Vegan Bourbon Vanilla Panna Cotta

Jul 12, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Dessert Custards puddings creams Origin: Ugandan Vanilla: Beans Easy

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

Vegan 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 2 hr

Total 2 hr 25 min

Servings 6

Diet Vegan

Ingredients

Adjust yield

servings

3.0 cups (720.0 ml)full-fat coconut cream
½ cup (100.0 g)granulated sugar
1.0 tsp (2.0 g)agar-agar powder
1.0vanilla bean, split and scraped
2.0 tbsp (30.0 ml)bourbon

Make it at home

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Instructions

Whisk the agar-agar powder into the cold coconut cream in a saucepan until no lumps remain.
Add the sugar and vanilla and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, whisking often.
Simmer for 2 minutes, whisking constantly, to fully activate the agar-agar, then remove from the heat.
Stir in the bourbon off the heat.
Pour into six molds or glasses and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until set.
To unmold, run a thin knife around the edge 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 2 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.

What makes this recipe vegan?

It uses plant-based swaps for every animal ingredient: full-fat coconut cream, agar-agar powder. Check that your plant butter and other packaged ingredients are certified vegan.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 6 servings this recipe makes.

459 Calories / serving

39.4g Fat

24.4g Carbs

3.8g Protein

19.0g Sugar

Whole recipe (6 servings): ~2754 cal · 236g fat · 146g carbs · 23g protein · 114g sugar

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

Per serving · 459 calories

What it takes to burn one serving

Brisk walking 87 min·5.1 mi·~10200 steps
Walking uphill or incline treadmill 62 min·3.1 mi·~6200 steps
Moderate cycling 47 min·9.4 mi
Swimming laps 64 min
Jogging 45 min·3.8 mi·~7200 steps
Stair climbing 42 min·~3800 steps
Dancing 75 min
Bodyweight circuit training 47 min
Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 107 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.