Gluten-Free Brown Butter Vanilla Panna Cotta

Aug 23, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Dessert Custards puddings creams Origin: Ugandan Vanilla: Beans Easy

Gluten-Free Brown Butter Vanilla Panna Cotta, unmolded on a plate with vanilla beans

Gluten-free brown butter panna cotta flavored with a whole vanilla bean. An easy recipe: 25 minutes of prep and 10 minutes of cooking, plus setting; serves 6. Best vanilla for this: Ugandan (bold, chocolatey, smoky), or Madagascar (rich, creamy, classic). Any pure vanilla works.

Prep 25 min

Cook 10 min

Set 4 hr

Total 4 hr 35 min

Servings 6

Diet Gluten free

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
3.0 tbsp (42.0 g)browned unsalted butter, cooled

Make it at home

As an Amazon Associate, VanillaGoods earns from qualifying purchases. We only suggest tools that fit this recipe.

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.
Brown the butter: melt it in a small skillet over medium heat, swirling, until the milk solids turn golden and it smells nutty, then let it cool slightly, and whisk it into the warm cream mixture.
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

Brown the butter in a light-colored pan so you can see the color change; it turns from golden to burnt in seconds.
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; Madagascar (rich, creamy, classic) is a great alternative, and any pure vanilla works.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make panna cotta?

Plan on 25 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.

517 Calories / serving

47.5g Fat

20.0g Carbs

4.3g Protein

19.9g Sugar

Whole recipe (6 servings): ~3102 cal · 285g 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 · 517 calories

What it takes to burn one serving

Brisk walking 98 min·5.7 mi·~11450 steps
Walking uphill or incline treadmill 70 min·3.5 mi·~7000 steps
Moderate cycling 53 min·10.6 mi
Swimming laps 72 min
Jogging 51 min·4.3 mi·~8150 steps
Stair climbing 48 min·~4300 steps
Dancing 84 min
Bodyweight circuit training 53 min
Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 120 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.