Kheer Recipe
Updated: November 1, 2022, By Swasthi
Kheer, especially Rice Kheer is everyone’s favorite Indian dessert! Simply delicious, comforting, creamy and rich, this Rice Kheer makes for a perfect dessert anytime you crave for something sweet. This North Indian Rice Pudding is easy to make & needs only a handful of basic ingredients. In this post I show you How to Make Rice Kheer on the stovetop in a pot and in the instant pot, with my easy step by step photo guide.
About Kheer
Kheer is a popular dessert from the Indian sub-continent, made primarily with rice, milk and sugar. The word “Kheer” is derived from the Sanskrit word “Skheer” meaning milk. So milk being the main ingredient in a kheer recipe, many variations can be made by using vermicelli, sago (tapioca pearls), lentils or vegetables like pumpkin and carrots.
What is Rice Kheer?
Rice Kheer is a traditional North Indian rice pudding made with basmati rice, sugar, full fat milk and cardamoms. Sometimes it is also flavored and spiced with clove, saffron, nutmeg, kewra or rose water.
This Rice Kheer is made across India and the popular variations of include the South Indian Rice Payasam & Bengali Payesh. The South Indian version uses short grain rice, ghee and jaggery, While the Bengali Payesh is made with Gobindobhog rice & date palm jaggery.
Kheer is a quintessential Indian dessert made for festivals and celebrations. But you really don’t need an excuse to make this! It can be eaten as a breakfast, after meal dessert or just when the mood strikes for something sweet!
Rice kheer is garnished with nuts and raisins. Various nuts like cashews, almonds and pistachios can be used. Apart from enhancing the nutrition profile of the dish, nuts also make for a delicious and crunchy toppings.
Staying true to the authentic version, I have not used any condensed milk, evaporated milk, milk powder or khoya in the recipe I have shared in this post. But there are also quick versions of rice kheer using them which are really handy when you are in a rush. Do check the faq section below to know more on that.
Here are some basic questions answered to get you started with making kheer.
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Ingredients
Which Rice is best for Kheer?
Basmati rice is widely used in North Indian cuisine so you will find a lot of people use basmati rice for making kheer as it imparts a fragrant and delicious aroma. However in different regions of India, different kinds of rice is used which is grown locally.
So feel free to use any normal starchy rice if you do not have basmati rice. But make sure you use starchy rice, else your kheer won’t thicken even after cooking for long.
Which Milk is best for Rice Kheer?
Use full fat (whole milk) to make the authentic, delicious and creamy version of kheer. If you are a vegan you may use coconut or almond milk as well.
Ratio of Rice:Milk
Traditionally made Kheer & Payasam has a predefined rice:milk ratio and this is what most people follow. ¼ cup rice for every 4 cups (1 liter) full fat milk. Remember this is a special dish so it does require so much milk.
Photo Guide
How to Make Kheer (Stepwise photos)
1. To make rice kheer, you will need the following:
- 4 cups or 1 liter of full fat milk
- 4 to 6 tablespoons organic sugar (adjust to taste)
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon cardamom powder (2 to 3 cardamom pods)
- ¼ cup basmati rice, you can also use any other starchy rice.
- 10 cashews or 10 blanched almonds sliced or silvered almonds as desired. You can also use 2 tablespoons sweet raisins if you want.
- 10 unsalted pistachios (sliced/ roughly chopped or blanched & sliced)
- 1 pinch saffron or 1 teaspoon rose water or kewra (optional)
2. Wash rice well at least thrice and drain. If you want you may also soak it until the milk is ready and hot. Pour ¼ cup water or grease a heavy bottom pot/ Dutch oven. This helps the kheer from getting scorched at the bottom. Pour milk and bring it to a boil on a medium flame.
3. When it turns hot or comes to a boil, stir in the drained rice.
4. Cook on a medium to low heat until the rice is soft, completely cooked and slightly mushy. During this process, keep stirring often at the bottom (every 3 to 4 minutes) to prevent scorching the milk. Using a spatula, remove the milk solids from the sides and add back to the pot.
5. To check if your rice grains are cooked, mash a few grains with a spoon. They should get mashed easily.
Add Sugar
6. Add 4 to 6 tablespoons sugar. You can add more or less to suit your taste. If using refined sugar use lesser as it tastes more sweet than the organic sugar.
7. Lower the flame and cook till the sugar dissolves completely and the rice kheer turns thicken. At this stage you can taste test and add more sugar if you want. I turn off when it is thick yet of flowy consistency as it turns thicker upon cooling.
8. Add cardamom powder, nuts, rose water (optional) and saffron (optional). Alternately, If you want you may fry the nuts in a tablespoon ghee (on low heat) until light golden, then stir in the raisins until plump. Turn off and pour over the rice kheer to garnish.
9. Make sure you turn off when the kheer reaches this consistency as it turns even more thick upon cooling.
Garnish rice kheer with more nuts before serving.
