Kheer or Rice Kheer is a classic Indian rice pudding made with rice, milk, sugar, and nuts and flavored with saffron and cardamom. This creamy pudding is a popular Indian dessert often made during festivals and special occasions and can be served either warm or chilled.
In this post, I'm sharing how to make thick, creamy rice kheer recipe with condensed milk in the Instant Pot and stovetop.
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Rice Kheer is a delicious, creamy Indian dessert recipe that is a popular choice to celebrate special occasions and festivals (like Diwali and Holi) or when you crave something sweet.
It is easy to make and comes together quickly; it is even easier if you make it in the Instant Pot. The best part about making homemade kheer is that you can adjust the consistency and sweetness to your liking.
If you love Kheer, try other variations like Seviyan Kheer and Sabudana Kheer.
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What is Kheer?
Kheer is a traditional Indian rice pudding made with just three basic ingredients: rice, milk, and sugar, which makes it accessible for everyone to make at home.
It can be further flavored with cardamom and saffron and garnished with dried fruits and nuts.
This quintessential Indian dessert is a staple in many Indian households and is considered a comfort food. It is often prepared during festivals, religious ceremonies, and special occasions. It symbolizes prosperity, joy, and good fortune.
Kheer is typically served warm in winter or chilled in summer, making it perfect for all seasons.
In India, each region has its version of kheer, known by names like "Chawal ki Kheer" in North India, Paal Payasam in South India, and "Tandalachi Kheer" in Marathi.
Typically, when you hear Kheer, it refers to kheer made with rice. But Kheer can be made using other grains, such as vermicelli (seviyan), tapioca (Sabudana), or broken wheat.
Traditionally, homemade kheer is slow-cooked on a stovetop, which is how I learned to make it. Over the last few years, I have started making the recipe for kheer in the Instant Pot.
Both methods yield a delicious, rich, creamy kheer perfect for any occasion, with minimal effort in the Instant Pot or a more traditional touch on the stovetop!
Why You'll Love This Kheer
- It is rich, creamy, and aromatic.
- Made with simple pantry ingredients
- Versatile and customizable
- It can be served warm or chilled
- Quick and easy to make in the Instant Pot
- Perfect for any occasion and celebration
- Authentic, delicious comfort food.
Recipe Ingredients
Rice: I used aromatic white basmati rice for this recipe, but you can use any white rice.
Milk: Whole milk is used for rich and creamy kheer, but you can also use low-fat or unsweetened dairy-free milk.
Sugar: I use a combination of white granulated sugar and condensed milk (or milkmaid), which gives this kheer a creamy texture and caramel flavor. You can also make it with only sugar or condensed milk and adjust the amount based on taste preference.
Ghee: I used homemade ghee. It adds a touch of richness and enhances the flavor of the kheer. You can skip ghee and make kheer without ghee, too.
Nuts and dry fruits: I love adding nuts to my kheer for texture. I use chopped almonds, cashews, pistachios, and a few raisins. You can also add some dry shredded coconut. You can add nuts or skip them for a nut-free dessert.
Flavoring the Kheer: You can use a combination of these spices to flavor the kheer and make it even more delicious. I mainly use Saffron and Cardamom. Saffron adds a nice color and aroma, and Cardamom adds a warm, fragrant flavor. I sometimes also add a splash of rose water (for a floral taste). A little goes a long way. You can also add some vanilla extract or Kewra essence.
How to Make Kheer (Stepwise Photos)
Prep work: Rinse the rice thoroughly under cold water until the water runs clear. Soak the rice in enough water for 20-30 minutes. Drain the rice using a colander and keep it aside. Chop the nuts and keep them ready, too!
1 - Heat a heavy-bottom pan on medium heat and add two teaspoons of ghee, followed by the soaked and drained rice. Roast the rice for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
2 - Add water and bring it to a simmer.
3 - Then add the milk and mix well.
4 - Let the milk boil (takes about 10-12 minutes). Stir intermittently so the milk doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
5 - Lower the heat to medium-low once the milk boils. Add one tablespoon of the boiled milk from the pan to a small bowl with saffron strands. Mix well. Keep aside.
6 - Cook the kheer for 25-30 minutes on low heat, stirring every 2-3 minutes. Scrape the milk solids from the sides of the pan and add them to the kheer. This will add creaminess to the milk.
After 25 minutes, check if the rice grains are cooked by mashing a few grains with a spoon. They should mash easily. Otherwise, cook more until the rice is soft and thoroughly cooked.
