This Dairy Free Panna Cotta recipe is made with dairy-free milk and topped with a variety of fruit compotes. Non-dairy panna cotta is the perfect make-ahead dessert for a crowd. It caters to food sensitivities and is endlessly customizable through a variety of toppings.
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The inspiration for this came from Milkadamia kindly sending me an abundance of their macadamia nut milk. My sister is trying to cut back on dairy, and the majority of my bakes get sent to her house, so that has also been an incentive to explore dairy-free desserts.
I recently made Macadamia Rice Pudding, which can also be easily made dairy free by omitting or swapping the butter. A more decadent dairy-free dessert of mine is my Strawberry Snacking Cake (vegan), which is also made with non-dairy milk.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- There is minimal active time in this recipe. The prep and cooking is very quick. The longest portion is just chilling time.
- Even without the dairy this panna cotta is creamy.
- These are endlessly customizable through toppings.
Ingredients
- Non-dairy milk is the base of the panna cotta.
- Granulated sugar sweetens the panna cotta and the toppings.
- Water is essential to bloom the unflavored gelatin.
- Vanilla extract and kosher salt balance the overall flavor profile.
- Herbs like mint and rosemary flavor the toppings.
- Cardamom adds depth to the mango topping.
- Rhubarb, strawberries, blueberries, mango pulp and kiwi are the base of the toppings.
- Lemon and lime (not pictured) also flavor the toppings.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and variations
Here’s how to customize this panna cotta to your liking:
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- Different milk — you can use any milk in this recipe. Dairy or non-dairy will work. For example: soy, almond, oat, cashew, lactose-free etc.
- No granulated sugar — swap for brown sugar, coconut sugar or any other sweetener.
- Caramel — make the salted caramel from this recipe to top the panna cotta.
- Jams — use store bought or homemade jams to top.
- No herbs — change or omit any of the herbs in the toppings.
- No citrus — change or omit any of the citrus in the toppings.
- Another oil — You can use another oil, like canola or vegetable, to grease the molds if you do not have coconut oil.
This recipe has not been tested with any substitutions or variations. If you try any, please let me know how it turned out by commenting below!
How to make dairy-free panna cotta
Step 1: In a small bowl, combine the gelatin and the cold water. Stir to combine then let sit for 5 minutes.
Step 2: In a medium pot combine the dairy-free milk, granulated sugar and kosher salt. Whisk together and heat to a low simmer. Once simmering and all of the sugar is dissolved, remove from the heat and let sit for 1 minute. Add the bloomed gelatin mixture to the milk mixture and whisk until the gelatin is fully dissolved.
Step 3: Pour into the prepared molds/vessels. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours to set the panna cottas. Serve in the molds or demold them (see instructions below.)
Step 4: Slide a thin knife or offset spatula along the top edge to remove the suction and place the ramekins in a small bowl of hot water for 10-15 seconds to warm the outside and help it release. Invert the ramekin onto a plate. Top with your desired compote or plain fruit. Serve immediately.
Hot tips
- If using coconut oil to line the ramekins, heat it up in the microwave or with your hands to make it easier to spread thin.
- Be patient and gentle when unmolding. If it doesn’t come out at first, give it a bit more time in hot water and run a thin knife or offset spatula around the edge.
- Get creative with the toppings! Use whatever fruits, herbs and spices you have on hand.
- Be careful not to introduce liquids that are too hot to gelatin. Gelatin loses strength at 212°F.
Recipe FAQs
Store panna cotta in the refrigerator until ready to serve, for up to 3-4 days. Do not freeze.
Yes, use any milk to suit your needs.
Yes, use as much or as little sweetener as you desire.
More recipes you'll love
Lastly, if you make this Dairy-Free Panna Cotta recipe be sure to leave a comment or give it a rating. I love to see when people make my recipes, so please tag me @youthsweets on Instagram if you post!
📖 Recipe
Dairy-Free Panna Cotta
Ingredients
Panna cotta
- ½ oz gelatin powdered (2 1.8g pouches, scant 2 tablespoons)
- 6 tablespoon water cold
- 4 cups dairy-free milk I used Milkadamia (32oz)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoon vanilla extract (25g)
Mango lemon cardamom topping
- 1 cup kesar mango pulp canned and unsweetened
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom freshly-ground
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- Lemon zest for garnish
Strawberry rhubarb compote
- 2 cups strawberries diced (178g)
- 2 cups rhubarb diced (178g)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (66g)
- Pinch salt
Blueberry rosemary lime compote
- 1 ½ cups blueberries (220g)
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- 3 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon lime juice
- Pinch salt
- lime zest for garnish
Kiwi mint compote
- 1 cup kiwi diced (160g)
- 5 mint leaves chopped
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Instructions
Do ahead
- Grease the ramekins (or whatever molds you’ll use) with a bit of coconut oil.
Bloom the gelatin
- In a small bowl, combine the gelatin and the cold water. Stir to combine then let sit for 5 minutes.
Heat the milk
- In a medium pot combine the dairy-free milk, granulated sugar, kosher salt and vanilla extract. Whisk together and heat to a low simmer. Once simmering and all of the sugar is dissolved, remove from the heat and let sit for 1 minute.
- Add the bloomed gelatin mixture to the milk mixture and whisk until the gelatin is fully dissolved.
- Pour into the prepared molds/vessels. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours to set the panna cottas. Serve in the molds or demold them (see instructions below.)
Demold (optional)
- One at a time, slide a thin knife or offset spatula along the top edge to remove the suction and place the bottoms of the ramekins in a small bowl of hot water for 10-15 seconds to warm the outside and help it release. Be careful not to get any of the water into the panna cotta. Invert the ramekin onto a plate and give a gentle shake to help it release.
Top and serve
- Top with your desired compote or plain fruit. Serve immediately.
Toppings
- Mango lemon cardamom: Combine the mango pulp with the cardamom and lemon juice. Sprinkle lemon zest over to serve.
- Strawberry rhubarb: Cook the strawberry, rhubarb, sugar and salt in a saucepan for 10 minutes over medium heat or until thickened to your liking. Let cool before using.
- Blueberry rosemary lime: Cook the blueberries, whole rosemary sprig, sugar, lime juice and salt in a saucepan for 10 minutes over medium heat or until thickened to your liking. Let cool before using. Sprinkle lime zest over to serve.
- Kiwi mint: In a small bowl combine the diced kiwi, mint and sugar. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving to let the kiwis release their juices.
