Christmas Panna Cotta

This creamy and luscious Christmas Panna Cotta has all the flavors of your favorite Christmas drink but in a creamy delicious dessert! 

The rich and delightful dessert comes together in a snap and is sure to be a total hit on your Christmas party table. Team it up with some eggnog walnut fudge and you’ve got yourself a crowd-pleaser! 

You’ll need just a handful of simple ingredients and barely 15 minutes of kitchen time to put it together- it just doesn’t get better than that. 

Easy Panna Cotta for Christmas

Ingredients And Substitutions

Eggnog: I used store-bought eggnog for the recipe. Make sure you use the original, dairy version for the best flavor. If you prefer not to buy commercially made eggnog, you can also make homemade eggnog.  

Gelatin: Gelatin helps the panna cotta set to its giggly texture. Use good-quality gelatin sheets or powder, I like to use Knox brand.

Heavy cream: Heavy cream will be the base for the panna cotta. Heavy cream is also called Whipping cream in the grocery store. You want at least 30% fat or more.

Vanilla: You’ll also need a dash of vanilla extract to balance the flavors. I didn’t have any on hand, but vanilla paste with the little seeds enhance the vanilla flavor to the next level. I highly recommend using that if you can find it!

Nutmeg: A pinch of nutmeg will bring the perfect holiday vibes to the Christmas panna cotta.

Sugar: And of course, some granulated sugar for the sweetness. You’ll need this for both- the panna cotta and the cranberry sauce. You can substitute brown sugar if you prefer.

Cranberries: Cranberries form the base for the bright and flavorful cranberry sauce. 

Orange juice: I also used some orange juice to bring some citrusy flavors and natural sweetness to the sauce. 

Here’s How to Make Eggnog Panna Cotta

STEP 1: Sprinkle gelatin in cold water in a bowl.
STEP 2: Combine cream, eggnog, and sugar in a saucepan. Warm the mixture to dissolve, but don’t boil. 
STEP 3: Pour into the gelatin mixture and whisk continuously. 
STEP 4: Add in the vanilla and mix. 
STEP 5: Pour into ramekins and let set. 

Making The Sweet Cranberry Sauce

STEP 1: Prepare the cranberry sauce by placing the cranberries, sugar and orange juice in a saucepan.
STEP 2: Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer. Continue to simmer until the cranberries break down and the mixture thickens to a jam-like consistency. Let it cool. 

Top the panna cotta with the cranberry sauce, some whipped cream and a bit of nutmeg. 

Tips To Make This Eggnog Panna Cotta Recipe Perfect 

• Remember to choose unflavored gelatin for this recipe. 
• Also keep in mind that all the ingredients should be at room temperature, including the heavy cream. 
• Heat the heavy cream mixture just enough- make sure you don’t end up burning it. 
• Whisk it continuously when you pour it into the gelatin mixture to keep any lumps from forming. 

How to Serve

Your rich and creamy holiday panna cotta can be enjoyed as a dessert all on its own with a nice cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate. 

You can skip the cranberry sauce and just top the panna cotta with some whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg, or even some chocolate shavings if you want to. 

I love pairing these with my all-time favorite Christmas desserts like my old fashioned butter tarts or my cinnamon roll apple cake. 

Storage Ideas & Suggestions

If you have any leftover eggnog panna cotta that you want to store for later, or you’re just prepping it ahead of time, remember to cover up the ramekins with some cling wrap to keep them fresh. Try to press the cling wrap against the tops of the custard to prevent a film from forming on top.

They can stay good in the fridge for up to 3 days- just remember to garnish them with the toppings of your choice right when you want to serve them, and not beforehand. 

Have you made this Christmas Panna Cotta recipe? I’d love to hear how you liked them! Please comment below or if you have any questions about this Christmas dessert recipe, feel free to email me at Joanne@thesaltypot. com.

Thank you so much for stopping by The Salty Pot and I hope you have a wonderful day!