Dairy-Free Dark Chocolate Vanilla Panna Cotta

Jul 12, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Dessert Custards puddings creams Origin: Ugandan Vanilla: Beans Easy

Dairy-Free Dark Chocolate Vanilla Panna Cotta, unmolded on a plate with vanilla beans

Dairy-free dark chocolate 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 Mexican (spiced, warm, woodsy). Any pure vanilla works.

Prep 15 min

Cook 10 min

Set 4 hr

Total 4 hr 25 min

Servings 6

Diet Dairy free

Ingredients

Adjust yield

servings

3.0 cups (720.0 ml)coconut 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
¾ cup (130.0 g)chopped dark chocolate

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.
Whisk the chopped chocolate into the warm cream mixture until melted and smooth.
Remove from the heat and whisk in the bloomed gelatin until it melts completely and the mixture is smooth.
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

Use chocolate between 60% and 70% cacao so its bitterness balances the vanilla's sweetness.
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; Mexican (spiced, warm, woodsy) 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.

571 Calories / serving

47.0g Fat

37.3g Carbs

6.4g Protein

29.2g Sugar

Whole recipe (6 servings): ~3426 cal · 282g fat · 224g carbs · 38g protein · 175g sugar

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

Per serving · 571 calories

What it takes to burn one serving

Brisk walking 108 min·6.3 mi·~12650 steps
Walking uphill or incline treadmill 77 min·3.9 mi·~7700 steps
Moderate cycling 58 min·11.6 mi
Swimming laps 80 min
Jogging 56 min·4.7 mi·~8950 steps
Stair climbing 53 min·~4750 steps
Dancing 93 min
Bodyweight circuit training 58 min
Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 133 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.