Faqs
Rinse and soft cook ½ cup rice with 1 cup milk and 1 cup water in a pressure cooker for 3 whistles or with 2 cups milk in a pot until rice is soft. Then pour ½ to ¾ of condensed milk tin (14 OZ/ 397 grams tin). Add cardamom powder and simmer for a few minutes. You may add more milk for a runny consistency.
Simmer kheer for a little longer to thicken it. Rice is full of starch so as you cook the starch releases from the rice and kheer thickens further. If you happen to add a lot of liquid by mistake, you can still follow the same step. Your kheer will taste more delicious when milk reduces. You can also add some almond meal or rice flour slurry as a quick fix.
Rice kheer keeps good in the refrigerator for 2 days. Cool the kheer completely & refrigerate. You can reheat on a stove top on a low to medium heat. To reheat in instant pot, pressure cook for 0 to 1 minutes depending on how cold it is. You can also do it in traditional pressure cooker by pressure cooking until you hear 1 whistle.
You can use any kind of rice. Sona masuri, kolam rice, Thai fragrant rice/ jasmine, gobindobhog rice or any other you have.
Yes you can use brown rice. There are many kinds of brown rice. If you are using brown rice that has a lot of bran then simply soak it for at least 3 hours to overnight. This helps in cooking the brown rice faster without altering the flavors.
Yes feel free to substitute sugar with an artificial sweetener but use it as per the instructions on the pack. Start with a smaller quantity as 1:1 substitutions won’t always work.
Can I use jaggery to make kheer recipe?
Yes kheer can be made with jaggery. However kheer can split if you add jiggery to hot kheer. So the first method is to bring down the temperature of the kheer by cooling it for about 5 minutes and then stir the powdered jaggery.
The second method is to make a jaggery syrup first, filter to remove impurities and then cool it down completely. Just stir it to the cooked milk & rice.
Kheer in Instant pot vs regular pot
Making it in a regular pot does take some time & it needs continuous stirring to prevent the milk from getting scorched at the bottom.
But making kheer in Instant pot is a breeze as all you need to do is just dump the ingredients in the pot & press the button.
I have been making it more often ever since I started to use instant pot. All I do is just put the ingredients & turn on the porridge button.
The color of the instant pot kheer would be slightly golden due to the caramelization of sugar and it is just normal.
I have also made it a couple of times with jaggery. Once the rice and milk are cooked, cook on a saute mode until it reaches the desired consistency. Remove the steel insert and let the kheer cool down a bit. Then stir in the grated jaggery. Do not cook further as jaggery curdles the milk.
Related Recipes
Recipe Card
Kheer Recipe, How to Make Rice Kheer
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- 4 cups milk (for instant pot 2½ cups milk) (refer notes)
- ¼ cup water (avoids burning)
- ¼ cup rice (basmati or any rice)
- 4 to 6 tablespoons organic sugar (4 tbsps for moderate sweetness)
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder (or about 2 to 3 pods)
- 10 cashews roughly chopped or silvered almonds as needed
- 10 pistachios roughly chopped (optional)
- 2 tablespoons sweet raisins (optional)
optional
- 1 tablespoon ghee optional to fry nuts & raisins
- 1 pinch saffron or 1 tsp edible rose water or kewra water
Instructions
Preparation
- Wash rice a few times & drain completely.
How to Make Kheer
- Pour water and milk to a heavy bottom pot or Dutch oven. Bring it to a boil on a medium heat and stir in the rice.
- Continue to cook on a medium to low heat, until the rice is soft, completely cooked and lightly mushy. During this step, keep stirring every 3 minutes to prevent the milk getting scorched at the bottom.
- Stir in the sugar and continue to cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. By now, kheer becomes thicker but is yet of flowy consistency. (Note: becomes thicker upon cooling down)
- Taste test, if you want add more sugar & simmer at this stage until rice kheer reaches a desired consistency.
- Add cardamom powder, rose water and sliced nuts.
- Optional: If you prefer ghee in your rice kheer, heat ghee in a small pan and fry the nuts until light golden. Stir in the raisins & fry until plump. Pour that over the kheer.
Instant pot Rice Kheer
- Press the saute button.
- Optional – add ghee to the inner pot of the Instant pot. Fry the cashews until light golden. Add raisins and fry for 30 seconds. Remove to a plate.
- Pour water (to avoid burn) and milk. Stir in rice and sugar.
- Secure the lid of the instant pot. Position the steam release handle to sealing. Press the porridge button.
- Set the timer to 18 mins. When it is done press cancel & switch off. Wait for the pressure to release naturally.
- When the float valve drops, open the lid and stir in cardamom powder & rose water.
- Rice kheer will be runny at this stage. For a thicker consistency cook on saute mode for a few mins until thick. It will thicken further after cooling.
- Transfer kheer to serving bowls & garnish with nuts & raisins. You can also chill the rice kheer and serve.
