This ultra-smooth and creamy Key Lime Panna Cotta is the perfect easy recipe for the summer months ahead. It’s light and melts in your mouth with a tangy key lime flavor that’s delicious and refreshing.
Delicious Summer Key Lime Panna Cotta
It’s my favorite time of year folks! I’m gearing up for summer and hoping they’ll be more entertaining opportunities this summer season than there were last season.
If you’re a regular follower here at the BHK, you know I spend the winter months brainstorming recipes for summer. We have loads of dinner guests at the beach all summer long and I love it!
When I plan a dinner party during the summer, I try to use all that the season has to offer. I LOVE all the outdoor fruit and vegetable stands at the Jersey shore. We have our pick of the most beautiful corn, tomatoes, berries and so much more. New Jersey, the Garden State, lives up to its name.
And when it comes to desserts, fruit desserts are always at the top of my list. They’re lighter and I feel less guilty if I indulge.
I actually found the recipe for this delicious Key Lime Panna Cotta while I was down in Florida this winter in the local newspaper and knew I’d have to try it. I just made a few tweaks to boost the key lime flavor a smidge. Tom and I both LOVE key lime desserts. If you can’t get fresh key limes for this recipe, you can always grab some Nellie & Joe’s Famous Key West Lime Juice from your local market or order it online.
What is Panna Cotta?
Panna Cotta is a molded, chilled Italian dessert of sweetened cream that is thickened with gelatin. It means cooked cream in Italian.
Key Lime Panna Cotta Ingredients
• heavy whipping cream
• granulated sugar
• gelatin
• vanilla extract
• key lime zest
• key lime juice
This dessert is perfect for a crowd too. You can double the recipe and use mini mason jars for serving. You can also make them ahead of time and just chill them in the fridge until dessert time.
Hope you add these to your summer dessert line up. Enjoy!
A Few Cook’s Notes for Key Lime Panna Cotta
As mentioned above, if you can’t find key limes, you can also use bottled key lime juice from your local market. See the link above. ↑
You can serve your panna cotta in glasses as pictured in this post, or you can pour into small ramekins and then after the panna cotta is fully chilled you can run a thin knife around the edges of the panna cotta to unmold and then invert onto a serving plate.
More Summer Fruit Desserts to Enjoy
Key Lime Panna Cotta
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 packet gelatin, I use Knox
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 tsp. key lime zest
- 3 teaspoons fresh key lime juice
- key lime slices and graham cracker crumbs, for serving, if desired
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine gelatin with 3 tablespoons cold water. Whisk and set aside,
- In a medium saucepan, stir together the heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla extract over medium-low heat until sugar is totally dissolved. Add the gelatin mixture. Whisk until the gelatin is dissolved. Stir in the key lime zest and juice.
- Pour evenly into six serving dishes or ramekins. Place in refrigerator for 3-4 hours until set. You can serve in the dish or place the ramekins in a pan of hot water, just slightly up the outsides of the ramekins. Let the ramekins sit for a few minutes and then run a knife around the edges and invert onto serving plates. Top each with a slice of lime and a sprinkle of graham cracker crumbs.
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
I can’t think of a more perfect Summer dessert! And so pretty, too, so great for entertaining, too. I will be adding this to my Summer plans :)
Mary Ann
Great! I bet you’ll love it Jennifer! And how easy it is too.
Katherine | Love In My Oven
This sounds so light and refreshing! It would be perfect for a summer dessert! Can’t go wrong with key lime :)
Mary Ann
One of our faves Katherine!
Maria
Pinned it and look forward to trying it this summer. Looks so light and refreshing!
Mary Ann
Great! Hope you enjoy it Maria!
Laura
Mary Ann, this looks like the perfect dessert – sweet and tart, creamy, and make-ahead! Love all of those thngs! I’m a big fan of key lime anything, so this is definitely on my list to make!
Mary Ann
It’s so easy Laura!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary
Ohhhh yeaaahhh!! The mister and I love (and I mean LOVE!!) any and all things key lime related!! And, no summer celebration is complete without a key lime treat (or three!!)! With that said, I’m DROOLING over this Key Lime Panna Cotta!!! I could probably eat my weight in this creamy treat! Forget breakfast, lunch and dinner, I’ll be skipping straight to dessert and stuffing my face with this!! I can’t wait to try this recipe, Mare!
Mary Ann
Hope you guys enjoy it Chey!!
Marissa
I adore panna cotta, but have only had vanilla and chocolate. LOVE the idea of making it with key limes (love key lime pie). This is an absolute must try recipe!!
Mary Ann
Enjoy Marissa!
Traci | Vanilla And Bean
A wonderful panna cotta, Mare…. perfect for entertaining! This summer is sure to be better than last. Being able to have friends over again is super exciting!
Mary Ann
I’m so excited for a better summer this year! More entertaining hopefully!
S voigt
O. M. G. I was tryIng to duplicate this recipe from a downtown restaurant. Yours is perfect! I used Biscoff cookie crumbs instead of graham crackers . Yumm! Can’t wait to take it to work!
Mary Ann
I love the idea of the Biscoff cookie crumbs! I’ll try that next time. So happy you enjoyed it!