Low Carb/Sugar Free Jello Fluff Salad Recipe
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Low Carb/Keto Jello Salad Recipe: Want an amazing and oh-so-easy Low Carb and Sugar-Free Dessert? Look no further, this low carb Jello Fluff dessert is exactly what you need to satisfy your sweet tooth! (Is it a salad or is a dessert? I’m not sure the answer, but what I do know is that it’s delicious!)
FYI: If you are not a low-carb eater – this may not be the recipe you want. Make this Jello Salad recipe instead: Black Cherry Jello Salad. (It’s the traditional Jello Salad Recipe made with cool whip you are probably looking for.) or this Cranberry Jello Salad. (Made with Jello, fresh cranberries, fruit, and nuts, but no cool whip.)
Jello Salad, a Holiday Tradition
A few years back, I shared a recipe for the traditional, family-favorite jello salad we serve at every holiday gathering. That jello salad is probably in my top 10 favorite dishes ever and definitely, makes the holiday meal.
Black Cherry Jello, Cool Whip and nuts… What’s not to love? I think everyone grew up with some variation of this side dish at every holiday meal.
Low Carb Options Needed for the Holiday Meal
I’ve finished the hard part of my diet, (goodbye 25 lbs, please never come back) and I really needed to come up with a few lower-carb dishes that would fit seamlessly into our holiday menus.
This low carb Black Cherry Jello Salad with Cottage Cheese is perfect to replace the old-sugar-laden jello salads.
So happy I finally have a few side dishes that are just as good as the old recipes!
Another good low-carb side dish recipe I’ve been making a lot is my low-carb broccoli salad. The broccoli salad is a good one to take to potlucks- it’s delicious, full of good for you broccoli and no one knows it is low-carb, lol.
And don’t forget the sugar-free cranberry relish – goes great with turkey!
Why You Need to Make this Low Carb Jello Salad with Cottage Cheese
- Delicious – I could have totally shared this recipe with you much sooner because I’ve made it at least 6 times now. The problem is, we just keep eating it before I can get pictures!
- Perfect Low Carb treat – If you are eating low carb, you are probably not eating a lot of sweets, and this decadently rich and creamy jello salad will hit the spot. It’s sweet and full of fat, so it’s a perfect low carb/keto dessert and all the pecans provide just the right amount of crunchiness.
- Simple to make – You don’t even have to wait for the Jello to set up.
Jello salad with cottage cheese
I knew it would be easy to remake the jello salad recipe into a low carb version since sugar-free Jello and heavy cream are very low on the carb scale.
I’ve seen jello salads made with cottage cheese so I wanted to try to combine a cottage cheese salad and my jello salad and see how it turned out.
I totally scored with this new recipe! In fact, I think I like this Jello Salad with Cottage cheese better than the old recipe. I will say, the texture is a bit different from the original since I’m using different (heavier) ingredients for the base.
The heavy whipping cream and cottage cheese make for a “denser” jello salad than you might be used to, but I can’t begin to tell you how much my hubby and I love this recipe.
Every little spoonful is like a bite of Heaven!
Ingredients in this Keto Jello Fluff
- Cottage Cheese | Highest fat / lowest carb count you can find.
- Sugar free Black Cherry Jello | The box w/ 4 servings. And yes, if you wanted to make this no sugar free, regular black cherry jello works as well. If you cant find black cherry, try regular cherry or raspberry.
- Shredded cheddar cheese | I prefer to shred the cheese myself, but preshredded works fine. You can also use colby jack cheese.
- Chopped pecans
- Heavy Whipping Cream | I have not tried cool whip in this recipe
- No sugar sweetener | (For the whipped cream.) I like to use Swerve, but just use your favorite cup for cup sweetener.
How to make Jello Salad with Cottage cheese
- Place whipping cream, mixing bowl and beaters in freezer for about 10 minutes before starting. (Helps the whipping cream whip faster and fluffier.)
- Mix the Jello powder and cottage cheese together until completely combined.
- Add pecans and shredded cheese to the jello mixture, combine.
- Whip the cream to the soft peak stage and add in your sweetener.
- Continue whipping cream until it forms stiff peaks.
- Gently fold whipped cream and jello mixture together until completely combined.
- Chill 2 to 4 hours before serving.
FAQ’s
Is Cottage Cheese Low Carb?
Cottage cheese does have a few carbs per serving. (so this recipe is not zero carb).
When choosing the cottage cheese for this recipe, be sure to compare labels and look for one with more fat. As an example, the Horizon brand has fewer carbs than other cottage cheese brands w/ 4% milkfat. In cottage cheese, higher fat = fewer carbs.
What is the Carb Count for this recipe?
