Limoncello Panna Cotta

Combine two Italian favorites! Creamy limoncello panna cotta with berries—an easy, elegant Italian dessert that’s bursting with citrusy flavor.

More easy desserts to try out include limoncello tiramisu, apricot apple cinnamon dumplings, lemon ricotta cookies, and lemon posset brulee.

Why You’ll Love It

Easy to make: There’s nothing hard about making limoncello pannacotta. This easy and delicious no bake dessert is simple enough for even newbie home cooks to master.
Delicious: Recipes like this are rich, creamy and tasty. This one combines the zesty taste of lemon with the appeal of juicy fresh berries.
You can make it ahead: Whenever you’re making a meal, it’s always nice to be able to prepare at least one course ahead. Once you’ve made this limoncello panna cotta, you can simply refrigerate it and focus on whatever you’re having for the main course. Not having to juggle several recipes at once is always a bonus!

Lemon and Berry Panna Cotta Ingredients

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Limoncello: Limoncello liqueur is one of the main ingredients, although you can always reduce the amount if you want a subtler taste. You can either buy a bottle of limoncello or make your own homemade limoncello.
White sugar: For sweetness.
Lemon zest: For a citrusy flavor.
Half & Half: To achieve a soft, rich consistency.
Fresh berries: To top the dessert. You can use whatever berries are in season.
Garnishes: Perhaps lemon peel twists and fresh mint sprigs.

How to Make a Italian Panna Cotta

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Make the berry topping: Toss the berries with sugar, limoncello and lemon peel, then cover and chill until required.
Prepare the gelatin: Sprinkle the gelatin into cold water in a small bowl and mix.
Work on the panna cotta mixture: Mix the rest of the limoncello with the cream, Half & Half and some more sugar, then heat in a medium saucepan until the sugar dissolves and simmer for a few minutes. Stir frequently until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Combine the softened gelatin and cream: Microwave the gelatin mixture for a few seconds then add softened gelatin to the cooked cream mixture.
Chill the limoncello panna cotta: Transfer the panna cotta into ramekins and let the mixture cool. This means chilling overnight or for at least a few hours.
Serve and enjoy: Invert the panna cotta desserts onto serving plates then stir the berries before topping the panna cotta desserts with them. Add any garnishes you like, and serve right away.

Substitutions and Variations

Individual dishes or one large one: If preferred, you can make this dessert in a large glass serving dish, or even in little shot glasses (if you use little serving glasses just add the berries on top – you can leave the panna cotta in those glasses to serve).
Berries: Use any kind of berries you like depending what you happen to prefer and what’s in season.
Limoncello: Reduce the amount of liqueur if you wish, perhaps swapping in lemon juice or even a splash of orange juice if you don’t want to use alcohol.

Serving Suggestions

Appetizers: Enjoy finger food such as steak and shiitake crostini or some chips with a cowboy caviar dip.
Main dishes: Serve baked gnocchi bolognese or pasta alla gricia next.
With drinks: You might like to serve a glass of limoncello alongside the dessert. Or you could pair it with an espresso for that authentic Italian touch (or both!)

How to Store Panna Cotta with Limoncello

Store: Keep the panna cotta mixture refrigerated until you’re ready to serve it (it will keep for a couple of days) and then prepare the berry mixture the same day you’re serving it, and top the panna cotta with the berries (and your chosen garnish) just before serving. Panna cotta without the fruit topping keeps for up to 5 days in the fridge as long as you add plastic wrap over the serving glasses.
Freeze: Panna cotta actually freezes well, but don’t add the berries before freezing it. Keep in mind the creamy dessert can “split” when it thaws, so it might not be quite so delicious as it was when fresh.
Thaw: Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.