Root Beer-Infused Panna Cotta with Wintergreen Crème

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-05 · Updated 2026-04-05

A refined dessert capturing Dad's Root Beer's premium essence, featuring silky panna cotta infused with herbal notes and a crisp wintergreen crème topping. This Italian-inspired recipe, ready in about 35 minutes, layers heavy cream, whole milk, root beer extract into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 4, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 tsp root beer extract
• 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 2 1/2 tsp gelatin powder
• 2 tbsp cold water
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 8 fresh mint leaves
• 2 tbsp candied wintergreen leaves

Instructions

1. Step 1: Bloom 2 1/2 tsp gelatin powder in 2 tbsp cold water for 5 minutes until gelatin softens.
2. Step 2: Gently heat 2 cups heavy cream and 1 cup whole milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming but not boiling, about 5 minutes.
3. Step 3: Stir 1 tsp root beer extract and 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste into the hot cream mixture, then whisk in 1/4 cup granulated sugar until dissolved.
4. Step 4: Remove from heat and whisk in the bloomed gelatin until fully dissolved, about 1 minute.
5. Step 5: Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into 4 ramekins, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours until set.
6. Step 6: Just before serving, gently place 2 candied wintergreen leaves on each panna cotta and garnish with 2 fresh mint leaves.