7 and 8 - Once the rice is cooked, add sugar, cardamom powder, nuts, and the prepared saffron milk. Mix well.
9 - Cook the kheer for 5 more minutes or until the sugar has dissolved completely.
10 and 11- After 5 minutes, Stir in the condensed milk and freshly ground cardamom pods. Mix well. Turn off the heat.
Delicious, rich, creamy, and thick Rice Kheer is ready!! You can serve it warm or let it cool. The Kheer will thicken as it cools.
Instant Pot Rice Kheer (Stepwise photos)
Here is how to make rice kheer in Instant Pot!! Clean and sanitize the Instant Pot and all its parts thoroughly before making kheer.
1 to 4 - Rinse the rice thoroughly under cold water until the water runs clear. Soak the rice in enough water for 20-30 minutes. Drain the rice using a colander and set it aside.
5 - Start the Instant Pot on saute mode. Add two teaspoons of ghee and allow it to melt. Add the rice and saute for about 1 minute or until fragrant. This adds a great flavor.
6 - Stir in the chopped nuts and raisins and toast with rice for another 30-45 seconds.
7 - Add water and mix well and bring it to a simmer.
8 - Press cancel and add milk, sugar, cardamom powder, and saffron. Since the pot is hot, adding milk will create steam, so be careful and add milk slowly.
9 - Mix well. Ensure nothing is stuck to the bottom of the pot.
10 - Close the lid with the vent closed to seal. Set the Instant Pot to Porridge mode for 20 minutes on high. When the Instant Pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally.
11 - Once the pin drops, open the lid and mix well. Stir in the condensed milk and freshly crushed cardamom. Mix well.
12 - Creamy Rice Kheer is ready! The kheer thickens when cooling, but if you prefer a thicker consistency, start the Instant Pot on saute mode and cook for 5 minutes, stirring intermittently until the desired consistency is reached.
How to Serve Kheer?
Kheer can be served warm or chilled. To serve it warm, transfer it to serving bowls and garnish with chopped nuts, saffron strands (optional), and crushed rose petals for a touch of elegance and added flavor.
If you prefer your kheer chilled, allow it to come to room temperature and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight before serving.
You can serve kheer as a dessert or pair it with Indian bread like puris and Malpuas (sweet pancakes) for a festive touch.
For a fusion twist, serve kheer as a parfait layered with a spoonful of fruit compote or fresh fruits like mangoes, strawberries, or crumbled cookies.
Storage Suggestions
Leftover kheer can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Serve cold kheer or reheat gently on the stove or microwave for warm kheer.
Kheer tends to thicken when refrigerated, so just before serving, thin it out by adding milk to your preferred consistency.
Recipe Tips
Rinse and Soak Rice: Rinse the rice thoroughly and soak it for about 20-30 minutes before cooking. This helps the rice cook faster and more evenly.
Use Full-Fat Milk: For the creamiest texture, always use full-fat milk. I also add a bit of condensed milk for extra richness.
Sweeten the kheer: I highly recommend making rice kheer with condensed milk and sugar. This combination makes the best kheer, with a creamy texture and caramel flavor. You can also make it with only sugar or condensed milk. Adjust the amount based on taste preference. Alternatively, you can use jaggery or brown sugar, but add it after cooking to prevent milk from curdling.
Prevent the "Burn" warning in the Instant Pot: Use ghee to saute rice, heat water before adding milk, and deglaze the pot well by scraping any bits of rice stuck to the bottom. These steps will prevent the milk from burning or scorching.
Natural pressure release: For Instant Pot, always allow natural release; I don't recommend manual release, as the milk will froth and come out through the vents, making it messy.
Stir Frequently: On the stovetop, stir the kheer often while it's cooking to prevent the milk from sticking to the bottom of the pan and to keep the rice from clumping. In the Instant Pot, after opening the lid, stir well to break down the rice, making the kheer creamier and smoother.
Kheer thickens as it cools: Leave it slightly thinner or add more milk before serving to adjust consistency.
Kheer color: I used saffron in this recipe, which gives the kheer a nice golden color. The color of the kheer will vary depending on the quality of the saffron and whether you add it or skip it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Rice kheer is a great make-ahead dessert. It will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavors develop even more, and I think Kheer tastes better the next day!
