These high-protein pirozhki turn the classic hand pie into a lighter, gym-friendly bake. A tender cottage cheese dough wraps a savory filling of chopped eggs and fresh green onions, then bakes up golden in the oven or air fryer. They make a satisfying breakfast, lunchbox addition or post-workout snack.
If you love handheld bakes, our Baked Kefir Pirozhki are another make-ahead favorite, and the Cheese Flatbreads with Green Onion use the same fresh green-onion flavor in a cheesy flatbread. Cottage cheese dough is wonderfully versatile — it also stars in our Lazy Cottage Cheese Cheesecake.
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 200 g (7 oz) fat-free cottage cheese (pressed/paneer style)
- 2 eggs (1 whole + 1 white; keep the second yolk for brushing)
- Salt to taste
- 230 g (about 1 3/4 cups) flour (half all-purpose, half whole wheat)
- 1 tsp baking powder
For the filling:
- 3 eggs
- 1 bunch green onions, chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1-2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Mix the cottage cheese with one whole egg, one egg white, salt and flour. Knead a soft, non-sticky dough and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Hard-boil the 3 eggs, chop them and mix with the green onions, salt, pepper and a splash of water for juiciness.
- Roll out the dough and cut out circles with a glass.
- Spoon filling onto each circle, fold and pinch the edges to form pirozhki, and brush with the reserved egg yolk.
- Bake at 170°C (340°F) for about 20 minutes in an air fryer or oven. Do not overbake or they will turn hard instead of fluffy.
Tips
- Do not overbake: pull the pirozhki out as soon as they turn golden, or the cottage cheese dough will dry out and turn hard instead of staying fluffy.
- Pinch the edges firmly to seal each pirozhok — the filling is moist, and a tight seal keeps them neat while baking.
- Serve warm with a spoonful of Greek yogurt or light sour cream for dipping. For more baked recipe ideas, browse the collections at Allrecipes, and Serious Eats has excellent guidance on working with high-protein doughs.
Nutrition: per 2 pieces: 304 kcal, protein 24.5 g, fat 12.5 g, carbs 31 g