This sweet, creamy, milky rice pudding is a popular Indian dessert that you can make in minutes, thanks to the instant pot!
What is Kheer?
Kheer is a creamy rice pudding that requires three essential ingredients:
- Rice
- Milk
- Sugar
We almost always have those three ingredients at my house, making this an easy dessert to throw together at the last minute. If you’re dairy-free or vegan, full-fat canned coconut milk works as a great substitute for whole milk in this recipe.
In addition to the three main ingredients, you can also add spices like cardamom and saffron to the kheer. You can also top it with crushed nuts and raisins. These extra ingredients add flavor, aroma, and texture to the kheer.
What does Kheer taste like?
If you’ve never tried kheer before, it’s essentially a milky pudding-like dessert with a thinner consistency than American rice pudding. Even though most folks refer to kheer as an “Indian rice pudding,” I’d say it’s actually more like a dessert soup. I guess “dessert soup” isn’t really a thing, though.
The great thing about kheer is that you can serve it year-round. When the weather is cold, I prefer to serve warm kheer, and when it’s hot outside, I like to serve it chilled.
Origins of Kheer
If you’re interested in the history behind this dessert, in his book, The Oxford Companion to Food, Alan Davidson writes that kheer likely originated in Persia, “where a similar dessert is known as sheer birinj (rice pudding).” Sheer is a Persian word that translates to milk. The word kheer, derived from Sanskrit, means milk too (though interestingly enough, in Persian, the word kheer means something entirely different… a bodily part I won’t mention here, but perhaps my Persian readers will get a good chuckle).
But Indian food historian K.T. Achaya writes in his book, Indian Food: A Historical Companion, that payasa, a dessert made of “rice cooked in milk and sugar” is mentioned in Buddhist literature, which would likely predate the sheer.
To me, the idea of combining milk, sugar, and rice seems pretty obvious, especially when you’re working with few ingredients, so I can see how both of these origin stories might be true. Perhaps one version was already present and then later given another name? After all, the word kheer is typically used in North India (which was conquered by the Mughals), whereas in South India, this type of dessert is referred to as payasam.
Anyway, you can make many different kheer varieties, but the most popular type of kheer is made with rice. This type of kheer is also known as chawal ki kheer, which translates to “rice kheer.” I also have recipes for carrot kheer and a south Indian dal kheer, better known as moong dal payasam.
Why Make Kheer in an Instant Pot? + My Secret to Keeping Milk from Burning:
Before getting my electric pressure cooker, I rarely made kheer, and that’s because it would take ages to make on the stovetop. You’d have to stir and stir and stir to keep the rice from sticking and the milk from boiling over. Not anymore.
This dessert is now effortless to make in an Instant Pot.
If you’ve made kheer before, then you know it can be tough to prevent milk from burning at the bottom of the pot. I have a secret to making kheer in the instant pot – a method that will keep the milk from scorching. Once you try my recipe, I’m sure you won’t go back to making kheer on the stovetop again.
So what’s my secret to keeping the milk from burning? It’s the first step in the recipe below – basically, you want to press the sauté button, add water and wait until it is steaming before adding milk. Heating the water before adding the milk will keep the milk from burning. So simple, right?
Is kheer better hot or cold?
You can serve kheer at any temperature – warm, hot, or cold. There’s nothing better than a bowl of warm kheer when it’s chilly outside. And when it’s scorching hot, a chilled bowl of kheer is the most refreshing dessert.
What do you eat with kheer?
Nothing, you just eat it with a spoon! You can top the kheer with crushed nuts and golden raisins if you’d like – I like the contrast in texture.
What type of rice is used?
I use fragrant white basmati rice, but you can use another type of white rice if you prefer.
How long does rice kheer last?
I suggest eating kheer within two days of making it.
How do you thicken Indian Rice Pudding?
To thicken this pudding, press sauté on the instant pot and stir until the kheer reaches your desired consistency. It will also thicken a bit as it cools down.
Instant Pot Kheer (Indian Rice Pudding)
Instant Pot Kheer (Indian Rice Pudding)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup basmati rice soaked for 15-30 minutes
- ½ cup water
- 3 cups whole milk or full-fat coconut milk
- ½ cup sugar adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom adjust to taste
- Pinch of saffron
- Crushed nuts (pistachios, almonds, or cashews)
- Golden Raisins
Instructions
- Soak the basmati rice in cold water for 15-30 minutes. Drain, rinse and set aside.
- Press the sauté button and add 1⁄2 cup water to the pot. Once the water begins to steam, pour the milk into the pot. (Make sure the water is steaming before adding the milk as this will prevent the milk from burning at the bottom of the pot.) Add the rice, stir.
- Secure the lid, close the pressure valve and cook for 20 minutes at high pressure.
- Naturally release pressure.
- Press sauté. Add the sugar, cardamom and saffron to the pot. Stir until well combined. The kheer will thicken as it cools. If you prefer a thicker pudding, press sauté and stir until desired consistency.
- Serve this dessert hot, warm, cold or at room temperature. Top with nuts and raisins prior to serving.
Video
Mrinal Dossal says
Can it be made in a rice cooker ??
Archana says
Thank you so much Ashley for trying and sharing this recipe , never ever thought I would make Kheer (after knowing how tidious the process is) but today made it your style and it was just a cake walk , everyone in the family loved the taste 😊😊
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
I’m so glad you made it and everyone enjoyed it! Thanks Archana 🙂
Jessica says
Tried this at an Indian restaurant and fell in love…can someone help me? I don’t have a pressure cooker or an insta pot..does good old fashioned pot work? Or slow cooker? If so what is the time used for either??
