Best Panna Cotta with Strawberries

Panna cotta is a classic Italian custard that’s silky smooth, and melt-in-your-mouth creamy. Topped with fresh, macerated strawberries, it’s the perfect dessert for entertaining—effortless yet elegant.

A white plate of panna cotta — *Photo: Gayle McLeod*

Why You’ll Love This Panna Cotta

I have a huge soft spot for custard-like desserts—whether it’s a classic custard, chocolate pots de crème or coconut crème brûlée. But this panna cotta is always a favorite when I’m hosting a dinner party. It presents beautifully and the way it melts in your mouth is pure bliss. So it’s no surprise when my friends always end up sharing a second one, just for a few extra bites! If you haven’t had panna cotta before, you’re in for a treat. Here’s why you’ll love this dessert:

It’s surprisingly simple. Just cook cream, gelatin, and sugar together, then chill overnight. This creates a custard that’s slightly firm yet incredibly creamy, with a delicate hint of sweet vanilla.
It can be made ahead of time. Yes, you heard right! Both the panna cotta and macerated strawberries can be prepared a day in advance. Then, you can just combine the two before serving. That means it’s easy to serve for holidays and Valentine’s Day, hint hint.

Panna Cotta Ingredients

Cream and Milk: A mix of heavy cream and whole milk creates an ultra-creamy panna cotta base. Want a dairy-free version? Check out the FAQ section below.
Gelatin: The key ingredient that makes panna cotta solidify and able to turn upside down is gelatin. You can find this in the baking aisle at your local market, but look for unflavored powdered gelatin instead of sheet gelatin. I’ve been using this gelatin for years, and use it in my homemade marshmallows recipe as well.
Sweetener: While granulated sugar is traditional, I prefer honey or maple syrup. They add a lovely natural sweetness without making the dessert overly sugary.
Vanilla: I love a good vanilla bean panna cotta, but vanilla beans can be pricey. To keep things simple and budget-friendly, vanilla extract works just as well.
For the macerated strawberries: All you need are fresh strawberries and a touch of honey or maple syrup—easy! I’ll show you exactly how to make them below.

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

How To Make Panna Cotta

Bloom the gelatin. Place the water in a small, wide bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin on top and allow it to dissolve for about 5 minutes. If you find that there isn’t enough water, you can add a half tablespoon more on top of the gelatin to completely dissolve it.
Warm the cream. The key is to simmer (not boil) the cream! Add the cream, milk, and honey to a pot over medium-high heat. Stir the mixture until a few bubbles appear on the outside edge before it reaches the boiling point. Then remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and salt. Side note — don’t turn your back on milk being cooked on the stovetop because it can quickly bubble and spill over!
Stir in gelatin. Add the bloomed gelatin to the pot of hot cream and whisk until fully dissolved. You want to avoid any lumps for a perfectly smooth panna cotta.
Pour and chill. Carefully pour the hot cream into six (4-ounce) ramekins or bowls. Cover the ramekins with plastic wrap, and place in the fridge to chill for at least 4 to 6 hours or overnight. Reference my notes in the recipe card about covering the ramekins!
Invert the panna cotta. Remove the ramekins from the fridge and run a small knife around the edge and/or dip the bottom of the ramekin in hot tap water for a few seconds. Then, invert each ramekin onto a dessert plate and give it a gentle tap to release it.
Make the macerated strawberries. Add the sliced strawberries and maple syrup to a mixing bowl and stir together. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour, until they start to release their natural juices. Then, spoon the strawberries and some juice on top of each panna cotta, and voila!

Storage Tips

If you’ve got a dinner party planned, I highly recommend making panna cotta. It’s always a stunning dessert! And good news—you can make it a day in advance, along with the macerated fruit. Here’s how to store it:

To store for the week: Surprisingly, panna cotta has a great shelf life in the fridge. Cover each bowl tightly (to prevent drying out) and store in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.
To freeze for later: Although panna cotta is best fresh, it can be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Just be aware that the texture may not be as smooth and creamy. When you’re ready to enjoy it, let it thaw in the fridge overnight.

Common Questions

Is panna cotta the same as creme brulee or flan?

No. Unlike flan and creme brulee, panna cotta is an eggless custard that uses gelatin to form its mold.

Why is my panna cotta separating?

If you find that your panna cotta separates into two layers, one that’s creamy and one that’s more gelatin-like there’s usually two culprits. The first is that your gelatin didn’t bloom and dissolve properly when stirred into the cream. And the second is that the cream mixture boiled after the gelatin was added. Always make sure to remove the cream mixture from the heat before adding the gelatin.

More Decadent Dessert Recipes

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Description

This panna cotta recipe is the best Italian dessert made with a luscious vanilla custard topped with sweet macerated strawberries. Watch how I make it in the video below!

Ramekins Here are some great classic ramekins.
Small Bowls These are the small bowls I use for this recipe.

To make the macerated berries

Stir together: Add the sliced strawberries and maple syrup to a mixing bowl and stir together. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour, until they start to release their natural juices.

To assemble

To invert the panna cotta: Remove the ramekins from the fridge and run a small knife around the edge and/or dip the bottom of the panna cotta in hot tap water for a few seconds. Then, invert each ramekin onto a dessert plate and give it a gentle tap to release it.
Top with strawberries: Spoon the strawberries and some juice on top of each panna cotta.

If you find that pouring directly from your pot into the ramekins creates a mess, transfer the liquid to a 4-cup measuring cup first. Then you can pour with a bit more precision into the individual ramekins.
Do you really need to cover the panna cotta with plastic wrap? I don’t find that it’s completely necessary if you’re going to invert the panna cotta before serving. But it does help to reduce the “skin” that forms on top a little bit.
I prefer to use white honey in the panna cotta and maple syrup in the macerated berries (as it’s more liquidy), but really any sugar or sweetener works just fine. So choose your favorite.

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This recipe was originally published August 2023, but updated to include new information for your benefit!