Yes, jaggery can be used in place of sugar to make kheer. Add jaggery only after the kheer is cooked and cooled slightly (5-10 minutes) to prevent curdling. In a separate pan, melt jaggery with a few tablespoons of water over low heat until fully dissolved; strain to remove impurities. Stir the melted jaggery syrup into the slightly cooled kheer until well combined. Jaggery Kheer will have a brown color. You can follow the same steps for coconut sugar and brown sugar.
Yes, definitely! To make vegan kheer, skip roasting the rice in ghee and substitute dairy milk with almond milk or coconut milk. To keep the recipe vegan, skip condensed milk and use sugar only.
Both are made with the same ingredients, but the main difference is that Kheer is made with whole rice, while Phirni is made with ground rice.
Yes, leftover rice works great for Kheer! Heat it with milk and cook until thick and creamy. Then add sugar, cardamom and nuts. Use 1 to 1.5 cups of cooked rice for 4 cups (liter) of milk. This is a great way to use extra rice and create a delicious dessert.
More Indian Dessert Recipes
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Recipe Card
Rice Kheer (Indian Rice Pudding)
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup rice 100 grams, I used basmati rice
- 2 teaspoons ghee
- ½ cup water
- 5 cups whole milk
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- Pinch saffron optional
- 2 tablespoons raisins
- ¼ cup nuts coarsely chopped (I used cashews, pistachios and almonds)
- ¼ cup condensed milk or substitute with sugar
- 4 cardamoms pods seeds removed and coarsely crushed
- 1 teaspoon rose water optional
For Garnish (optional)
- dried rose petals as required
- sliced almonds, pistachios and cashews as required
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Instructions
Prep work:
- Rinse the rice thoroughly under cold water until the water runs clear. Soak the rice in enough water for 20-30 minutes. Drain the rice using a colander and keep it aside.
- Chop the nuts and keep them ready, too!
How to Make Kheer
- Heat a heavy-bottom pan on medium heat and add two teaspoons of ghee, followed by the soaked and drained rice. Roast the rice for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly until fragrant.
- Add water and bring it to a simmer. Then add the milk and mix well.
- Bring the milk to a boil on medium heat (takes about 10-12 minutes). Stir intermittently so the milk doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Add one tablespoon of the boiled milk from the pan to a small bowl with saffron strands. Mix well. Keep aside.
- Cook the kheer for 25-30 minutes on medium low heat, stirring every 2-3 minutes. Scrape the milk solids from the sides of the pan and add them to the kheer. This will add creaminess to the milk.
- Check if the rice grains are cooked by mashing a few grains with a spoon. They should mash easily. Otherwise, cook more until the rice is soft and completely cooked.
- Then add sugar, cardamom powder, nuts, and the prepared saffron milk. Mix well.
- Cook the kheer for 5 more minutes or until the sugar has dissolved completely.
- Stir in the condensed milk and freshly crushed cardamom powder. Mix well. Turn off the heat. Stir in rose water (if using).
- Delicious, rich, creamy, and thick Kheer is ready! Kheer will thicken as it cools. Garnish with more nuts and dried rose petals. Serve kheer warm or let it chill in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving.
Instant Pot Rice Kheer
- Clean and sanitize the Instant Pot and all its parts thoroughly before making kheer.
- Start the Instant Pot on saute mode. Add two teaspoons of ghee and allow it to melt. Add the rice and saute for about 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Stir in the chopped nuts and raisins and saute with rice for another 30-45 seconds.
- Add water, mix well and bring it to a simmer.
- Press cancel and add milk, sugar, cardamom powder, and saffron. Since the pot is hot, adding milk will create steam, so be careful and add milk slowly. Mix well. Ensure nothing is stuck to the bottom of the pot.
- Close the lid with the vent closed to seal. Set instant pot to Porridge mode for 20 minutes on high. When the Instant pot beeps, let the pressure to release naturally.
- Once the pin drops, open the lid and mix well. Stir in the condensed milk and freshly crushed cardamom powder. Mix well.
- Creamy Rice Kheer is ready! If you prefer a thick kheer consistency, start the Instant Pot on saute mode and cook for 5 minutes, stirring intermittently until the desired consistency is reached. For thinner consistency, add more milk.
- Garnish with more nuts and dried rose petals. Serve kheer warm or let it chill in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published on August 28, 2014, but it was republished in October 2024 with step-by-step instructions, new photos, tips, and a video.
Shweta Agrawal says
llloooooooved the pics Shweta:) 🙂
Chawal ki kheer is all time favorite:)