Perfect holiday treat recipe — festive cookies or confections on a serving tray

December 12, 2025

The Perfect Holiday Treat!

Pomegranate Panna Cotta in French Water Glasses

A festive, elegant holiday dessert inspired by Ina Garten

I’ve always loved Ina Garten’s panna cotta with raspberry sauce—it’s a classic dessert that’s creamy, elegant, and surprisingly simple to make. For the holidays, I wanted to put a seasonal spin on that favorite by swapping raspberries for pomegranate, a fruit known for its rich color and bright flavor.

Using Ina’s panna cotta recipe as my base, I created my own pomegranate topping to highlight the deep ruby color that feels so perfect for winter entertaining. This pomegranate panna cotta is an ideal make-ahead dessert for the holidays, special dinners, or anytime you want something that looks impressive but requires very little effort.

There’s something magical about pomegranates this time of year. Their jewel-toned seeds feel festive the moment the weather turns cold, and they add stunning color to any holiday dessert. Paired with a creamy vanilla panna cotta, pomegranate creates a beautiful contrast in both flavor and appearance.

This dessert is served in our French Water Glasses, which are perfect for layered desserts. The tall, classic shape shows off every detail—from the snowy white panna cotta to the glossy pomegranate layer and fresh arils on top. The tall, white cake stand was a beautiful way to display the desserts.

Why Pomegranate Is Perfect for Holiday Desserts

Pomegranate isn’t just beautiful—it’s also incredibly versatile and nutritious. Adding pomegranate to desserts offers:

A natural source of antioxidants
Vitamin C for immune support during winter months
Bright, tart flavor that balances rich cream
Fresh texture from the arils, adding contrast to soft desserts

It’s no wonder pomegranate desserts are so popular during the holiday season.

Why Serve Panna Cotta in French Water Glasses?

Our French water glasses are ideal for desserts like panna cotta, parfaits, and layered mousses. Their clear glass design allows the layers to shine, making them perfect for:

Holiday entertaining and dinner parties
Individual dessert servings
Showcasing seasonal colors like pomegranate red

They’re timeless, durable, and elegant—equally suited for desserts, wine, or sparkling water.

A Make-Ahead Holiday Dessert

This pomegranate panna cotta recipe is perfect for holiday entertaining because it can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to serve. The creamy vanilla base, bright pomegranate topping, and fresh arils make it festive, elegant, and memorable.

Served in French water glasses, it’s a holiday dessert that feels both effortless and special—just the way entertaining should be.

Pomegranate Panna Cotta

Cassandra

Servings

This pomegranate panna cotta is a creamy, make-ahead holiday dessert inspired by Ina Garten, featuring a silky vanilla base topped with a vibrant pomegranate layer and fresh arils. Served in French water glasses, it’s as beautiful as it is delicious.

Ingredients

Panna Cotta Layer
2 tsp (1 packet) unflavored gelatin
3 cups heavy cream, divided
¾ cup sugar
Seeds from 1 vanilla bean
2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 Tbsp Grand Marnier (optional)
Pomegranate Layer
1 cup pomegranate juice
1 tsp unflavored gelatin
1 Tbsp sugar
Pinch of sea salt
For Serving
Fresh pomegranate arils
Mint or rosemary sprigs (optional)

Directions

Make the panna cotta Sprinkle gelatin over ½ cup of the cream and let bloom for 5 minutes.
Heat remaining cream, sugar, and vanilla bean seeds in a saucepan until warm (do not boil).
Stir in softened gelatin until fully dissolved.
Remove from heat and whisk in yogurt, vanilla extract, and Grand Marnier.
Pour into French water glasses and refrigerate 2–3 hours, until set.
Make the pomegranate layer Sprinkle gelatin over 2 Tbsp pomegranate juice and let bloom for 5 minutes.
Warm remaining juice with sugar and salt, then stir in gelatin mixture until dissolved.
Let cool slightly and gently pour over the set panna cotta.
Chill at least 2 hours more, until fully set.
To serve Top each glass with fresh pomegranate arils and a sprig of mint or rosemary for a festive holiday presentation.

Back to blog