This spectacularly creamy Coconut Panna Cotta is extremely easy to make, similar in texture to a classic panna cotta, and has no refined sugars, and is paleo, dairy-free and vegan-friendly! It’s a healthy dessert perfect for breakfast/brunch too!
Have you guys tried Panna Cotta before?
My first panna cotta was one I made many years ago, after seeing it on TV. It sounded fancy, but seemed pretty simple, and I decided to give it a go. I made a classic panna cotta with passion fruit, and it was love at first sight and taste!
I’ve shared a few different versions of panna cotta on the blog before – like this white chocolate and coconut panna cotta with hibiscus, butterscotch and chocolate panna cotta, and more recently, this creamy matcha panna cotta with mango passion fruit compote!
As you too will find out when you start making it, panna cotta is ridiculously easy to make! And it tastes delicious, so it’s a fantastic dessert to impress friends, family and guests with not much effort and marvel at your culinary genius! 😉 But once you know the basics, it’ll be even more fun to experiment with flavors and such.
So today, I’ll be sharing with you guys a creamy and healthy Panna Cotta made with Coconut milk served 3 ways – with passion fruit, or raspberries, or granola! So this coconut panna cotta with fruit is perfect as a dessert (duh!), but it’s also healthy and great for breakfast too! Dessert for breakfast anyone?
So what is panna cotta?
Panna cotta is an Italian dessert which literally translates to “cooked cream”. It’s a molded dessert, traditionally made of sweetened/flavored cream and hardened with gelatin. Even though it means cooked cream. it’s only heated to the point of dissolving the sugar, and then the gelatin. A classic panna cotta is never “boiled”.
How is this coconut panna cotta recipe different?
This recipe is for panna cotta is made with coconut milk and NO refined sugars. So it’s dairy free and refined sugar free. Which makes this a PALEO COCONUT PANNA COTTA! You can of course use regular sugar for this recipe, or use honey, or coconut sugar, or agave, or maple syrup instead as well.
This paleo coconut panna cotta isn’t vegan, but it’s easily adaptable to be made vegan too. Simply replace gelatin with agar agar. The texture will be a little different to a classic panna cotta, but the taste will be the same!
Another reason why this paleo coconut panna cotta recipe is different is that this recipe is the CLOSEST in texture to a classic panna cotta. I’ve found that a lot of recipes online use too much gelatin, causing the panna cotta to be more jelly-like, rather than custard-like, which a traditional Italian panna cotta is. This coconut panna cotta on the other hand is perfectly creamy and delicate, with a custard-like texture than a jello dessert.
What kind of coconut milk to use for this recipe
It is important to use the right kind of coconut milk for this recipe too. I like to use canned coconut milk, and I choose a brand where the coconut milk doesn’t separate into two layers. The coconut milk is emulsified better, and remains homogeneous. Coconut milk that separates into two separate layers as it sits, will not work in this recipe. You coul also use coconut milk that is sold in cartons (like blue diamond unsweetenend coconut milk), although I have not tried this.
How to serve this panna cotta?
This recipe is very versatile. Here I’m showing you just 3 simple ways to serve this delicious dessert.
- Coconut panna cotta with a tropical twist with passion fruit syrup (made with honey).
- Coconut panna cotta with macerated raspberries (or any other type of berry) – a great every day choice.
- Coconut panna cotta with almond granola. This is perfect for breakfasts and brunches! Combine this with a fruit compote and it’ll be like a breakfast pudding parfait!
But you’re more than welcome to try different flavor options! Try some other fruit combinations like lychee, strawberries, peaches, pineapple, mango or lemon curd. Or try it with different granola flavors, maybe some dark chocolate, or even a caramel sauce flavored with some booze! 🙂
You can serve this paleo coconut panna cotta in serving glasses. This is the easiest way to serve it because you can simply top it with fruits, granola etc. and serve individual-sized portions. OR you can also unmold this panna cotta onto a serving plate too. But keep in mind that if you are planning on unmolding this panna cotta onto a serving dish, then use metal or silicone molds to prepare the panna cotta, because this way it’ll be a lot easier to release the panna cotta later, or use a little extra gelatin to make the panna cotta stiffer.
