This Keto Pumpkin Pie Panna Cotta is low-carb, gluten-free, nut-free, and doesn’t involve any baking! It can even be made dairy-free, vegan, and paleo-compliant. Whip this sugar-free dessert together with only 30 minutes of prep time and serve at your fall and holiday gatherings.
This recipe was created in partnership with Lakanto.
Panna cotta is a dessert that originated in Italy. It’s creamy and thickened with gelatin and can be served in a number of different flavors. Common choices include chocolate, various fruits, caramel, and in this case, pumpkin!
If you are a novice cook, making panna cotta is a fantastic choice as its preparation is very straightforward. I especially like this recipe because:
- It takes virtually no effort to make with minimal time prepping anything in the kitchen. Simply follow the easy instructions of heating the mixture, then pour the liquid mixture into ramekins, then transfer them to the refrigerator to chill, and…. that’s all. (This recipe contains 3 steps. That’s about as easy as it’s going to get for a low-carb dessert recipe.)
- It is fail-proof. You really can’t mess it up. Even if the consistency after chilling isn’t totally perfect, the flavor will still be delicious.
- The ingredients are relatively inexpensive. Unlike many keto desserts that require expensive flours, panna cotta contains only a few ingredients that do not cost much and, if you cook keto desserts often, you likely already have all of the ingredients in your kitchen right now.
Pumpkin pie panna cotta FAQs
Before cooking, I would suggest reviewing the below answers to commonly asked questions about this recipe:
What ingredient substitutions are there?
- Heavy Cream Substitution: Half-and-half can be substituted in at a 1:1 ratio for heavy cream, but note that doing so will change the nutrition info, especially the carb content.
- Powdered Monk Fruit Sweetener Substitution: Instead of powdered monk fruit sweetener, you can substitute in Classic Monk Fruit Sweetener or Golden Monk Fruit Sweetener. I would suggest pulsing granulated sweetener in a food processor to powder it. If you are measuring by weight, be sure to use the correct weight (granulated sweetener weighs more than powdered sweetener).
- Gelatin Powder: You can try using this vegan gelatin powder, but note that I have not personally tested this substitution. If you use Knox gelatin instead of beef gelatin, you will likely need to use less as Knox seems to lead to firmer dishes when used in desserts.
How to make this recipe dairy-free?
To make this recipe dairy-free, you can substitute in unsweetened coconut milk (from a container, not a can) or, if you do not have nut allergies, unsweetened almond milk, but note that the less fat content in the dairy-free milk you use, the softer the resulting panna cotta will be.
If you use dairy-free milk in your panna cotta, I would not suggest trying to unmold it from the ramekin prior to serving, as it will more than likely break apart.
How to make this recipe paleo-compliant?
To make this recipe paleo-compliant, simply replace the heavy cream with your favorite paleo-friendly non-dairy milk.
How to make this recipe vegan?
Gelatin is an animal-based product and is not vegan-friendly. If you want a vegan keto panna cotta recipe, I would recommend trying this vegan gelatin powder and substituting in your favorite non-dairy milk for heavy cream.
The above-linked vegan gelatin powder is already sweetened with erythritol and stevia, so I would suggest lessening the total amount of monk fruit sweetener added to this recipe if you decide to go this route.
Note that I have not personally tested the substitution for the vegan gelatin in this recipe, but I wanted to offer it as an option for my vegan readers.
How to unmold panna cotta from a ramekin to serve on a separate plate?
If you want to serve each individual panna cotta on a plate or dish, be sure to grease each ramekin before pouring the liquid mixture into it to ensure it is easy to remove after chilling. Before trying to unmold the panna cotta, I suggest lightly dampening the serving plate you plan to use, which will help to move the panna cotta with ease if it does not land where you’d like it to.
If you are having trouble doing this, place individual ramekins in a warm water bath to slightly loosen up the gelatin, then press gently on the side of the panna cotta and it should release.
How to serve pumpkin panna cotta?
- Sprinkle cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice on top after chilling and prior to serving the panna cotta.
- Make homemade keto whipped cream and add a dollop on top of each ramekin of panna cotta.
- Drizzle Lakanto Caramel Syrup atop the panna cotta.
- Indulge your love for chocolate by sprinkling shavings from a sugar-free chocolate bar on top of the panna cotta after chilling and before serving.
How many net carbs in this panna cotta?
1 ramekin of panna cotta contains 2.8 grams of net carbs. A serving size is 1 ramekin and the recipe, as written, yields 4 ramekins of panna cotta. Net carbs are calculated by taking total carbs, subtracting fiber, and subtracting sugar alcohols.
The full nutrition information for this recipe, including the calorie content, total carbs, protein, and fat per serving, can be found in the nutrition label located below the recipe instructions.
What diets is this recipe compliant with?
- Keto and Low-Carb
- Primal
- Gluten-Free and Grain-Free
- Nut-Free
- Coconut-Free
- Dairy-Free (See notes above or below in the Notes section of the recipe card about how to make this recipe dairy-free)
- Paleo (See notes above or below in the Notes section of the recipe card about how to make this recipe paleo-compliant)
- Egg-Free
- Vegetarian and Vegan (See notes above or below in the Notes section of the recipe card about how to make this recipe vegetarian and vegan)
- Refined Sugar-Free
How to store prepared panna cotta?
- Refrigerator Storage: Lightly cover individual ramekins with foil, store in the refrigerator, and eat within 3-4 days.
How to make pumpkin pie panna cotta
To a saucepan over medium heat, add heavy cream, pumpkin puree, monk fruit sweetener, and gelatin powder.
Heat mixture and whisk frequently, until ingredients are well-combined, about 6-7 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium-low, whisk in pumpkin pie spice and vanilla extract and continue to heat mixture for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Remove pan from heat and allow mixture to sit at room temperature to cool slightly for 10 minutes.
Place ramekins atop a cutting board or flat plate (this will make transferring them to the refrigerator without spilling easier).
Whisk mixture thoroughly before pouring mixture into ramekins. Transfer cutting board of ramekins to refrigerator to chill for 2 hours.
When it comes time to serve, add a sprinkle of cinnamon atop ramekins.
More keto desserts to try
If you enjoyed this nut-free and sugar-free panna cotta, you will love these other easy keto desserts!
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Pumpkin Pie Panna Cota
Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ cups 400mL heavy cream
- ⅔ cup 160g pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup 30g powdered monk fruit sweetener
- 1 tbsp + 2 tsp, 17g gelatin powder (beef gelatin, not Knox gelatin)
- ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
Optional Garnish:
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
Materials:
- 4 4 oz ramekins
Instructions
- Panna Cotta: To a saucepan over medium heat, add heavy cream, pumpkin puree, monk fruit sweetener, and gelatin powder. Heat mixture, whisking frequently, until ingredients are well-combined, about 6-7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, whisk in pumpkin pie spice and vanilla extract and continue to heat mixture for an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and allow mixture to sit at room temperature to cool slightly for 10 minutes.
- Place ramekins atop a cutting board or flat plate (this will make transferring them to the refrigerator without spilling easier). Whisk mixture thoroughly before pouring mixture into ramekins. Transfer cutting board of ramekins to refrigerator to chill for 2 hours.
- Final Steps: Serve panna cotta chilled with sprinkle of cinnamon on top.
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