Buttermilk Panna Cotta

Old fashioned buttermilk pudding, deliciously tart, sweet, and creamy.

By
Garrett McCord
Garrett McCord
Garrett McCord
Garrett has been writing about food and sharing recipes for 15 years. He is the author of Melt: The Art of Macaroni and Cheese.
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Updated March 11, 2025
Garrett McCord
Buttermilk Pudding
Elise Bauer

Guest author Garrett McCord has been telling us about his buttermilk pudding for ages. He finally came over and made it for us recently. Outrageously good! ~Elise

Elise's father is one of those people who has been known to drink buttermilk straight out of the glass.

I think that's, well, sort of gross.

To me, buttermilk is a second string ingredient best left as a behind the scenes player. It should be the bridesmaid, never the bride.

That is, in most cases.

Buttermilk Panna Cotta, a Delicious and Smooth Pudding

This is not one of those. Buttermilk pudding is something different entirely. A delicious and smooth pudding that elicits small moans of "Mmm," and "Wow!" from those who try it.

It's just sweet enough, super creamy, with a sunny tang that teases you to keep taking bite after bite until, lo and behold, you've eaten the whole bowl.

More Creamy, Pudding Goodness

Buttermilk Panna Cotta

Prep Time 4 hrs
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 4 hrs 10 mins
Servings 6 servings
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Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons powdered gelatin

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream

  • 1/2 cup sugar

  • 1 vanilla bean, seeded (or substitute 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract)

  • 2 cups buttermilk

  • Jam or jelly to serve, optional

Method

  1. Mix the gelatin with water:

    Mix the gelatin with 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl and set aside.

  2. Make the panna cotta base:

    Put the cream, sugar, and vanilla bean seeds and pod (or vanilla extract if using) into a small saucepan over medium heat. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove from heat and add the gelatin to the warm cream mixture. Stir until the gelatin has dissolved.

  3. Add the buttermilk:

    Once the cream has cooled to room temperature, add the buttermilk and stir. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to catch any bits of undissolved gelatin.

  4. Chill:

    Pour the mixture into ramekins, about 1/2 cup per ramekin (the pudding is very rich). Cover the ramekins with plastic wrap and chill to set for at least four hours. Serve with your favorite jam, jelly, marmalade, fruit, or straight up.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
244 Calories
15g Fat
24g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 244
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g 19%
Saturated Fat 10g 48%
Cholesterol 48mg 16%
Sodium 169mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 24g 9%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 23g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 1mg 7%
Calcium 122mg 9%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 164mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.