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Coconut Panna Cotta
Ingredients:
Coconut panna cotta
- Coconut oil to brush the molds (if you want to unmold the panna cotta)
- 6 cups serving cups or molds
- 1 packet gelatin approximately 10 grams, or 2 1/2 tsp
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup almond milk
- ⅓ cup honey ½ cup sugar
- 2 ¼ cup coconut milk homogeneous coconut milk from a can. Not the kind that separated into two layers.
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
To Serve
Passion Fruit Syrup
- ⅓ cup of passion fruit pulp about 2 - 3 fruits
- 2 tbsp honey
Raspberry compote
- ¾ cup whole raspberries (or frozen is fine too) or more
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Granola, as needed
Instructions:
Coconut Panna Cotta
- If you're using molds to unmold the panna cotta before serving - gently rub the inside of the molds with some coconut oil. However, if you plan to serve the panna cotta in the serving cups, then you don't need to grease the sides.
- Sprinkle the gelatin over the ¼ cup of water. Stir gently and allow the gelatin to bloom for 10 minutes.
- Place the milk, honey and coconut milk in a saucepan. Heat gently while stirring to mix in the honey completely.
- When the milk mixture is just starting to steam (DO NOT BOIL!), remove the saucepan off the heat, and add the bloomed gelatin and stir to completely dissolve the gelatin. Then stir in the vanilla.
- Place the serving cups or molds on a small tray that will fit in your fridge. Pour the milk mix evenly into the serving cups or molds - about ½ cup of liquid per serving. But if you want to serve larger portions, that's fine too! Allow the panna cotta to cool down, and then cover the serving cups with plastic wrap. Place the tray in the fridge overnight to set. These can be made up to 3 days in advance, but keep the panna cotta covered in the fridge during that time.
If the panna cotta is going to be served in serving cups
- Top the panna cotta with fruit compote, sauce or granola.
If the panna cotta is going to be served unmolded
- Take a large bowl and fill it with hot tap water. Place the metal or silicone mold in the water (make sure the hot water is touching the bottom and the sides of the mold) and gently move it in circles for about 5 seconds to loosen the panna cotta. Use a thin blade knife to loosen the edges/sides of the panna cotta, ONLY if needed.
- Place the mold over the serving dish, and shake or tap gently to unmold.
- Serve the coconut panna cotta with fruit compote, sauce or granola.
Passion Fruit Sauce
- Mix and passion fruit pulp and honey until well combined.
- Spoon over the panna cotta.
Raspberry Compote
- Mix the raspberries, honey and lemon. Crush the raspberry gently (do not puree, keep the compote chunky), and mix well.
Nutrition Information:
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
juls R says
hi Dini
you state this recipe is vegan-friendly but it has Gelatin in it? Do know how gelatin is made ?It’s from animals
so not vegan
Dini says
Hi juls
As noted in the recipe
“This paleo coconut panna cotta isn’t vegan, but it’s easily adaptable to be made vegan too. Simply replace gelatin with agar agar. The texture will be a little different to a classic panna cotta, but the taste will be the same!”
This is why I stated the recipe is vegan-friendly, as it can be made vegan easily.
Susan Limjuco says
I cannot use honey, how sugar equivalent should I use
Dini says
Hi Susan
The amount in sugar as a replacement is already provided in the recipe ingredient list.
I hope that helps!
Iona says
Hi, I want to make this recipe this week but not sure what coconut milk to use. I can’t find Aroy-D in my shops. Would a barista coconut milk from a carton work? Thanks
Dini says
Hi Iona
Unfortunately I haven’t used carton coconut milk before, but it could work. However, bear in mind that carton coconut milk has a lower fat content, so the panna cotta won’t be as creamy.
I hope that helps
Mo says
Have made this twice now and it turned out perfect both times. Lovely, versatile recipe.
jesssie says
Hi , wants to know what is the equivalent of 2 1/4 cup coconut milk in ml …tnx
Louise says
Plan on making this soon. Need to know brand of cocoanut milk – Will Thai regular work. Please reply as soon as possible. Made a panna cotta (not this recipe) and it separated into 2 distinct layers.
