Let’s take a trip to one of the most elegant yet surprisingly easy desserts you will ever make Easy Panna Cotta is a creamy, silky Italian dessert that melts in your mouth, leaving a simple sweetness and a subtle note of vanilla. It’s the kind of dessert that feels fancy enough to serve for a dinner party, but is so simple you find yourself making it on a random Tuesday just because you can.
I can hear you ask: “Isn’t Panna Cotta one of those desserts that only professional chefs can master?” Absolutely not! This recipe is for home cooks who want to impress with little to no effort. You can have a restaurant-quality dessert with only a handful of common grocery store items.
What’s not to love? Easy Panna Cotta is so easy and can be dressed with whatever floats your boat; fresh berries, caramel sauce, crushed pistachios, it’s a blank canvas! It’s also gluten-free and can be adapted for vegan and low carb diets.
Best of all – it is a make-ahead dessert. You can prepare this the day before, and stick it in the fridge to chill. There’s no need to whip up a frenzy and whisk like crazy at the last minute, or rush to getting dessert ready at the same time as your guests are awaiting dinner! Instead you’ll have a lovely chilled, creamy dessert just ready to go for your guests.
If you’re ready to step up your dessert game with something easy, yet classy, stick with me for this simple Panna Cotta recipe. You may just find it your new go-to recipe!
Why this Easy Panna Cotta is a Treat
Let’s get straight to the point: this Easy Panna Cotta is ace. It’s creamy, it’s dreamy, and it’s super easy to make: it’s literally 5 ingredients: cream, sugar, gelatin, vanilla, and milk– then you have a dessert made with luxury/decadence & elegance, yet very simple/easy.
What is makes this recipe easy is that it’s foolproof. Nothing to temper (no eggs involved), no kitchen science, no hard techniques—just watch it come to a light simmer for a few moments; let it chill for a short while, and you’ve got unbelievably silky, smooth panna cotta.
For flavor, it is essentially a blank slate. The cream and vanilla have mild sweetness; almost any topping works. Think fresh fruit, chocolate fudge sauce or espresso…whatever floats your boat.
And talk about convenience, you can make it two-days in advance—and it’s always so impressive to have homemade dessert when entertaining guests. This recipe is a must for any dinner party, or for yourself only.
A Family Favorite: The Story Behind This Recipe
This Easy Panna Cotta has a special place in my heart—and my family’s. It all started when my husband, who’s not usually a dessert person, took one bite and declared it “the best thing he’s ever tasted.” Since then, it’s become our go-to dessert for birthdays, anniversaries, and even casual weeknight dinners.
One of my favorite memories is from last summer when we hosted a backyard barbecue. I made a big batch of Panna Cotta and served it with a medley of fresh berries. The kids loved it, the adults raved about it, and I felt like a culinary genius.
What I love most about this recipe is how it brings people together. It’s simple enough for beginners but impressive enough to make you feel like a pro. Plus, it’s a great way to get creative in the kitchen.
Why This Easy Panna Cotta
This Easy Panna Cotta is the perfect blend of simplicity and sophistication. Here’s why it’s worth trying:
- Minimal Ingredients : Just five basic ingredients are all you need.
- Quick Prep : Ready in under 20 minutes, plus chilling time.
- Versatile : Pair it with your favorite toppings for endless variations.
- Make-Ahead : Perfect for stress-free entertaining.
- Diet-Friendly : Easily adaptable for vegan, low-carb, or gluten-free diets.
Easy Panna Cotta Tips
- Chill : For the best texture, refrigerate the Panna Cotta for at least 4 hours, or even better, overnight.
- Smooth : If you wish to be extra careful, pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve before decanting into ramekins.
Substitutions and Variations
- Vegan : you can replace the cream with coconut cream, and replace the gelatin with agar-agar.
- Low-Carb : you can replace the sugar with the sweetener of your choice, such as erythritol.
- Flavors : You could add a splash of espresso, a little zesty citrus or drizzle with caramel, etc.
Make A Healthier Version
For a lighter version of Panna Cotta, you could use half-and-half instead of cream and you could decrease the sugar by half as well. You could even use almond milk for a lower calorie version.
Closing For Easy Panna Cotta
And that’s it! It’s as easy as it is pretty. Be sure to let us know how it turns out, and don’t forget to check out the transcript of one of our other recipes.
Easy Panna Cotta
Description
Indulge in the silky smooth elegance of Panna Cotta, a classic Italian dessert that melts in your mouth. This creamy treat is delicately flavored with vanilla and set with gelatin, creating a luxurious and irresistible sweet finale to any meal.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Start by blooming the gelatin. Sprinkle it over the cold water in a small bowl and let it sit for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the cream, milk, and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is warm but not boiling.
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Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Add the bloomed gelatin and whisk until completely dissolved. Pour the mixture into ramekins or glasses and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until set.
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When ready to serve, run a knife around the edges of the ramekins and invert onto a plate. Top with your favorite garnishes and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 6
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 2118.27kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 176.07g271%
- Saturated Fat 111.76g559%
- Cholesterol 552.52mg185%
- Sodium 196.13mg9%
- Potassium 644.55mg19%
- Total Carbohydrate 119.32g40%
- Sugars 120.07g
- Protein 25.23g51%
- Vitamin A 7194.84 IU
- Vitamin C 2.86 mg
- Calcium 471.96 mg
- Iron 0.63 mg
- Vitamin D 8.96 mcg
- Vitamin E 4.44 mg
- Vitamin K 15.6 mcg
- Thiamin 0.17 mg
- Riboflavin 1.11 mg
- Niacin 0.46 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.24 mg
- Folate 21.74 mcg
- Vitamin B12 1.42 mcg
- Pantothenic Acid 1.68 mg
- Phosphorus 403.05 mg
- Magnesium 50.87 mg
- Zinc 1.67 mg
- Selenium 20.75 mcg
- Copper 0.27 mg
- Manganese 0.03 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
