Chocolate Panna Cotta is a thick and creamy custard is a perfect chocolate dessert to make for your family! This make ahead dessert recipe is perfect for family dinner parties and special occasions, or to enjoy on any day!

A treat that my girls love but I rarely make is pudding! I really don’t like buying pre-made pudding at the store, but I rarely take the time to make it from scratch at home. It just seems so — fussy. Really this is all in my head, because homemade chocolate pudding could not be easier with the right recipe. I like to make homemade panna cotta because it is so creamy and decadent while it is still light and refreshing. Because if you are going to have dessert you want to be able to finish the entire thing, right?

This post is sponsored in conjunction with #SpringSweetsWeek. I received product samples from Nancy’s Yogurt to help in the creation of the #SpringSweetsWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

Table of Contents hide

1) What is Panna Cotta?

2) How to Make Chocolate Panna Cotta

3) How to Serve Chocolate Panna Cotta:

4) How Your Kids Can Help You Make Panna Cotta

5) Chocolate Panna Cotta

What is Panna Cotta?

Panna Cotta is an Italian pudding that is reminiscent of a light and creamy chocolate pudding. It is such a satisfying dessert and so great to enjoy after a heavy meal.

How to Make Chocolate Panna Cotta

Chocolate panna cotta is an easy dessert recipe to make. Traditionally this is a cooked custard recipe, with eggs, and while it is still simple and easy to make, I decided to make it even easier by cutting out the eggs and using greek yogurt in place of the cream. The yogurt adds a bit of a tang while helping to create a rich and creamy texture.

Mix the gelatin and milk together and let it sit for 10 minutes.
Simmer the milk until warm and mix in the honey, vanilla and gelatin mixture.
Remove from heat.
Whisk in the chocolate until melted.
Stir in the yogurt.
Divide into 6 glasses.
Refrigerate for 3 hours before enjoying.

I recommend using dark chocolate for this recipe. You could use milk chocolate, but it will be very, very sweet and would not have as intense of a chocolate flavor.

How to Serve Chocolate Panna Cotta:

You can serve this chocolate panna cotta recipe several ways.

Serve it straight out of the jar or invert it onto a serving plate for a more special presentation.
Serve it plain or with some cocoa nibs and whipped cream
You could also serve it with a fruit based compote like strawberry sauce or a caramel sauce.

No matter how you serve it, this creamy and decadent chocolate panna cotta is sure to be a family favorite!

How Your Kids Can Help You Make Panna Cotta

These individual chocolate panna cotta cups are a perfect for kids to help you make!

Kids aged 1 to 3 can help you measure everything.
Kids aged 4 to 6 can help do everything above, and help
Kids aged 7 to 10+ can help do everything above, plus

*Please note that these recommendations are generalized, and to please use your personal discretion with your child’s skill level. And always, always supervise! Read more about how to have your children help you in the kitchen.