Dini says
Hi Louise
If coconut milk separates into two layers in the can, then it will separate into layers in the panna cotta. THai Kitchen coconut milk, separates in the can so it won’t be suitable for this dessert. The brand I used is Aroy-D as it doesn’t separate the way thai kitchen coconut milk does.
Hope that helps.
Megan says
This recipe worked perfectly! Was easy to follow and result was sooo good! Yum!
Stuti says
How many hours is overnight?
Dini says
Hi Stuti
Overnight is the general sleep time, which is about 8 hours.
Dre says
Thank you
Just want to make you aware that honey is actually is toxic when heated up.
Dini says
Hi Dre
If it was poisonous I would be in trouble, since I drink honey tea almost every day, and cook with honey very often 🙂
However, it might interest you to know that heating honey does not make it toxic at all. Studies have shown that heating honey will alter its chemical composition and change its nutritional aspects. Fortunately, the heat does not make honey harmful for you.
I hope that helps
Keishq says
If I am using gelatine leaves, how much do I use?
Dini says
Hi Keishq
I would use between 4 – 5 gold gelatin leaves. 4 for a gently set panna cotta. 5 for a more set panna cotta.
Mamatha Busi says
Loved the ingredients and simplicity of the recipe! Tried this recipe and the pannacottas turned out beautiful and delicious. Thanks for sharing..
MYRLAN says
Hi, can I mix this with heavy cream and milk?
Dini says
Hi Mrylan
The gelatin for this recipe is to set the coconut milk. If it’s substituted with heavy cream, I can’t guarantee how well it would set due to the changes in fat content.
Mary says
Which brands of coconut milk do you recommend for this recipe?
Saima Ahmed says
Bonjour Dini… J’aime beaucoup votre recette de panna cotta avec du lait du noix de coco et du amande… Merci bein de partager
Chin says
Hi can I use coconut cream instead of coconut milk?
Dini says
Hi Chin
Using coconut cream will impact the texture of the panna cotta, and may not set properly either. I would recommend using coconut milk as per the recipe to make sure you get good results. Hope that helps!
Tasos says
Hello
Could you please tell me what’s the quantity of gelatin in grams?
Thank you
Dini says
Hi Tasos!
I packet of gelatin is about 8 – 10 grams. I would go with about 10 grams. Hope that helps!
Bernie Gonsalves says
Instead of almond milk can I use regular milk ?
Dini says
Hi Bernie, yes, that’ll be fine! I used almond milk in this recipe to keep it dairy free, but it can be substituted with regular milk.
libby says
Was so excited for this recipe but it was a fail. I used full fat coconut milk and followed the recipe exactly. After refrigerating for 8 hours, the fat in the mixture rose to the top and hardened. The creamy part underneath tasted ok but the consistency was weird. Threw it out. Any clues what happened?
Anne E Reynolds says
Will both light and regular coconut milk work?
Dini says
Hi Anne
You can use light coconut milk for this recipe too, but the texture will be little less creamy. I hope that helps!
Wilhelmina says
I love how versatile this panna cotta recipe is! Healthy enough for breakfast but decadent enough for dessert! YUM!
Merry says
Specifying the amount of gelatin and the amount of agar when making a vegan version would be helpful as a “packet” isn’t very meaningful. Thank you!
Dini says
Hi Merry,
There’s a unit toggle in the recipe card where you can switch between US measurements and metric measurements (directly below the list of ingredients). Here you can find the number of teaspoons of gelatin required (2 1/2 tsp). Hope that helps!
Helen Finnigan says
Hi
Please could you tell me how much agar agar to use and how to use it too Thank you. Making this recipe for my vegan daughter so she would prefer to avoid the gelatine
Many thanks
Helen
Dini says
Hi Helen
So sorry for the late reply. I haven’t used agar agar for this recipe, so I can’t be certain. However agar agar and gelatin have similar setting properties, and so you should be able to use about 3 tsp of agar agar for this recipe. Please remember to use coconut milk that is homogeneous and doesn’t easily separate into two layers. Please read the instructions for the agar agar you plan on using as well, because agar agar may require to be boiled to be able to set properly. As such the coconut mix may require to come to a boil to make sure the agar agar is completely dissolved and will set properly.