step 2: Pour the mixture into freezer safe containers. Top with chocolate chips and optional caramel sauce. Freeze at least 4 hours or until frozen through.
Hint: remove from the freezer 10-15 minutes and let it sit at room temperature and thaw a bit before eating it.
Dietitian Tip
Using whole foods like dates that add natural flavor and sweetness to desserts is a great way to get in some extra fiber and iron while also satisfying your sweet cravings. And the combination of Greek yogurt and cottage cheese in this recipe is an easy way to get some protein which will help you stay full and satisfied instead of making you crash!
Variations
The best part about making this salted caramel yogurt at home is you can customize it to your taste. Below are some ideas but feel free to get creative!
- Yogurt Bark - you can easily turn this recipe into yogurt bark by spreading it in a thin layer on a baking sheet and freezing it. When it's frozen, cut it into squares.
- Chocolate Peanut Butter - add a tablespoon of peanut butter to the blender with the yogurt mixture for a PB flavor.
- Banana Caramel - add half a banana to the blender to give it a banana flavor and sweeten it a bit more too.😊
Equipment
All you need to make this dessert is either a food processor or a high-speed blender. I have a Ninja Blender and love it, but I usually use my handy and beloved KitchenAid food processor for this recipe.
Storage for Salted Caramel Frozen Yogurt
- Freezer - Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes to let it thaw a bit before eating.
Expert Tips
- Rough chop the dates a bit before adding them to the food processor or blender.
- Give it a taste before freezing and add more honey or sea salt as needed.
- For the creamiest consistency, use a whole milk Greek yogurt.
- If you like it a bit sweeter, use a vanilla Greek yogurt instead of plain.
FAQ
While healthy means something different to everyone, this salted caramel frozen yogurt is a nutrient-rich option. It contains protein, calcium, and probiotics for gut health from the yogurt and cottage cheese, dietary fiber and iron from the dates, and antioxidants from the honey. Relative to many other frozen treats, is has less added sugars and saturated fats.
Yes, this is a gluten-free dessert recipe.
I really like the Good Culture brand of cottage cheese.
Related
Looking for other dietitian recipes like this? Try these:
Perfect for Pairing
These are my favorite dinners to have before Salted Caramel Greek Yogurt:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Salted Caramel Frozen Yogurt (Greek Yogurt, Blender)
Equipment
- 1 food processor or blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup Greek yogurt plain or vanilla flavored*
- ½ cup cottage cheese
- 3 Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch sea salt to taste
- 2 tablespoon mini dark chocolate chips more to taste
Instructions
- Remove the pits from your dates. Add the Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, honey, vanilla, dates, and sea salt to a high speed blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into a freezer safe container. Top with chocolate chips and optional caramel sauce. Freeze at least 4 hours or until frozen through.
- Hint: remove from the freezer 10-15 minutes and let it sit at room temperature and thaw a bit before eating it.
Notes
- Rough chop the dates a bit before adding them to the food processor or blender.
- Give it a taste before freezing and add more honey or sea salt as needed.
- For the creamiest consistency, use a whole milk Greek yogurt.
- If you like it a bit sweeter, use a vanilla Greek yogurt instead of plain.
- Freezer - Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes to let it thaw a bit before eating.
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