Coconut-Mango Panna Cotta is an easy, no-bake dessert that will take your taste buds to the tropics! It’s silky, creamy, and that tropical coconut-mango flavor combo is always a winner. Our coconut cream mixture is layered with fresh mango purée that gives it a punch of sweet and slightly tart flavor, while the crisp toasted coconut on top adds a lovely crunch.

A serving of coconut-mango panna cotta garnished with toasted coconut and a flower

What is Panna Cotta?

Panna cotta is a sweet and creamy Italian dessert with a smooth, silky and firm texture. While it is similar to flan, it is a lighter custard that is often paired with fruit or infused with other flavors. Its rich and creamy texture is delicious with a variety of sweet sauces and syrups (check out our Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Blackberry Sauce, our Lavender Panna Cotta with Lemon Syrup, and our Vanilla Panna Cotta with Strawberry Sauce!).

This coconut-mango panna cotta is equal parts creamy and fruity. The mango gives the dessert a fresh and sunny flavor, the perfect after-dinner treat! It is special but not overly sweet, and trust us, you will savor every bite!

What is Panna Cotta Made Of?

The two main ingredients to make panna cotta are sweetened cream and gelatin. For our version, we use a mix of coconut cream and coconut milk, which gives it a rich coconut flavor that goes perfectly with the mango. Plus, it means this panna cotta recipe is completely dairy free!

Here is the full ingredient list:

Cold water
Unflavored gelatin (we use Knox gelatin)
Honey mangos
Coconut milk (unsweetened)
Coconut cream (unsweetened)
Granulated sugar
Salt
Vanilla extract
Toasted coconut (for garnish)

How to Make Panna Cotta:

Our coconut-mango panna cotta recipe is really simple to prepare and is a dessert that you can easily make in advance of your next big dinner party!

This version is done in three steps: make the mango layer, make the coconut layer, then assemble the panna cotta into personal-sized dessert dishes:

Prepare the mango layer: Combine the cold water and gelatin and let it sit for 5 minutes to soften. Process the mango flesh in a food processor, then transfer the purée to a saucepan over medium heat. When it is hot, microwave the gelatin for about 10 seconds, then whisk it into the hot purée and set aside. Cover it with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming on the top.
Make the coconut panna cotta: Soften the gelatin by combining it with the cold water in a small dish. In a saucepan, heat the coconut milk, coconut cream, sugar, and salt. Stir constantly to dissolve the sugar but don’t let the mixture come to a full boil. Heat the gelatin in the microwave until it is syrupy (about 10 seconds), then whisk it gently into the coconut mixture. Remove from heat and pour the cream through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl. Stir in the vanilla.
Assemble the panna cotta layers: Pour 1/3 cup of the coconut cream mixture into each of 4 glasses, then set them in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to set. After they have set, add 1/2 cup of the mango purée on top of the coconut cream layer. Then carefully pour the remaining coconut cream on top of the mango layer. Transfer the dishes to the refrigerator and let them set for about 3 hours or overnight.
Top and serve: When ready to serve the panna cotta, sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of the toasted coconut on top of each serving.

4 servings of Coconut-Mango Panna Cotta ready for the refrigerator. — Ready for the fridge!

Our dairy-free coconut-mango panna cotta has that irresistible tropical taste that we crave during the summer! It’s smooth, velvety, and a blend of textures and flavors that we know you will enjoy!

Four servings of coconut-mango panna cotta garnished with toasted coconut

More Chilled or Frozen Desserts

Tips and FAQs

Gelatin can lose some of its power if it is overheated so make sure to only heat for about 10 seconds in the microwave. It should be syrupy.
Purchase honey mangos that have slightly “wrinkled” skins as they will be the most ripe and sweet.
Don’t let the coconut cream come to a boil. If it begins to sputter and spit during the heating process, turn down the heat. Make sure to stir the mixture continuously.
When adding the layers to the dessert dishes, a small funnel is helpful. If you don’t have one, you can pour the mixture slowly over the back of a tablespoon.
How long can panna cotta stay in the fridge? This panna cotta will stay fresh in the fridge for 2-3 days, so long as the mango purée remains fresh. It is best when covered with plastic wrap. Don’t spoon the toasted coconut on until right before serving otherwise it will get soggy.
What does panna cotta taste like? Panna cotta is velvety and creamy, and our coconut-mango panna cotta has a light coconut flavor that is complemented by the sweet mango. The cream is not too sweet but is melt-in-your-mouth-satisfying, which is another reason why we love this elegant dessert.

Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love:

Pistachio Rose Mascarpone Cream Cakes: Mini heart shaped sponge cakes, layered with sweet and creamy rose water flavored mascarpone cream. These delightful individual desserts that have a dusting of confectioners’ sugar, chopped pistachios and dried baby roses.
Rainier Cherry Clafoutis with Amaretto: A sweet, custard-like dessert filled with juicy, ripe cherries. Easy to make, whirl a batter in a blender, pour into a skillet, add the cherries and bake to perfection!
Tripple Chocolate Brownie Cheesecake: There is no such thing as too much chocolate and this cheesecake celebrates a trio of surprises! The decadent fudgy brownie layer forms the bottom layer, with a creamy, dark chocolate cheesecake baked over the brownie and a rich, chocolate ganache covers the top. We even have a forth layer of luscious, chocolate curls.

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Coconut-Mango Panna Cotta

Try this tropical Coconut-Mango Panna Cotta for an easy, no-bake dessert. The silky coconut cream mixture is layered with fresh, sweet mango purée and garnished with crisp, toasted coconut.

4.86 from 14 votes

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Prep Time: 15

Total Time: 15

Servings: Servings

Calories: 408kcal

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

For the Mango Layer:

¼ cup cold water
2-½ teaspoons 7g unflavored gelatin or 1 envelope
3 large ripe Honey mangos

For the Coconut Layer:

¼ cup cold water
2-½ teaspoons 7g unflavored gelatin or 1 envelope
1 can 13-oz. full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
1 can 13.5 oz. can unsweetened coconut cream
⅓ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Toasted coconut for garnish

Instructions

For the Mango Layer:

Add the cold water to a small dish and sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Let sit for 5 minutes to soften.
Slice the mangos in half, scoop out the flesh and add to a food processor or blender. Process the mango to a smooth purée then transfer to a saucepan set over medium heat until hot.
Place the dish of softened gelatin in the microwave and heat for 10-seconds just until syrupy.
Whisk the gelatin into the hot mango purée, remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside. Cover the purée with plastic wrap, pressing against the surface to prevent a skin from forming.

For the Coconut Layers:

Add the cold water to a small dish and sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Let sit for 5 minutes to soften.
In a saucepan set over medium heat, add the coconut milk, coconut cream, sugar and the salt. Heat the mixture, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar, until it is hot but not boiling.
Set the softened gelatin in the microwave and heat at 10-second bursts until syrupy.
Whisk the gelatin into the coconut mixture, remove from the heat and pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl or a pitcher. Stir in the vanilla extract.

To Assemble the Coconut-Mango Panna Cotta:

Pour 1/3 cup of the coconut cream mixture into each of 4 glasses, place on a tray and set into the freezer for 15-20 minutes to set.
Keep the remaining coconut cream covered with plastic wrap pressed to the surface so the coconut cream does not form a skin.
Remove the glasses from the freezer and add 1/2 cup of the mango purée on top of the layer of coconut cream to each of the 4 glasses.
Carefully pour the remaining coconut cream mixture over the mango layer. Transfer the panna cotta desserts to the refrigerator and allow to set, about 3 hours.

To Serve:

When ready to serve the panna cotta, top each serving with 2 tablespoons of toasted coconut.

Notes

We used Knox gelatin for this dessert. Each envelope is 7grams/2-1/2 teaspoons.
Gelatin can loose some of its power if overheated. Heat only until it is syrupy.
When purchasing mangos select the mangos that have slightly “wrinkled” skins. They will not be a pretty as the smooth mangos but they will be ripe and sweet.
Do not boil the coconut cream, if it begins sputtering and spitting during the heating process, reduce the heat. Stir the mixture continually.
A small funnel is helpful when adding the mixtures in layers. If you do not have a funnel, pour the mixture slowly over the back of a tablespoon spoon.