Ravi says
I tripled the recipe and it turned out AMAZING!!
Thanks so much!
Ravi
Ritu says
Kheer turned out delicious and it was super easy to make. I added sugar after it was cooked. I doubled the recipe as I have a big instapot. Thank you!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Ritu, so glad to hear that! 🙂
Naveena says
Thanks for the recipe.. Can I double the recipe in a 6qt pot?
Sargum says
I have the same question. Can the recipe be doubled?
Travis says
This recipe is my favorite of all the instant pot rice pudding recipes I’ve tried. I always make it vegan with coconut milk and it comes out perfectly every time. Everyone loves it — even the non-vegans — and most people don’t even guess there’s no dairy milk.
I also make the rice the same way, but add cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla extract at the end for an American-style pudding.
Shikha says
Thank you Ashley for experimenting and helping me use the instapot for this recipe. It makes the work much less and the tip about the water prior to adding milk was priceless. Thank you
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Shikha, I’m so glad you liked this! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Jenita says
I made this dish, last weekend for a Diwali party. I’ve made this in the past with semolina vermicelli and has come out fantastic.
This time i made it dairy free and gluten free. I used coconut milk and basmati rice, it was awesome. I needed to double the recipe and so used 2 cans of coconut milk, it was super thick when I opened the IP, so I had the thin it a bit with more water. I think 1.5 cans would have been sufficient. It was delicious. Coconut milk adds a whole different dimension to the taste. Gonna make this tonight again for another Diwali party, but with regular milk.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Jenita, that’s great to hear! Glad you like it so much – thanks for sharing!
Kishu Nagrani says
the recipe was perfect
Made it twice for friends and they loved it
just needed to saute a little more to our concsistency
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Kishu, that’s so great to hear! Thanks for letting me know how much you and your friends enjoyed it 🙂
Shweta Naik says
Great tip on how to avoid burning milk, it worked wonderfully.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Shweta!
Shazia says
I’m so eager to try this recipe but I just have one question please, How many servings is this recipe for?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
I’d say it’ll serve 4-5 people.
Fatima says
This is now my go to recipe.
I started adding shredded carrots to it and it became gajrela. ❤️
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Happy to hear that, Fatima! 🙂
Harmeet says
My instant pot always burns on the bottom and I can taste the burn flavour in the kheer. I have made with homo and 2% milk and always put the milk in only when the water is boiling and lots of steam is coming out. I find kheer is quite watery after the pressure cook, so I sauté for another 20 min. Any way to prevent the milk from burning?
Thx
Teresa says
Would this recipe work with brown basmati rice?
Amar says
Step#3 . Did you put pressure cooker function at this stage?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Amar, yes – depending on your model it may say “pressure cook” or “manual.”
PRAVEEN C JOLLY says
I’ve tried some of your other recipes and have really enjoyed them! I’m ready to try the instant pot kheer recipe, but have a quick question. Can I use maple syrup instead of sugar? If so, is it a 1:1 substitution and maybe slightly less water or milk? Thanks in advance for your response!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Praveen, thank you for the kind words! I haven’t tried this recipe with maple syrup so I’m not sure – hopefully another reader will be able to chime in. If you experiment, please report back!
PRAVEEN C JOLLY says
I did try the recipe with maple syrup. Instead of using 1/2 cup of sugar, I used 1/4 cup of organic maple syrup. The result is delicious! It is plenty sweet for my taste, but others may want to adjust the amount of maple syrup they add. It is easy to do because the maple syrup is added at the end. I’m glad this healthier version of the recipe (with less sugar) turned out so tasty.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Praveen, that’s so great to hear! Thank you for letting me know how it turned out with maple syrup – I’m sure this will help other readers as well! 🙂
Ranoo says
Hi I tried this recipe but the kheer is too thick.i would like it to be more liquid.mine looks like porridge.what do you suggest.? should I add more milk?water? Simmer it for how much more time? Thank you for your suggestions
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Ranoo, you can add a bit of water or milk to thin it out to your desired consistency.
Alex says
Okay, so I just made this and it came out really watery. I think I know why though — I made it with your homemade coconut milk instead, and I used coconut flakes, at a 1c flakes:2 c water ratio, soaked in hot water as you recommended.
The taste is right, but the consistency is way off — for me. It’s way too thin and watery — almost like a thin soup that has no base — even after cooling. Is it supposed to be like that? I read step 5 and sautéed it down for nearly 10 minutes, but it’s still paper thin. It has to be the milk, right? I want that tapioca-pudding-like texture that you show in the video.
I guess I was just inspired by someone saying they did it and it came out great with oat milk.
I suspect full-fat coconut milk in a can would change everything. I just didn’t have 3 cups worth as 1 can is 16 oz.
I’ll see what happens after refrigerating it overnight. It may thicken even more.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Alex, yes that’s definitely why – homemade coconut milk is thinner than canned full-fat coconut milk. If you make it again, I would suggest using canned coconut milk (or whole milk). I’m curious – I know the texture was off but did it still taste good? Also, just so you know – the texture is meant to be somewhat thin – at least, thinner than tapioca pudding – though you can always make it thicker. Let me know if you try it again!
Alex says
Okay, thanks! Could I make this using your homemade coconut milk recipe, but use coconut flakes instead with a ratio of 1C coc /2 C water?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Alex, I have made this with full-fat canned coconut milk but not with homemade. I think homemade coconut milk will result in a thinner consistency but I think it will still taste good, just less decadent. Let me know how it goes if you try!
Ahmed says
What’s the difference between La Mancha and Negin saffron? I clicked on your link and they have two different varieties.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Ahmed, you can use any saffron you’d like – I believe they are named after the areas where they are grown. Let me know what you think of the kheer!
