This panna cotta tastes as refreshing as it looks & is so easy to make. Somewhere in between a pudding and a custard, it’s the perfect cap to an Italian feast.

What is Panna Cotta Made Of?
Panna cotta is a jello-like dessert that is made mainly from cream, milk, gelatin and sugar. My recipe adds a twist of sour cream for a bit of tanginess and fresh raspberry compote topping.
The only thing that rivals panna cotta’s taste is its texture. When properly chilled, this dessert has a melt-in-your-mouth, silky consistency that is truly unparalleled. Think of it as somewhere in between a pudding and a Mexican-style flan.
What is Panna Cotta?
You may not have heard of panna cotta before, but after trying this recipe, you won’t be able to live without it. For those who haven’t had the pleasure of enjoying this delicious treat, panna cotta is a traditional Italian dessert made of sweetened cream that is thickened with gelatin and molded into individual-sized servings.
The literal translation in Italian means “cooked cream”, which might not sound all that appealing, but trust me it is. It has a smooth, creamy texture and is perfect to throw together either for a party, or just a relaxing night at home.
You can make the dessert plain, or flavor it in any way you want — kind of like what you would do with a basic ice cream recipe. The cream may be aromatized with coffee, vanilla, or other flavorings.

How To Make Panna Cotta
In a saucepan, combine together milk, whipping cream and sugar. Bring it to very warm temperature, but don’t boil. Then in a small dish, combine gelatin with water and add the gelatin and vanilla extract into the milk mixture. Lastly, whisk in sour cream to the mixture.
Pour the mixture into serving dishes. Let it refrigerate for a few hours, until jello sets. While the mixture sets, prep the sauce to be served on top of the gelatin mixture.
Once it comes time to add the topping, this is where you can really adjust it to your own preference. You can serve it with fresh berries, blend canned fruit or make your own homemade jam. Here are some ideas:
- Coconut Panna Cotta – To make this recipe a bit more tropical, you can replace the heavy cream with coconut cream. Top with toasted coconut and pineapple for a real pina colada effect.
- Lemon Panna Cotta – For a slightly tart flavor addition, add the zest and juice of one lime into the gelatin mixture, then still top with the raspberry sauce for a summery treat you’ll love.
- Strawberry Panna Cotta – Just like the mango option, you can just simply change the raspberry topping to strawberry. You can also top it with premade strawberry pie filling to make things even easier.
Make Ahead Classic Panna Cotta
If you have an event you need to bring a dessert to and don’t have time the day of to make something, this Italian panna cotta will be your new best friend.
The recipe is not make and eat immediately kind of dessert, it can be made up to 2 days prior to serving and still taste like you just finished making it as you walked out the door.
Follow the directions below for how to store panna cotta, and you’ll be well on your way to a stress free entertaining.

Best Place To Store Panna Cotta
Since this is a dessert made mainly with cream or milk, you’ll want to keep it refrigerated if you plan on keeping any leftovers. It’s best to store panna cotta in an airtight container, or on a plate and wrapped in plastic wrap or foil.
Once prepared, place in the refrigerator and eat within 5 days for best results.
Hot Tip: I personally wouldn’t recommend freezing your panna cotta – it could easily spoil the perfect texture!
If you must, prepare it a day in advance. Once the gelatin sets, cover each individual panna cotta with plastic wrap tightly – this will prevent the tops from hardening and the dessert from absorbing the smells of the freezer. Remove the night before you plan to serve and allow the molds to thaw in the fridge. Decorate/top each mold according to your preference.
Other Jello Recipes
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cup milk
- 1 cup heavy whipped cream
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 tsp gelatin
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cup raspberries
- 1/3 cup sugar
Instructions
- In a sauce pan, combine milk together with whipping cream and sugar. Bring it to a very warm heat, but don't boil.
- In a small dish, combine gelatin with a bit of water. Let it sit for a few minutes, until it dissolves. Add gelatin to the milk mixture.
- Let the milk mixture come to a room temperature. Whisk vanilla extract and sour cream into the mixture.
- Pour mixture into serving dishes. Let it refrigerate for a few hours, until jello sets.
- In a small sauce pan, combine together raspberries with sugar. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes and remove from the heat. Place it into a cold place to cool it down to a room temperature.
- Once the jello sets, add raspberry mixture on top and serve.
Having an issue with this recipe, not sure what I’m doing wrong 😫 I follow it exactly as it says, and everything goes well until the last step where I add the sour cream… it leaves some white lumps floating around, even though I mix it very well, even with a whisk. I thought the mix was too cold (room temp) so the next time I added it a bit warmer. It was worse. The 3rd time I switched the cream brand, same thing. It’s no big deal since I filter it but it’s driving me crazy!
Hi Bea, I am not sure why that would happen. I was going to suggest whisking but you said you have done it. You could skip on adding it, it adds a bit of tart flavor to the Panna Cotta but doesnt effect the recipe. Hope this helps.
Hi, I've made this recipe a few times and it always turns out amazing! I want to try making it with Agar Agar for a few people who can't have gelatin, do you have any tips/ know the correct amount I should put in?
Hi there Skye, I have not tried worked with Agar Agar. I am interested in the way it would work myself. If you give it a try, I would really love to find out what you did and what the result was!
Hi Natalya! What is the size of cups? If possible, can you please give a link? Many thanks!
Hey Tania, they are 4oz from amazon. Look up plastic 4oz cups.
Hi, I made this recipe and everyone loved it!
Evenly, this is so great to hear. Thank you for sharing!
I never thought of trying to make this myself, but I am so glad I saw this recipe because it was so easy!
Allyson, thank you for sharing, so happy you found this recipe. 🙂
This is such an amazing dessert recipe! Everyone at my house loved it!
Toni, thank you for sharing, so glad!
Panna cotta is one of our favorite desserts! This was so good!!
Hey Eden, thank you for sharing. So glad to hear.
Hi! Can you use frozen raspberries?
Hey Marina, yes, that's what I use most of the time.
What is the black berry you put on top. What is it called?
Black currant
Black currant!