Coconut Panna Cotta

This delicious homemade coconut panna cotta is my go-to coconut dessert! It has a smooth rich coconut flavor and pairs perfectly with berries, tropical fruit, or coconut flakes.

The first time I tasted creamy coconut panna cotta I was in Hawaii. I loved the tropical take on this classic dish and having been making it with coconut milk ever since!

What is Panna Cotta?

This gelatin-based dessert originates from Italy. Its base is made with milk, cream, sugar and is thickened with gelatin. You will see panna cotta served in individual dishes, or served in molded shapes and topped with either a chocolate sauce or strawberry sauce. This dessert is simple to make and can be adjusted to suite your dietary preference. Below I’ll share how to make coconut panna cotta and share variations like keto panna cotta and vegan panna cotta.

Coconut Panna Cotta Ingredients

• 1 can full-fat coconut milk (you can make your own coconut milk or buy one of these trusted coconut milk brands)
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (you can buy or make your own vanilla extract)
• 2 teaspoons gelatin
• 1/4 cup cold water
• coconut oil (for greasing the molds)
• Topping: Fresh berries, frozen berries, fresh strawberries, chocolate, heavy whipping cream, or other fruits like pineapple and passion fruit

How To Make Coconut Panna Cotta

For this recipe you will need one can of coconut milk, two teaspoons grass-fed gelatin, three tablespoons of honey, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or vanilla bean, and cold water.

Start by blooming the gelatin in water. In a small bowl, mix the water with the gelatin until it thickens, or blooms. This will take 2-5 minutes. Once the gelatin is thick and grainy looking, set it aside and warm up the coconut milk mixture.

In a medium saucepan, bring the coconut milk to a simmer over medium-high heat.

Once the coconut milk is simmering, add in the bloomed gelatin and whisk vigorously. Once the gelatin dissolves, remove it from the heat and stir in the honey and vanilla. Let the coconut mixture cool slightly before pouring into prepared pan.

Now it’s time to prepare your panna cotta dishes. You may use small jars (that’s what I used), ramekins, or gelatin molds. Lightly grease the pan with coconut oil and pour the coconut panna cotta mixture into the prepared jar. Fill each jar three quarters of the way full. Refrigerate the panna cotta until it is set, and the center of the panna cotta feels solid and is set.

Variations:

Keto Panna Cotta

To make this recipe keto, simply replace half the coconut milk with heavy cream and use your favorite liquid sweetener instead of honey. If you’re using stevia, you will want to start with 1/4 tsp, and adjust to your taste.

Vegan Coconut Panna Cotta

To make this recipe vegan, replace the gelatin with 1/2 teaspoon of agar agar powder and use maple syrup or agave instead of honey.

Chocolate Coconut Panna Cotta

To make chocolate panna cotta, melt 1/4 cup of dark chocolate and whisk it into the warm coconut mixture after you bring it off the heat.

Mango Panna Cotta

To make tropical mango panna cotta, whisk in 1/2 cup of mango puree into the coconut mixture after you bring it off the heat.

FAQ

Related Recipes:

• Vegan Mango Mousse
• Dole Whip Recipe
• Virgin Pina Colada Recipe

PrintLinks on this page may be affiliate links, for which the site earns a small commission, but the price for you is the same