Lee says
Has anyone used anything but white sugar? COuld cane sugar work?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Cane sugar will work 🙂
Alex says
I have a question. Can I make this with sonamasoori rice, instead of basmati? It’s all I have. And is sonamasoori rice basmati rice? (obviously I’m new to this still) 😉
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Alex, you can use sona masoori rice – the kheer will still be great. It’s really up to your personal preference for which to use – they both have their own aroma/flavor. Basmati is long grain rice and sona masoori is medium-grain rice. Basmati is typically grown and eaten in north Indian and sona masoori in the south. Hope that helps to explain the difference!
Alex says
Does it have to be basmati rice? Can I use sonamasoori rice? It’s all I have right now.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Alex, you can make it with sonamasoori rice 🙂
SS says
If I double the recipe, does the water also need to be doubled?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
I don’t think I’ve tried doubling this kheer recipe (at least not that I can remember) but I typically suggest doubling all ingredients listed (including water) and keeping the cook time the same. Hope that helps!
Glenn says
I always make a “double” recipe, but I still only use 1/2 cup of water. No problems with burning. I suspect the water is just acting to consistently preheat the instant pot.
Erin says
Followed directions but it came out watery even after letting it cool for over a half hour? How can I fix this?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Erin, in step 5 I mention to press saute and reduce until it’s your desired consistency, so you can always further reduce it. Hope that helps!
Amara says
Hi Ashley,
Any ideas on how we can make mango kheer? Do you think adding mango pulp after pressure cooking and sauteeing it down would work, or would that be too much liquid?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Amara, I haven’t tried but I would probably try stirring some pulp with the milk and then pressure cooking. If you try, please let me know how it goes!
Anirudh says
You can add mango pulp when the kheer cools down. Putting the mango pulp when the kheer is hot or warm might cause the milk to curdle.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Anirudh, I didn’t realize that – thank you for sharing!
Radz says
Hi, thanks for a quick great recipe to make pal payasam ! Or rice kheer. This is the second time I am making it. I tried making it with non- diary oat milk the second time and it turned out delicious- can hardly say the difference.
I must say the first time I did the original version with regular milk and added 1 container of condensed milk. It was true to authentic South Indian version of pal payasam with out hours of labor.
Thank you once again! Your moong dal halwa recipe turned out great too.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
I’m so glad you like this so much! Also, great to know it works well with oat milk – I’ve tried this with coconut milk but love oat milk, so I’ll have to try that next 🙂 I’m sure it’ll be helpful for readers too!
Anjali says
Hey Ashley if we use condense milk then should we add sugar or not? If yes then how much?
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Anjali, I haven’t tried this with condensed milk but if you decide to use that then I wouldn’t add sugar since condensed milk is already sweetened. If you experiment, please let us know how it turns out!
Alex says
Hi quick question for you — are all your recipes made for a 6qt IP? I just got a 3qt and wanted to make try making this, but I’m hesitant about cutting the recipe — or any of your recipes — because the portions will be super small, no?
For example, in this recipe you use 1/4 c rice and 1/2 water. That mean I would have to cut it to 1/8 c water and 1/4 water. That seems like hardly anything. Am I thinking this through correctly? Is this what you would do — just cut all your measurements in half? I want to make sure nothing burns, especially because this recipe is burn prone.
Thanks!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Alex, all of my recipes are tested in a 6 quart. I haven’t tried cutting this recipe in half, sorry! You can try asking in my Indian Food FB group (Instant Pot for Indian Food) to see if anyone has tried it this way.
Sabiha Husain says
I like to know if you boil milk making Kheer in the instant pot then what if milk boil. how it will effect the leg ?
Farhana says
Absolutely lip smacking and so easy to make! I remember the times I have made this on stove top and ended up burning it. Finally I can make my favorite kheer without the hassle of stirring it. Thank you so much Ashley for your amazing and well thought out recipes. Maybe you should have a separate section for “no constant stirring” recipes, Especially for people like me who don’t like to cook recipes that require constant stirring but can make it in a jiffy in instant pot
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Hi Farhana, I’m so happy to hear that you liked this recipe so much! And I really appreciate the kind words 🙂 I have a pour and cook section that you might like if you want to check that out: https://myheartbeets.com/category/method-cooking-style/pour-cook-recipes/
Minakshi says
First time I made kheer… and it was fantastic!! This is the best kheer recipe.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Minakshi! I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for letting me know how the kheer turned out for you 🙂
Viren L. Gandhi says
Love this recipe. It makes the best Kheer hands down.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Viren, that’s so great to hear! Glad you like this kheer recipe 🙂
Meenu says
First time I made kheer… and it was fantastic!!!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Meenu, happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Jen says
I made this for my husband in an 8 qt instant pot with full fat coconut milk. He loves “payasam” and I wanted to make it for him at home. This recipe got his highest compliment. He uses this Tamil word to describe when a food reminds him of his home in India and right when he said it, my heart was so happy. Thanks for making your recipes so approachable Ashley. It really makes a difference in my household!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Jen, awww, that’s awesome! I’m so glad he liked it and that it reminded him of home – thank you for sharing this with me!
Rasneet says
This is the best kheer recipe. I double it and make it often.
Ashley’s recipes are well-researched and genuine. Her blog is the first place I look when wanting to try out something new.
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Rasneet, thank you for the kind words! I’m happy to hear that you like this kheer and my blog so much 🙂
Alex says
I totally agree Rasneet. I’m completely new to making my own Indian cuisine — in fact, it’s been a fascination of mine since childhood, and I’m a vegan chef — and this is the first place I’ll always go when I’m looking to recreate Indian food in my kitchen.
