Bourbon Vanilla Panna Cotta

Aug 2, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Dessert Custards puddings creams Origin: Ugandan Vanilla: Beans Easy

Bourbon Vanilla Panna Cotta, unmolded on a plate with vanilla beans

Bourbon panna cotta flavored with a whole vanilla bean. An easy recipe: 15 minutes of prep and 10 minutes of cooking, plus setting; serves 6. Best vanilla for this: Ugandan (bold, chocolatey, smoky), or Indonesian (deep, woody, savory). Any pure vanilla works.

Prep 15 min

Cook 10 min

Set 4 hr

Total 4 hr 25 min

Servings 6

Diet —

Ingredients

Adjust yield

servings

3.0 cups (720.0 ml)heavy cream
½ cup (100.0 g)granulated sugar
2 ½ tsp (7.0 g)powdered gelatin
3.0 tbsp (45.0 ml)cold water
1.0vanilla bean, split and scraped
2.0 tbsp (30.0 ml)bourbon

Make it at home

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Instructions

Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water in a small bowl and let it sit for 5 minutes, until it softens and looks wrinkled (this is called blooming).
Warm the cream, sugar, and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring, just until the sugar fully dissolves and the mixture steams. Don't let it boil.
Remove from the heat and whisk in the bloomed gelatin until it melts completely and the mixture is smooth.
Stir in the bourbon off the heat.
Pour into six molds or glasses and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until set with a gentle wobble in the center.
To unmold, dip each mold briefly in warm water and invert onto a plate, or serve straight from the glass.

Tips

Bourbon's caramel and oak notes echo vanilla; a wheated bourbon gives the smoothest result.
Don't toss the scraped pods: tuck them into a jar of sugar for homemade vanilla sugar.
No vanilla bean? Use 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon vanilla powder instead. Add it where the recipe adds the seeds; if the bean is steeped in hot milk or cream, stir the swap in after cooking, off the heat.
Choosing vanilla: Ugandan vanilla (bold, chocolatey, smoky) suits this recipe best; Indonesian (deep, woody, savory) is a great alternative, and any pure vanilla works.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make panna cotta?

Plan on 15 minutes of prep and 10 minutes of cooking, plus 4 hr set. The recipe makes 6 servings.

How should I store panna cotta?

Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Add any topping just before serving.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This version uses 1 split vanilla bean. You can swap in 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste, or 1 teaspoon of vanilla powder instead; they're interchangeable at these amounts. Beans give the most visible specks and the fullest aroma.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 6 servings this recipe makes.

477 Calories / serving

41.8g Fat

20.0g Carbs

4.3g Protein

19.9g Sugar

Whole recipe (6 servings): ~2862 cal · 251g fat · 120g carbs · 26g protein · 119g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.

Per serving · 477 calories

What it takes to burn one serving

Brisk walking 90 min·5.3 mi·~10550 steps
Walking uphill or incline treadmill 65 min·3.3 mi·~6500 steps
Moderate cycling 48 min·9.6 mi
Swimming laps 67 min
Jogging 47 min·3.9 mi·~7500 steps
Stair climbing 44 min·~3950 steps
Dancing 78 min
Bodyweight circuit training 48 min
Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 111 min

Rough estimates for one serving, based on standard MET values at about 155 lb. Your own burn depends on body size, effort, and fitness. Shown for context only — food is not something you have to earn.