📋 Instructions

1. 1Toast the flour — Spread 120 g (1 cup) flour on a lined tray and bake at 180 C (350 F) for 5 minutes. The flour is done when it smells nutty and registers 74 C (165 F) on an instant-read thermometer. [Heat treatment kills raw-flour bacteria.]
2. 2Cool the flour — Slide the flour onto a plate and cool for 15 minutes until it feels room temperature to the touch. [Warm flour melts the chocolate chips and thins the dough.]
3. 3Toast the oats — Spread 30 g (1/3 cup) oats on the same tray and bake at 180 C (350 F) for 6 minutes. They are ready when they smell toasted and turn light golden. [Toasting removes the raw, pasty flavor.]
4. 4Blend the cottage cheese — Process 250 g (1 cup) cottage cheese for 60 seconds until completely smooth. Stop when no curds are visible and the mixture pours like heavy cream. [Smooth curds give a cookie-dough texture instead of a grainy one.]
5. 5Mix the wet base — Whisk the blended cottage cheese with 60 g protein powder, 40 g honey, 30 g peanut butter, 5 g vanilla, and 2 g salt. The mixture is ready when it is uniform and glossy with no dry pockets.
6. 6Fold in the dry — Stir in the cooled flour and oats until just combined. Stop as soon as no dry flour remains; the dough should look thick and slightly tacky. [Over-mixing toughens the dough.]
7. 7Add the chocolate — Fold in 80 g (1/2 cup) mini chocolate chips by hand with a spatula. The dough is done when chips are evenly scattered and hold their shape.
8. 8Chill and portion — Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes, then scoop into 6 portions. The dough is ready when it holds a scoop and releases cleanly from the spoon.