Why? Because 1. making food, namely Indian food, which is super labor intensive, with an IP is a GOD-SEND. I would never, I repeat, NEVER, make this food without an IP, and I will never, ever… Once you go IP, you never go back. In fact, I don’t think I’ll ever make ANY food again manually. What-a-pain! Thank you Ashley for opening me up to new horizons. And 2. I think Ashley’s food tastes great. Food needs to taste good. But for me, it needs to be healthy AND taste good. That being said, I do alter things according to my needs — and it’s been challenging, since I never use oil and rarely use salt — but still, this place is my foundation for gathering inspiration. People are super helpful too.
Thanks Ashley.
Rajeev Kapoor says
Hi Ashley. I made used this with skim milk and Splenda. It came out very good.
Thank you for the recipe.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Rajeev, I’m glad you liked it! Thank you for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Nav says
Hi Ashley if I double your recipe do I double the cooking time also ? Thanks!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Nav, I haven’t tried doubling the recipe but typically I’d keep the cook time the same.
Thenu gowri says
Hi Ashley
I tried this raw rice the taste and consistancy was very good but got burnt at the bottom.
Thank you.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Thenu, sorry to hear that it burnt – did you try steaming the water first?
Archana says
Hi Ashley,
Can I use vermicelli instead of rice?
SW says
Hi Ashley. I tried this recipe with Coconut milk and it was delicious. Due to some health reasons, i need to find some low carb, low fat recipes. But I love desserts so i was just wondering if you have tried any low carb kheers so using a substituent for rice? Also, in general, i love your recipes and i love Indian food. I would really appreciate it if you could add some low fat/low Cholesterol recipes to your recipe index. Thanks again for all your yummy recipes.
My Heart Beets says
I’m so glad to hear that you liked this 🙂 I actually have a spaghetti squash kheer recipe you may want to try – let me know if you do 🙂
Farzany says
The Amazon link to buy saffron is no longer available. Are you able to recommend another good quality product. It seems like reviews are all over the place and would love to get a recommendation from you. Your website has helped me so much. Thank you!
Rashmi Gaba says
Dear Ashley, I have been making Kheer on stovetop for years and believe me, had been a painful process with constant stirring. Your recipe has been a game changer. The only thing that I changed was the amount of sugar. Rather than 1/2 cup sugar per 3 cups of milk, I used only 1/4 cup and that worked for us. I made three times the quantity. Thank you ! 😃
My Heart Beets says
Rashmi, I’m so happy to hear that you like my recipe – it is much easier than the stovetop for sure! Thank you so much for letting me know how much you like this 🙂
Rita says
Hi… I am new to IP and have been following your recipes and really love them. I want to try the kheer soon but just wanted to known if I can add jaggery powder instead of sugar and when and how to add it? Also ivan the milk be straight from the fridge or do I need to warm it first? Thanks.
AT says
It’s awesome!!!
My Heart Beets says
Happy to hear that 🙂
Shradha says
Hi! Thank you for this recipe. I can’t wait to try it. How would I adapt this recipe to make Doodh Pak? Thank you!
Aparna Bommidi says
Thank you Ashley for the easy kheer recipe. I would like to suggest to add seasoning at the end (ghee+cashew+raisins+almonds+cardamom pods), it really adds up the flavor and makes it more richer in taste 🙂
My Heart Beets says
Aparna, I’m so glad you liked it! And that topping sounds awesome – thank you for sharing!
Gauri Gopalakrishnan says
Hi Ashley, I’m a huge fan, thank you for all your recipes! I wanted to make this Kheer but wanted to know if I could use roasted vermicelli instead of rice? If yes, what quantity should I use?
Kiran says
Love this recipe. I’ve made it several times and its my family’s favorite. Thank you !
My Heart Beets says
Kiran, that’s so great to hear! Thanks for letting me know how much you and your family like this recipe 🙂
Nik says
I tried to make this today but the kheer came out brownish in color. The milk was burned a bit but not much to turn the color brown. I followed the directions minus the saffron, I don’t have it right now.
Also when its cooling down, there is a dark brown layer on top, what might that be?
What could have gone wrong?
Thanks.
Shivangi says
Perfectly Amazing recipe!! I never thought I could make this in an instant pot. Thank you so much. 🙂
My Heart Beets says
Shivangi, thank you! I’m happy to hear that you liked the kheer so much 🙂
Tailor says
I rarely comment for anything but I felt compelled for this! The Kheer turned out absolutely delicious, I’ve made with basmati rice n regular rice and I must say that the basmati rice makes it very rich and creamy!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart! Blessings 🙏
My Heart Beets says
Tailor, that’s so great to hear! Thank you for leaving a comment and letting me know how this turned out for you 🙂 Hope you’ll let me know what you think of other recipes you try!
Jennifer says
This looks delicious! If I wanted to add some tapioca to the recipe, do you have a suggestion for how to do that?
Manasa says
Hi Ashley
Thank you so much for a superb, easy recipe for Rice Kheer.. I doubled the quantity and reduced the sugar by 1/4..However I added 2 tbspn of Badam Powder enhanced both the colour as all as the taste. Will definitely be making this again!!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Manasa! I’m so glad you liked the kheer 🙂 Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you! Love the idea of adding almond flour, yum!
Chella says
Hi Your carrot halwa was my first recipe in my insta pot and since then i ve madly fallen in love with your blog. Tried this amazing kheer doubling the quantity and there was soo much appriciation from friends who loved it. Thanks a ton for this keeper recipe. Hugs
My Heart Beets says
Chella, that makes me so happy to hear! I’m so glad you’re enjoying my blog 🙂 Thank you for letting me know how much your friends loved the kheer!