Using the Horizon brand of cottage cheese, (Horizon brand has fewer carbs than other cottage cheese brands w/ 4% milkfat) and calculating it with 8 servings, the carb count is 2 net grams per serving.
Can I Use Other Flavors Of Jello In This Keto Version Of Jello Salad?
Yes, of course you can!
Now, I’m a bit picky and really just prefer to make it with the black cherry flavor, but the comments are full of people using lemon, mango, strawberry and just loving it. So, all I can say is just try it. If you wanted to do a tiny experiment, you might just try a smidge of your jello flavor in some unsweetened whipped cream. If you like that, you will probably like the flavor of this salad.
How to Store Leftovers
This keto jello salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Do I Have To Use The Shredded Cheese In This Jello Salad With Cottage Cheese?
Seems like a lot of cheese doesn’t it? Well technically, you could leave out the shredded cheese, but I recommend you don’t. (Or at least try it once with the shredded cheese.)
The shredded cheddar adds a flavor and texture component that sounds weird, but is really good!
This post has a ton of comments with people asking questions and offering substitutions and variations. If you have time to wade through all the comments, I recommend it.
Here is a comment about the use of shredded cheese. (From Deb – thanks Deb!)
“Just made this and I’m telling you to use the cheese! Seems like it doesn’t make and sense and you’re right, ! But boy oh boy it is delicious with it! Don’t cheat yourself!”
Pin this recipe for later
A Few More Low Carb Treats to Try:
- Low Carb Crustless Cheesecake (in the pressure cooker!)
- Sugar-Free Pumpkin Pie Granola Recipe
- Low Carb Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream Recipe
- Sugar Free Candied Pecans
- Low Carb Chocolate Mousse
Mmm, good- I could not wait to eat it!
Tried this Jello Fluff Recipe?
Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. If you share an image on Instagram or Facebook, be sure to tag me and use #scatteredmomrecipes!
Print
Low Carb/Sugar Free Jello Fluff Salad Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
Low Carb Jello Salad Recipe: Want an amazing and oh-so-easy Low Carb and Sugar-Free Dessert? Look no further, this low carb Jello Fluff dessert is exactly what you need to satisfy your sweet tooth! (Is it a salad or is a desert? I’m not sure the answer, but what I do know is that it’s delicious!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Cottage Cheese (highest fat./lowest carb count you can find)
- 1 packet of Sugar free Black Cherry Jello (the box w/ 4 servings)
- 1/2 cup of shredded colby jack or cheddar cheese (use more if you like)
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans (more if you like)
- 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 2 tbsp of your favorite cup for cup, no sugar sweetener. (I like Swerve)
Instructions
- Place whipping cream, mixing bowl and beaters in freezer for about 10 minutes before starting. (Helps the whipping cream whip faster and fluffier
- Mix the Jello powder and cottage cheese together until completely combined.
- Add pecans and shredded cheese to the jello mixture, combine.
- Whip the cream to the soft peak stage and add in your sweetener.
- Continue whipping cream until it forms stiff peaks.
- Gently fold whipped cream and jello mixture together until completely combined.
- Chill 2 to 4 hour before serving. (Though I never wait that long when making this for me, lol!)
Enjoy!
Notes
- Cottage cheese does have a few carbs per serving. Compare labels and look for one with more fat. As an example, the Horizon brand has fewer carbs than other cottage cheese brands w/ 4% milkfat.
- serves 6 to 8
- Carbs per serving: 2
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe
- Calories: 184
- Fat: 16
- Carbohydrates: 2
- Protein: 5
Keywords: low carb, sugar free, jello , dessert, fluff
Still hungry? More low sugar recipes you might enjoy:
DIY Blackberry Sauce and Ricotta Cheese
Don't miss any more posts!
I tried it! It came out good!
★★★★★
I just made this just like the direction’s and it’s delicious.
★★★★★
It is just delicious!! I make it often with different favored jello!!
★★★★★
I used sugar free cool whip and oh my it was delicious!!!!
★★★★★
Literally took 5 mins. Delish!!
★★★★★
Has anyone tried adding berries to this (Strawberries, blueberries and raspberries)? I’d like to make it for Thanksgiving as I’m used to having some type of fruit salad with dinner. It looks delicious.
I’m so disappointed and confused. I scrutinized the recipe. It doesn’t tell you to prepare the jello according to package directions, the add the cottage cheese & combine well. Soooo I assumed (you know what they say about that) that you were not supposed to add the water. I combined the jello powder with the cottage cheese. It looked NOTHING like the photo, so I then added in the water. Now it looks all soupy. Again, nothing like the photo. I’m hesitant to whip the cream & add it. I guess I’m going to start over, but I still don’t know exactly what to do with the jello. Could you please let me know. Thanks so much
That is because you don’t make according to the package. You add it to the cottage cheese and stir it in as best you can. yes it looks all spotty and wierd, but then you add in the heavy whipped cream that you have already whipped and it smooths out. There is even a video at the end that shows you how to make it.
