Lemon Panna Cotta Recipe – How to make a great, super easy and creamy no bake Italian dessert with lemons – with the video tutorial.

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Lemon Panna Cotta

This creamy lemon panna cotta is an easy no bake dessert that’s creamy, light, full of luscious lemon flavor and only has a handful of ingredients.

Lemon lovers will adore this lemon version of the classic Italian dessert that’s infused with fresh lemon zest and plenty of creamy ingredients to create an indulgent make ahead dessert that will wow a crowd.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Lemon Panna Cotta Recipe

• Made with just a handful of simple ingredients.
• Rich, creamy and bursting with fresh lemon flavor.
• An elegant make-ahead dessert for dinner parties or to have a treat ready and waiting in the fridge for you.
• Naturally gluten free.
• Easy enough for beginners to successfully create.
• No baking required.

If you love lemon desserts, you’ll also enjoy my Lemon Mousse Recipe and collection of Low Carb Lemon Desserts.

The Simple Ingredients For The Easy Recipe

These are the basic ingredients that you’ll need to create the simple, yet sophisticated dessert:

Gelatin – helps to create the classic silky panna cotta texture in the dessert.

Heavy Cream – provides richness and luxurious creaminess.

Milk – you can include your milk of choice, which lightens the dessert slightly.

Sugar – balances the tartness of the lemons. You could also swap for stevia or your sugar or sugar alternative of choice, depending on your tastes and dietary requirements.

Fresh Lemons – both the zest and juice bring bright citrus flavor to the fresh dessert.

How To Make Lemon Panna Cotta

To make the simple no bake dessert, start by blooming the gelatin by sprinkling it into a small bowl and pouring over water.

You can just use cold water, there’s no need to use boiling or warmed water to bloom the gelatin.

Stir gelatin mixture to help it dissolve, then set it aside to bloom while you see to your creamy and lemon ingredients.

Then, get to mixing the creamy ingredients by pouring the cream, milk and sugar into a small saucepan.

You can use your cream, milk and sugar or sweetener of choice, depending on your dietary requirements, what you find at local grocery stores and what you usually include in your sweet treats.

For the lemons, use 1 to 2 lemons, depending on how lemony a flavor you’re after.

Grate the lemon rind or zest using a microplane grater or vegetable peeler over the creamy ingredients and then cut the lemon or lemons in half and squeeze the juice over a fine-mesh strainer to catch the lemon pips.

Place the saucepan on the stove top over medium heat and then cook until steaming, removing from the heat just before the creamy mixture comes up to boiling point.

Whisk the bloomed gelatin into the creamy, lemon mixture, then allow to cool to room temperature. You can pass the mixture through a sieve if you’d like a super smooth panna cotta, but we like the bits of lemon peel, so leave it as is.

Pour the panna cotta mixture into individual ramekins, serving bowls, custard cups or glasses, then pop into the fridge for a few hours, or overnight, to set.

Enjoy on it’s own or topped with fresh fruits, berry sauce or even an indulgent swirl of whipped cream.

Lemon Panna Cotta Recipe Tips

• Use fresh lemons rather than bottled juice for the best flavor.
• Avoid boiling the cream mixture as overheating can affect the texture of the finished dessert.
• Whisk the gelatin thoroughly to ensure you prevent any lumps from forming.
• Chill the homemade panna cotta overnight for the smoothest set.
• You can pass the mixture through a fine mesh sieve if you’d prefer an ultra-silky finish.

What To Serve With Lemon Panna Cotta

Serve as is or top each portion of dessert with your choice from the following:

• Fresh berries
• Raspberry sauce
• Blueberry compote
• Whipped cream
• Lemon curd
• Toasted almonds
• Shortbread biscuits

Looking for more easy no bake desserts? Try Raspberry Cheesecake Mousse or 2 Ingredient Chocolate Truffles.

Lemon Panna Cotta Recipe

• 2 teaspoons Gelatin
• 1/3 Cup Water
• 1 Cup Heavy Cream
• 1/2 Cup Milk
• 1/4 to 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 1-2 Lemons

1. Sprinkle gelatin into a small bowl, pour over the water, stir to combine and help the gelatin dissolve, then set it aside for 5 to 10 minutes to bloom.
2. Combine cream, milk and sugar in a small saucepan, then grate over the lemon zest and squeeze the lemon juice over a fine-mesh sieve to catch any pips.
3. Move the saucepan to the stove top and place it over medium heat.
4. Heat the creamy mixture until warmed through and steaming, but not yet boiling.
5. Remove from the heat, pour the gelatin mixture over the cream mixture then whisk well to fully combine.
6. Allow to cool to room temperature, then pour mixture into individual ramekins, jars or small serving bowls and cover with plastic wrap.
7. Place in the fridge for a few hours or overnight, to set, then enjoy as is or with your choice of sides or toppings from fresh raspberries, raspberry sauce, fresh blueberries or any other fresh berries.

Lemon Panna Cotta Variations

Low Carb Lemon Panna Cotta

Replace the sugar with your favorite sugar free granulated sweetener.

Lemon Vanilla Panna Cotta

Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Lemon Berry Panna Cotta

Top with fresh raspberries, strawberries or blueberries.

Lemon Coconut Panna Cotta

Replace part of the cream with coconut mil or coconut cream.

Meyer Lemon Panna Cotta

Use Meyer lemons for a sweeter citrus flavor.

Recipe Video Tutorial

Here’s the video where you can watch the lemon dessert being prepared, step by step. Hit play below or click here to watch on YouTube.

More Easy Dessert Recipes

2 Ingredient Chocolate Truffles

10 Low Carb Lemon Desserts

Lemon Mousse Recipe

Raspberry Cheesecake Mousse

Recipe updated June 2026: This recipe has been refreshed with additional cooking tips, ingredient notes, variations, FAQs and serving suggestions to help you achieve perfect lemon panna cotta every time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is panna cotta?

Panna cotta is a classic Italian dessert that’s made from sweetened cream thickened with gelatin and chilled until set.

Why didn’t my panna cotta set?

Usually this happens when there is not enough gelatin or the mixture wasn’t chilled for long enough.

Can I make lemon panna cotta ahead of time?

Yes. Lemon panna cotta is an excellent make-ahead dessert and can be prepared up to 2 days ahead of time.

Can I use bottled lemon juice?

Fresh lemon juice is recommended because it provides a brighter and fresher flavor.

Can I make panna cotta without milk?

Yes, feel free to replace the milk with additional cream for an even richer dessert or your milk of choice.

How long does panna cotta need to chill?

Allow at least 4 hours in the fridge, although overnight chilling produces the best texture results.

Can I unmold lemon panna cotta?

Yes. Briefly dip each ramekin into slightly warm water for a few seconds before turning onto a serving plate. We prefer ours straight from the ramekins though, so it depends on how you plan to serve the dessert.

How do I store lemon panna cotta?

Store covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Can I freeze lemon panna cotta?

Freezing is not recommended as the texture may become grainy after thawing.

Recommended Kitchen Tools

These are the kitchen tools I use when making the easy lemon panna cotta recipe:

• Microplane grater – perfect for finely zesting lemons.
• Fine mesh sieve – removes seeds and creates a silky smooth texture.
• Mixing bowls – for preparing the batter.
• Silicone spatula – for mixing and scraping every bit of batter from the bowl and saucepan.
• Measuring cups and spoons – for accurate results.
• Small Saucepan – needed to heat the ingredients together safely on the stove top.
• Whisk – to perfectly whip together the ingredients, ensuring a smooth consistency without any lumps.
• Ramekins – ideal for serving individual portions.

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