Stacy says
Wondering if I could use one whole cardamom pod instead of ground.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Stacy, if you use whole cardamom, maybe use 2-3 and smash them a bit before putting them in.
Aruj says
What if we need to make kheer in large quantity ( say 4 times of that mentioned in recipe? How the cooking time will change?
My Heart Beets says
Aruj, I haven’t tried quadrupling this recipe but if you do, you can keep the cook time the same. That said, make sure the liquid doesn’t go past the max line – and definitely don’t quick release!
Anita says
This is such a simple and delicious recipe! Such a crowd pleaser at the Diwali parties 😊
My Heart Beets says
Anita, I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how the kheer turned out for you 🙂 Happy Diwali!
Chaya Kamath says
Super easy to make and tastes fantastic! I made it for a b’day party and received a lot of compliments. Thank you Ashley for a great recipe.
My Heart Beets says
Chaya, that’s awesome!! I’m so glad it was a hit! 🙂
Jen Manickam says
The recipe came out great with 3 cups! I’m making a larger quantity- would the amount of water in the beginning remain the same, if I use 4 times the milk quantity?
Jen
My Heart Beets says
Jen, great to know thank you! I have tried doubling this recipe – when I do, I double the ingredients but leave the cook time the same. It should be the same if you want to triple/quadruple though I’m not sure if that much kheer will fit in a 6 quart pot.
Sarah says
Great recipe! Thanks! I doubled it no problem. The only sub I made was honey for the sugar. Just trying to avoid refined sugar and not a big fan of sweet things anyway. I did approx 2 tablespoons honey (again, recipe doubled) and it’s just the hint of sweet I desired.
My Heart Beets says
Thanks Sarah! Great to know it turned out well with honey instead of sugar! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Clinton Weichers says
We adopted a sibling group of four from India and your recipes have been so wonderful in helping me keep familiar foods in the mix and comforting them through all the changes, your Indian food under pressure book gets a lot of use, my 3 Bio kids even are growing to love Indian food with your recipes (minus the cayenne :). Thank you, thank you!
My 5 year old keeps begging me for sabudana Kheer, if you or anyone know of a way of adapting this please let me know!!!
My Heart Beets says
Clinton, your comment just made my day! How amazing of you to have adopted 4 siblings from India! And to be cooking Indian food for them so they feel more comfortable – honestly just amazing. I will certainly add sabudana kheer to my list of recipes to make soon!
Akhil says
This is my first dessert in IP and I made a big mistake. I followed the recipe and put rice in cold milk. The pressure wasn’t developed and rice got sticked to bottom.
I would request if blog can be updated to mention that either hot milk to be added in IP or let the milk become hot before adding rice.
Amisha says
Love this recipe! If I wanted to reduce the portion and halve all the measurements would I halve the pressure time as well?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Amisha, honestly I haven’t tried halving the recipe so I can’t say for sure… I know when I double I keep the cook time the same so perhaps its the same if you make less too? Or you can try reducing the cook time to see how that goes. Let us know! You can also ask in my FB group (instant pot for indian food) to see if anyone there has tried this!
San says
Has anyone tried the same recipe with sabudana instead of rice for sabudana kheer? Do you have to make any changes to the recipe with sabudana ? I guess you don’t ha d change anything. Thanks in advance.
Alisha says
This turned out really well! I can’t have dairy so I made it with coconut milk and it didn’t taste any differently to the one with milk.
My Heart Beets says
Thanks Alisha! I love this with coconut milk too! Glad you liked it 🙂
Mallika Bachan says
I don’t think you should advise people to use basmati rice – shorter, stubbier rice is better for kheer
Tony Sandhu says
Your recipe worked like a charm. I used Stevia instead of sugar so ended up with a bit of aftertaste. Next time will be sugar. Added some raisins while reducing in the end. The rice ended up a bit too soft, so will probably reduce the high pressure cook time to 25 minutes. Thanks for all your help. It is Kerala Beef Fry tonight!!!!
My Heart Beets says
Tony, I’m so happy to hear that you liked the kheer – good to know about stevia! I hope you love the beef fry – it’s one of our favorites!
Cyn says
What about sweetened condensed milk? Have you tried that? If so, is there a way to substitute? Thanks!
Mika Singh says
Thanks for the tip about adding water first! Can this recipe be doubled in a 6 quart instant pot?
My Heart Beets says
Yes I’ve doubled it in my 6 quart without any issues! Just make sure to naturally release pressure 🙂
JO says
Great recipe! I bought an IP bc of your website! Thank you for sharing!
My Heart Beets says
I’m so happy to hear that 🙂 Glad you liked the kheer!
Jenita says
I made this last weekend for International night at my daughter’s school. I substituted basmati rice with Semolina vermicelli. Followed everything else to a T. I doubled it and made 3 batches. This was a hit. Tastes fantastic and even better the next day.
My Heart Beets says
Jenita, I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out – especially with the vermicelli!
Rachna Bareja says
Awesome recipe 👌 thanks for sharing
My Heart Beets says
Thanks Rachna! Glad you liked it 🙂
Anisah says
I am a beginning at using the instant pot. Is there a reason that you used the porridge button on the Walnut Kheer but not on this one?
thanks!
Anisah
My Heart Beets says
I don’t have a walnut kheer recipe on my blog – you may be thinking of someone else? While I’m sure the porridge button is fine, I typically like to set the cook time myself rather than use the preset buttons as different models/times can vary
Sangeeta Kundra says
Hi Ashley. If I double or triple the ingredients do I also double or triple the amount of water in the beginning of the recipe?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Sangeeta, if you want to double the recipe then double all of the ingredients but keep the cook time the same. Hope that helps 🙂
marcy koeze says
Whoops…meant to post that under Chai recipe.
marcy koeze says
My tweets: After water steams add tea bags or loose tea and brew 3-5 minutes (to avoid tannic acid bitterness) remove tea. Optional additions: Nutmeg, Ginger, Cinnamon, Peppercorns and Star Anise.