Notes
- Nuts: Some people prefer to blanch pistachios and almonds. You can just omit frying them & blanch them instead. Here is how to do the blanching. Bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add almonds and pistachios. Soak for about 10 mins. Peel off the skin and pat dry. Chop them as desired. Alternately, you can just use some dry roasted unsalted cashews and silvered almonds.
- Milk for Instant pot version: This recipe can be made even with 2 cups of milk. It will taste like a normal pudding and not a rich kheer. To get the rich, creamy & authentic taste use about 2.5 to 3 cups of milk. Evaporate & thicken the excess milk on a saute mode once the pressure releases.
- This recipe has been tested in a 6 qts Instant Pot. You may optionally add 2 whole cardamoms & a pinch of saffron along with rice for extra flavor.
- Adding a bit of ghee first to the instant pot prevents the milk from getting scorched.
Video
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Rice kheer recipe first published in October 2016. Updated and republished in October 2022.
About Swasthi
I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me
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Comments
Made this for a gathering with jasmine rice, everyone loved it. Very simple and easy recipe to follow
Hello,
If I make this in a regular pot (not instant pot), do I need to put the lid on when cooking the rice? And another question – from the moment it boils, how much time will it take for it to be soft and ready? Thanks!
Hello Michal,
You will cook it uncovered and it may take about 40 to 45 mins, depending on the kind of pot and stove you use. This is a traditional recipe so takes longer. I have another short-cut recipe that cooks down faster. You may check it here – Indian rice pudding
Thank you so much
For recipe
It make so tastey
Glad to know. Thanks for trying
This tastes exactly like my nani’s rice kheer. Thank you for sharing. I followed the recipe and it tastes delicious.
Thank you Swasthi for this amazing rice kheer recipe! It is my family’s favorite Indian dessert. Every time we visit an Indian restaurant we are so excited to try this. But only a few times we got to taste those rich and delicious flavors. You recipe is splendid and I think this is the best rice kheer. I don’t use any rose or saffron because cardamom is such a fantastic flavor to enjoy
Came out delicious. I had some khoya to use up so added that. Turned out great
Hi there,
I am looking forward to make this kheer. But will I be able to use up a 12 OZ can of evaporated milk for standard milk? Please help
Hi Ira,
Yes you can use. Cook the rice with 1 cup water till al dente and add a can of evaporated milk. Let simmer until mushy and add sugar. The cook time would change. Hope you enjoy it.
Turned out delish!! Made this for New year and really love it. Thank you so much for your wonderful and authentic Indian recipes! Everything I have ever made from your website has been amazing…
This is our favorite rice pudding! Turns out perfect always! I use jasmine rice and make it in the instant pot. Love the cardamom and saffron flavors. Thank you.
Delicious recipe once again. Thanks
Hi. Do you have any recommendations on recipe amounts if I want to serve 20 people?
Hi Liz,
there is a serving box in the recipe card. Just key in 20 there, you will get the recipe for 20 servings.
Per how many grams is the recipe card for? It says 307 calories but per how many grams serving?
This recipe makes 4 servings
Thank You! Made this rice kheer for a gathering. Turned out delicious
Glad you like it Vanshika
Super delicious ?
On 11th October 2023
Glad you like it Lubna
Perfection!!!! Thank you for sharing!
You are welcome!
Hi there!
I’m planning to buy an IP to make this recipe however, I don’t see “porridge” option. Is there another button to select that would give me the same results?
Hi,
What kind of IP is that? Some IPs come with a oatmeal option. That works the same way as porridge for this recipe. You can also use pressure cook mode but the texture would be different.
I love all things Indian. My husband and I have travelled to India many times and we just love Indian food, people & the culture. I attended a few cooking classes in New York & learnt basic dishes like dal, khichdi and rice kheer. Your recipes are just wonderful. I found your website a few months ago and oh my god I’m astonished at your work. Everything we have made from here are great. Tonight we have your chana masala, aloo gobi and this rice kheer for dinner. Thank you! Keep up the great work.
Erin,
Great to hear! That makes me happy! Thank you so much! Hope you enjoy more Indian dishes.
I haven’t tried this recipe yet, I was needing to make a larger quantity than 4 servings – do you recommend making this recipe in large batches, or multiple small batches?
I usually double or triple the rice and cook with the same amount of milk as in 1x recipe. Boil and simmer the rest of the milk in another pot since it is easier to stir. Once the rice is soft cooked and thick, pour the simmering milk and sugar. I simmer further for shorter time. This is what I do but traditionally everything is just made in a large batch.
Thank you! My kheer turned out exactly like I have eaten in the restaurants. Going to make a large batch next time.
So glad you like it Amanda. Thank you for sharing back
I would like to know what would be the yield, for four servings like the weight of the kheer. Thanks!
Now I know why my rice kheer never tasted this good. It’s all in the amount of milk. This came out delicious & I’m making it again.
Thanks for trying Richard.