Has anyone tried sf instant pudding (cheesecake flavor), cream cheese and heavy whipping cream? Add some fresh strawberries? A cheesecake dessert.
This is the best! I add some unsweetened shredded coconut to mine and yum yum! So good! Thanks for a great keto dessert!
★★★★★
Is there a way to make something like this without using boxed jello (use Great Lakes beef gelatin)?
I just made this and OH MY GOSH. I used the exact ingredients mentioned (including Colby jack cheese) and found this to be amazing. My only question is what is considered a serving? 1 cup? 1/2 cup? I used the exact measurements.
★★★★★
I never really measured, just divided it into 8 servings.
Oh my goodness! I missed this dessert so much since going low carb. At first I was very apprehensive about the cheese in it but I made the recipe as written & added about 3 chopped strawberries to it. This dessert was amazing! Thanks for sharing!!
★★★★★
Can this be used with cool whip?
I haven’t tried it, but I am assuming it can. I have a slightly different jello salad with cool whip here: https://www.scatteredthoughtsofacraftymom.com/favorite-holiday-recipes-black-cherry/ There is no cottage cheese in it.
I am on Keto and have mixed instant pudding pack with 3 cups of heavy cream and it’s to die for and lasts several days in the drug but does have carbs.
I have been considering mixing a box of jello with the 2 or 3 cups of heavy whipping cream and possibly 1/2 brick of cream cheese too. Have you done this? I can’t find anything on the internet.
Hi Cherie, a friend and I have experimented with the sugar free jello/cream cheese/heavy cream you asked about. She loves using the sugar free orange jello. I prefer a berry flavor. We used a full 8 oz. brick of softened cream cheese (beaten until smooth) and blended in the jello powder thoroughly before slowly beating in 2 cups of heavy cream. We each felt the need to add a little sweetener to reduce the tartness. She used a teaspoon; I used a tbsp. It was delicious. I scooped it into individual serving containers with lids, put them in the refrigerator and ate one each evening for dessert. They should keep as long as your cream cheese and heavy cream would have kept in the refrigerator after opening. Note: The jello didn’t totally dissolve and left tiny little “lumps” in the cream cheese, so I may need to experiment more with that step to get it smoother. Don’t get me wrong, it was still delicious and I ate every bit of it! I’ve also been thinking of experimenting with combining sugar free jello with sugar free pudding and heavy cream. Like raspberry jello with white chocolate pudding. There are a few carbs in each serving of any of these recipes, but these treats keep me from diving head-first into a carton of ice cream.
Jamie, I can’t wait to try your recipe. I’m not a fan of cottage cheese, so I’m hoping beating it well makes it smooth enough that I won’t be bothered by it. Otherwise, I may substitute cream cheese for the cottage cheese. The idea of the shredded cheddar doesn’t bother me at all, but some unsweetened shredded coconut sounds awesome as well. And pecans! I wish pecans were totally carb-free because everything is better with loads of pecans!
How long would this keep in the fridge? I cook for just me and would like a snack that I can grab for a few days. Would the whip cream be a problem?
It will last for several days. Although it seems like it becomes denser over time. My guess is that it might be because the longer it sits, the more time the gelatin has to work?
Can it be frozen?
I don’t believe so.
I have made this a few times now.
First time was with the dark cherry as suggested , it was nice but a bit sweet.. Perhaps because it has been ages since having something sweet.
The following time , I figured I would try something different , and prayed it would be just as nice. I used a little less stevia than before , but instead of the dark cherry I used orange mango. It was heaven!!!
I use fresh shredded colby instead of cheddar too. You really don’t notice the shredded cheese in it. In fact , if you had it served and never made it , you wouldn’t even know it’s 90% cheese content.
Thank you so much for this amazing recipe!!
Can’t wait to try more flavours , as I like to be adventurous with this one!
★★★★★
can this be made a day in advance or should it be made day of?
I would make it a few hours before. The longer it sits, the consistency changes. It still tastes good, but is not as light and fluffy.
Omg I have tried so many low carb/keto desserts and had to throw them away because they were so awful. I had almost given up on desserts entirely and then I found this!!! It’s so amazing! I absolutely love it. I’m almost in tears! If you’ve been on the low carb/keto struggle you’ll know how desperately you want something sweet that tastes good! Thank you so much!!