Angelie Batra says
Turned out great!!! A bit too sweet but it is easy to adjust sugar. Tastes like it took hours on the stove to make.
My Heart Beets says
I’m glad you liked it!! 🙂
YewPeng says
Gonna make this for the second time in a while, THANK YOU for making this so easy!!! OMG no more waiting to have it at at temple hahaha …. and my Punjabi aunties have been telling oh how tedious it is cook …. I felt like super star!!! And thanks for the tip on changing temp on Sauté function!
My Heart Beets says
I’m so happy to hear that!! Thanks for letting me know how the kheer turned out for you 🙂
Shivani says
Hi Ashley! Planning to try out this recipe this week. I wanted to know if I could safely double the recipe in a 5 quart IP, or if you recommend against doing that. Thanks!!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Shivani! I have doubled it in a 6 quart – I think it’ll be fine in a 5 quart too 🙂 Hope you love it!
Aj says
Hi Ashley!
I have a question for you. My mom makes kneer on the stovetop with half and half. Can I use half and half in place of the whole milk in this ip Kheer recipe? Thanks so much!
My Heart Beets says
I haven’t tried it this way but I would think it’d be okay! Let us know how it goes if you try it 🙂
Sandy says
Such an awesome recipe. I tried this 3times and for 2times – my milk curdled even after cleaning Instant pot before using. Any tips please?
Ruchi says
Kheer came out very good! Love your recipe!
My Heart Beets says
Ruchi, I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how the kheer turned out for you 🙂
Irene Amruthkumar says
Hi Ashley,
Just wondering how many this recipe serves? Sorry if it’s mentioned somewhere, I just couldn’t find it.
Thanks
Irene
My Heart Beets says
Hi Irene! Thanks for asking – I just updated the recipe to include that info 🙂 I’d say it serves 4 to 5 – hope that helps!
Ami says
This recipe was perfect and SO easy!!! I doubled it just so we could have left overs to eat over the next few days. My niece who typically doesn’t like kheer even loved it. Exactly the comfort food we needed this week.
My Heart Beets says
Ami, I’m so happy to hear that you liked it – especially your niece! Thanks for letting me know how the kheer turned out for you 🙂
AB says
Hi Ashley,
I bought my IP last week and so far have made your gajrella which turned out beautifully! I want to make your kheer tomorrow but with semolina instead of rice – any idea how I adapt the pressure cook time for this?
Thank you!
My Heart Beets says
I’m so happy to hear that! I actually can’t have semolina (due to the gluten in it) so I can’t say but hopefully someone else who has tried can reply!
Athulya says
Hi Ashley,
Am planning to try your method for my kid’s birthday party. I love the taste of the kheer when it reduces and thickens, but want to try your recipe, hope it gives the same taste as on stove top.
I have a doubt though.. If I am to make 4x the amount, do you think it be too much quantity for the instant pot to cook? Will the milk boil over? Thanks in advance for your response
My Heart Beets says
Hi Athulya! I have doubled the recipe successfully but I’m not sure about 4x the amount – I think that may be too much. I hope you love it! Let me know how it goes 🙂 Happy Birthday to your kiddo!
Athulya says
Hi Ashley,
Thanks for the wishes.. Your recipe saved lot of time and effort for me. I did try 4x the recipe😃 i used half the quantity of milk in the instant pot and rest I boiled and poured before adding sugar and cardamom and let it cook for about 10 min. Reduced one fourth amount of sugar. Then I refrigerated it and it was perfect for next day. Everyone loved it 😃
My Heart Beets says
I’m so happy to hear that!! Thank you for reporting back 🙂
Athulya says
Hi Ashley,
Thanks for the wishes.. Your recipe saved lot of time and effort for me. I did try 4x the recipe. I used half the quantity of milk in the instant pot and rest I boiled and poured before adding sugar and cardamom and let it cook for about 10 min. Reduced one fourth amount of sugar. Then I refrigerated it and it was perfect for next day. Everyone loved it 😊
My Heart Beets says
Athulya, I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Foodie says
Tried it last night, it was too sweet for us. But other than that SO incredible. Your simple and straightforward recipe makes me feel like a fancy chef. I want to make it for a dinner party tonight, but will need to do 3X the recipe. Do i follow the same settings in the zip for even 3 times the ingredients?
My Heart Beets says
I’m glad you liked it!! Yes, keep the cook time the same – it’ll take longer to reach pressure and cool down but it’ll do that on its own 🙂
Meenakshi says
Hi Ashley, thank you so much for this simple & wonderful recipe. I made this rice kheer for my baby’s Anna Prasanam (first time feeding of rice). We had to do a neivedhyam (offering to God) of kheer at the temple, So I didn’t taste after I prepared. But it turned out perfect with your measurements. Guests liked it and my baby loved it (I ground the payasam in mixer for baby alone, bcoz she doesn’t know to chew Rice yet). I can’t think of standing near the stove top n stirring the payasam for long with a small baby at home.
I’m so happy. Thanks again.
My Heart Beets says
Meenakshi, I’m so happy to hear that your little one loved it!! Thank you for letting me know how this turned out for you 🙂
Natasha Mukherjee says
Hi, firstly thanks for so many variety of recipes. I just bought my IPduo 6qts & plan to first try your kheer recipe.
I have 2 questions:
1. Can I use 2% milk instead of whole milk or full-fat coconut milk
2. The portion you mentioned serves how many people? I’m looking to make for a batch of 5-6.
Thanks
My Heart Beets says
Yes you can use 2% it just won’t be as rich 🙂 I would double the kheer to make sure you have enough – by doubling it you should have a bit leftover 🙂
Mehrin Sharif says
When doubling the recipe…do we also double the 1/2 cup of water?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Mehrin, yes double all of the ingredients, including the water. Enjoy!
Rakesh Raghav says
I tried this recipe as is and this is my first ever food cooked in my new IP ☺️
Kheer turned out great. Thank you so much Ashley
My Heart Beets says
Rakesh, I’m so happy to hear that!! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
RA says
Holy moly this was so good. Made it for a dinner party and indian aunties were shocked this was made with maybe 10 mins of actual work and not hours over a stove. There were at least 2 instant pots going to be purchased by aunties because of this recipe! Thanks!
My Heart Beets says
I’m so happy to hear that!! Love that you impressed a lot of Indian aunties lol!
Dee says
Kheer turned out very good…thanks!!
My Heart Beets says
Dee, I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Abha says
Kheer is my husband’s all time favorite dessert since he was a kid! Unfortunately despite 8 years of marriage, I have not been successful in making it the way he likes…that is until I used your recipe in IP! He was like “This is your best attempt in 8 years!” Thank so much Ash!
My Heart Beets says
Abha, I’m so glad you made it and that he liked it!! Thank you for letting me know how the kheer turned out 🙂
Neiha says
Hi, making this recipe for the first time and it’s super runny! I keep putting it on sauté (it’s set to four minutes for sauté not sure if that’s typical across IPs). The rice is cooked so I think I pressure cooked and released the pressure properly. The flavors are good any ideas why it’s not thickening up? I even put it in the fridge for a few hours at one point.
My Heart Beets says
Neiha, you can continue to cook it on sauté mode if you’d like – it will thicken the longer you cook it 🙂
Farida V Gandevia says
Hi Ashley
I have recently bought the IP and would love to try the kheer. When you say in your reciepe “Secure the lid, close the pressure valve and cook for 20 minutes at high pressure” do u mean pressure cook for 20 m ?
My Heart Beets says
Hi Farida, yes pressure cook this for 20 mins then naturally release pressure 🙂
Keerthi says
When u mean naturally release pressure ? Do u just leave the instant pot on its own or should you turn the pressure knob to release ??
My Heart Beets says
Hi Keerthi, it just means to leave the pot alone until the pin drops and it’s safe to open the lid 🙂 You don’t need to do anything to the knob when a recipe calls for “natural release”
AC says
I do not have the “instant pot” but instead have a pressure cooker. It doesn’t not have a sauté option on it. I made your instant pot butter chicken last night though, and instead I just cooked the onion, garlic, ginger, and browned the chicken in a separate pot and added the tomato sauce before pouring it all into the pressure cooker and cooked for 8 minutes. It turned out great! What is another option for me and your recipes that call for a sauté button? For your reference, I have the “Power Pressure Cooker XL”
Safaa says
Hi ! How many people does this serve ? If all goes well I want to make it for a dinner party soon so just want to know how much I should make .
Thanks !
My Heart Beets says
This serves 5 🙂
Tina says
Very easy recipe! Before trying any recipes, I always read the comments (for extra tips) and I noticed a few people found it too sweet. So I used 1/4 cup instead and it turned out amazing. My 2 year old loved it and my aunt who’s in her 60s loved it.. Despite cutting down on the sugar and adding few more nuts! Thank you so much for the recipe. Will be trying chicken bhiryani next!
My Heart Beets says
Tina, so glad you liked it! Let me know what you think of the biryani 🙂
Heena says
Hi- I plan on making this recipe next week, just wanted to know if there is a replacement for the sugar? Can I use part honey or stevia? Thank you
My Heart Beets says
I haven’t tried it using a combo of honey and stevia but I’m sure you can 🙂 Let me know how it goes!
Romita Bhagwani says
Wonderful recipe Ahley. The kheer came out so perfect. The ratio was exact and it tasted really good. Next will try your gajar ka halwa.
My Heart Beets says
Romita, I’m so glad you liked it!! Thank you for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Emily says
I don’t see the quantity this recipe makes anywhere on the page. Can you you please advise? Thank you.
Laura Birdsong says
I got six servings.
linda says
Is there a recipe without a pressure cooker? Sorry don’t have one.
Linnae says
How many serving does this make ?
Laura Birdsong says
Worked beautifully. I had no basmati rice on hand, but long grain was fine. I also had no golden raisins, so I used dried apricots. It tasted great off the spoon and looks beautiful portioned out with the nut and fruit topping. I will be trying more of your recipes.
My Heart Beets says
That’s so great to hear! Dried apricots sound delicious!
Laura Birdsong says
I got 6 servings.
Vineet says
Ashley,
I have now made Kheer twice using your recipe and I am so thrilled that it is liked by grown-ups and kids alike among my friends and family. Thanks a lot for sharing such a wonderful and easy to cook recipe.
My Heart Beets says
Hi Vineet, that makes me so happy to hear! Thanks for letting me know how much you and your loved ones like the recipe 🙂
Veena says
Your website has a lot of wonderful recipes that I’ve been trying one by one. Love your step by step instructions. Everything I’ve tried so far has turned out fabulous and a bit hit with my family.
My Heart Beets says
Veena, I’m so happy to hear that you’re trying so many of my recipes!! Thanks for letting me know how much you and your family like them 🙂
Sindu says
Hello, please explain the step 3 in detail. Mine is IP Duo 60. After closing the lid, in what mode to cook for 20 mins! Is it pressure cook mode and the pressure valve on sealing mode???