I am so glad you like it! Hubby and I have this as a snack quite often. Most of the time, we just want a quick fix and leave out the cream and cheese and just eat the cottage cheese, topped with a few pecans and a sprinkle of the jello powder (as much as you need to achieve your favorite amount of flavor.)
oh yum .. only had strawberry jello but … oh yum
★★★★★
The cottage cheese and heavy whipping cream give this a heavier texture than a normal jello salad, but if you’ve been eating low carb for a while, you are probably used to the low carb stuff being a bit different from the high sugar versions.
All that being said, this is really good! I like to load mine up with extra pecans.
★★★★★
should i use yello cheddar or white cheddar cheese
yellow
I do not like Cherry anything, other flavors can be used?
I’ve tried other flavors but did not care for them. Everyone is different, so give it a shot. Sometimes I just sprinkle the black cherry jello into cottage cheese and eat that. So maybe try that first. If you find a flavor you like making it that way, then give the full recipe a shot. (cream and pecans are $$, that’s why I recommend just trying it with cottage cheese first.
Hi. I have just made this dessert and I don’t know what went wrong. I used my stand-up mixer. For the life of me, I could not get the cottage cheese to blend smoothly. I whipped it for 10 minutes and hardly anything. I then put it in the micro wave and there were still lumps. It tastes great but looks lumpy. Thank
It is supposed to be lumpy from the cottage cheese.
Can you substitute the cottage cheese with something else?
You could probably substitute it with anything you want, but it wouldnt be the same if you did.
Can you really taste the cottage cheese, not a big fan
I’m not either but all you really taste is the jello. All I can say is give it a try.
Heaven… all I can say… not many options for a desert when watching carbs. This stuff is AWESOME. A friend tried it with orange sugar free jello…. delicious as well.
★★★
Made this for Easter as I wanted to have some sort of jello fluff but had just started Keto.
I could only find SF cherry, not black cherry. Like you said, it’s pretty dense, so with the leftovers I added more cottage cheese and liked it better. But the flavor is awesome!
PS- Add the cheese!
★★★★
So glad you liked it! Definitely keep your eye out for the black Carry. That flavor just has a little something special that makes it really really good with this recipe.
This is wonderful! Can’t wait to serve it tomorrow for Easter brunch.
Does the carb count include the carbs for the Heavy Whipping Cream?
Can cool whip be substituted for the whipping cream? Someone in my family is lactose intolerant.
Dang! Just made this and it was a smidge too sweet so I added a little more cottage cheese, heavy whipping cream, a pinch of nuts, and a sprinkle of cheese and it was spot on perfect! I feel like I’m waddling now after taste testing it before serving! Yum yum!!
The desired sweetness level will definitely vary from person to person. Lately, I’ve been doing a version of this for a snack – just the cottage cheese and pecans sprinkled with a bit of the black cherry jello powder. (I don’t measure, I just give it a taste.) It’s so good! I’ve tried several jello flavors, but definitely keep coming back to the black cherry!
Is the carb count based on six or eight servings?
6 I belive
Just made this and I’m telling you to use the cheese! Seems like it doesn’t make and sense and you’re right, ! But boy oh boy it is delicious with it! Don’t cheat yourself!
Couldn’t agree more, lol!
I messed up my first try at this…..I started out putting the ingredients inside the chilled mixer bowl. Didn’t realize I should have combined the first few ingredients in a separate bowl.
Luckily, I had enough ingredients to do a second try. This time things worked as they should have. The little bit I licked off the spatula was good. Looking forward to having a serving after dinner this evening.
Thanks for the recipe.
P. Frederick
Hope yo enjoyed it!
I like to use CocoWhip which is similar to cool whip but has coconut oil instead of hydrogenated oils. Tastes just as good, if not better than cool whip.
I have never seen this before! Is it sugar free?
Can I sub anything for the nuts (nut allergy here) or just leave them out entirely? Thanks!
Leave them out or sub with whatever you normally use to sub for nuts. The pecans taste really good, but they also give the fluff a nice texture.
I just made the fluff and I questioned the addition of the cheese too, but let me tell you – this stuff is da bomb!! I didn't change a thing. It is wonderful.
I'm so glad you liked it! I don't know why the cheese is so good, but it is! My family has been making a regular version of this recipe for years ( https://www.scatteredthoughtsofacraftymom.com/2013/11/favorite-holiday-recipes-black-cherry.html) So when I remade it to be lower carb, I knew I had to keep keep the shredded cheese.
What purpose does the shredded cheese serve? Just wondering if it's optional as the idea is a little off-putting to me lol Could you use shredded unsweetened coconut instead? Looks delish!
The purpose of that shredded cheese is delicious-ness. You just have to try it.
~Jamie