My Heart Beets says
Yes, use the pressure cook button and make sure the valve is set to sealing. Let me know what you think of the kheer 🙂
Maneesha says
AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS RECIPE! And so easy to make! I made two versions of this kheer this past weekend for dinner parties. For the first dinner, I used Silk Soymilk, and it turned out really well! Because of the natural sugars in the milk, I did not have to add so much sugar. The next day, I used coconut milk, and it really thickened the kheer nicely! My guests were so happy with the kheer – thanks Ashley!
My Heart Beets says
Maneesha, oh I’m just now reading this one lol! I’m so glad the kheer turned out well!
Rupa says
Hi, Can you please let me know which coconut milk brand did you use?
Also, Ashley I am waiting for sabudhana kheer recipe in IP.
Thanks for making our everyday job easy.
Maneesha says
Hi Ashley! Can you use almond/soy/cashew milk instead of coconut milk if you want to make this dairy-free? Just curious!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Maneesha! I haven’t tried this with anything other than regular milk and coconut milk but I have a feeling cashew milk would work really well in this recipe. If you try it out, please let me know!
Maneesha says
Hi Ashley! I made this recipe for two dinner parties – once with soy milk, and the other time with coconut milk! Both turned out great!! Thank you so much for another stellar recipe!
My Heart Beets says
That’s awesome! Thanks so much for letting me know how it turned out Maneesha!!
Mariam says
Going to try making kheer in IP today. If I want to add khoa, when do I add it?
My Heart Beets says
Let me know what you think of it! You can add it at the end 🙂
Andleeb Khan says
Hi Ashley,
I’m new to your blog and absolutely love it! I was wondering if making kheer this way still gives it that reduced milk flavor. I find I don’t enjoy kheer as much unless that flavor is there! I know this one auntie whose kheer I love for that reason. She makes an amazing gajrela (carrot and rice mixed pudding) for the same reason. Have you ever tried gajrela? If not, add that to your research and development list and I’ll be on standby waiting for the finished product;)
My Heart Beets says
Hi Andleeb! So glad you found my blog 🙂 And yes, I do find that it has that flavor but let me know what you think! I also have a gajrela recipe on my website that you should try – my dad helped me get the recipe just right so I hope you love that one too! https://myheartbeets.com/instant-pot-gajar-halwa-indian-carrot-pudding/
Aj says
Hi! Just wanted to say that gajar ka halwa and gajrela are two different desserts. Gajrela is like a gajar kheer (with both carrots and rice). It is quite delicious.
My Heart Beets says
Gajrela is another word for gajar ka halwa – that’s what I’ve been taught by my Punjabi family anyway 🙂
Aj says
I did a google search and you are also right – many people call gajar ka halwa gajrela. A friend of my mom’s makes a carrot/rice Kheer she calls gajrela – she is also Punjabi but from Pakistan. Maybe that is what they call it there. Anyway, it is delicious. 😁
My Heart Beets says
Aj, the carrot rice combo sounds delicious – I will have to try that some time! And that’s interesting to know – I’ll have to ask around about that because now I’m curious! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Pam Patel says
Ashley once more amazing recipe that saves hours of cooking.
Earlier I used to make on stove that took stirring job for long time but your perfect recipe turns out delicious in short time 😊😊😊
Thank you so much for sharing perfect easiest and delicious recipe 🙏🏻😘😘
My Heart Beets says
Pam, so happy to hear that!! Thank you for letting me know how much you like the recipe 🙂
Raj says
I love all your recipes and specially your butter chicken recipe !! My 9 year old is a pick eater , it makes me so happy that he absolutely loves butter chicken . Before ,he wouldn’t eat any of the Indian food , becau of your recipe he loved so much that he asks me every weekend to make that 🙏.I tried kheer recipe last night , it came out yummy but the colour was light brownish . I did everything exactly as the recipe calls for except I used 2% milk instead of whole fat .I don’t know that went wrong . Please advice. Thank you 😊.
My Heart Beets says
Raj, I’m so happy to hear that your kiddo likes the butter chicken!! As for the kheer being light brown, it’s likely just from sugar caramelization – is the sauté setting on your Instant Pot set to high? If so, you can reduce it to the medium or even the low setting when melting sugar at the end. A little brown or color variation is fine though in my opinion – as long as the flavor is good!
Padma says
How do you reduce the sauté setting to medium or low ??? Thanks.
Uma says
Press saute button repeatedly and the settings will change.
Ankita says
Hi Ashley, loved this kheer recipe. Simple and tasty. One thing though: I followed the recipe exactly, but still my kheer was super runny at the end of 20-min of pressure cooking. I think the quantity of rice is less.
My Heart Beets says
Thanks Ankita! You can definitely adjust the recipe to your preference – I like my kheer to be a bit soupy but you can always add more rice!
Tina says
I’m so excited to try this!! It takes so long on the stove top. I usually add rose water to mine, when would be a good time to add it?
My Heart Beets says
Tina, I would add it at the end! Let me know what you think! 🙂
Gopi Patel says
How much rose water would you add? 1 tsp or 1 TBSP?
Karishma says
What size instant pot. Can I make it in 3 qts… or it will overflow
My Heart Beets says
Hi Karishma, all of my recipes are tested using a 6 quart instant pot. You can try asking those in my facebook group if they’ve tried this with a 3 quart 🙂
Janis says
It works just fine in a 3-quart. That’s what I use and it turns out beautifully. 🙂
My Heart Beets says
Great to know, thank you for sharing!