Make creamy Instant Pot Kheer with this easy dump and start recipe. No stirring or monitoring needed!
Get perfect Indian rice pudding with milk, rice and sugar in 25 minutes.
A super delicious traditional dessert, kheer is very popular in India. It is such a versatile recipe; perfect as a sweet or dessert. It can be made with sugar or other sweeteners and can be enjoyed hot or cold! This Instant pot Kheer has been a game changer in so many ways.
It takes away the toughest part of the process; babysitting and stirring the kheer. It all comes together effortlessly. And while we are talking of kheer; do not forget to try these popular recipes from my blog: Vermicelli kheer, Kesar Kheer, winter special carrot kheer and this creamy and delicious sabudana kheer.
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What is Kheer
Kheer is a traditional Indian rice pudding that serves as a cornerstone of South Asian desserts. In it's simplest form it is made by simmering dairy and sugar with one or more add-ins.
It can be made with rice, quinoa, poha, thin vermicelli and so on. It can be infused with various flavorings like rose petals, charodi, nuts, saffron and cardamom powder.
Kheer is not just a dessert, it is a complete celebration in itself. It is made for so many occasions. Various parts of the country make a different variety of kheer.
- North India: Known as Kheer, it is usually thick and creamy, often served chilled or warm.
- South India: Known as Payasam, it is frequently thinner and may use coconut milk or jaggery (unrefined cane sugar) as a base.
- Gujarat: Known as Doodhpaak, it is a more fluid, milk-heavy version often served with hot puris.
Cultural Significance
Kheer isn't just a dessert; it’s a symbol of celebration. It is the go-to dish for:
- Festivals: Kheer is popular to make during Diwali, Eid, and Holi. It is also made during Navratri and Chaitra Navratri on Ashtami in Gujarati households and fed with chana and puri to little girls who are believed to be an incarnation of the Goddess.
- Life Events: It is often the first solid food offered to a baby during an Annaprashan (weaning ceremony) and a staple at weddings. Essentially it is made for almost every celebration in the family.
- Offerings: It is frequently prepared as Prasad (blessed food) in temples. It is especially big during Navratri in honor of the Goddess. Also, it is a key recipe to make during Shradh (pitru paksh); a 16-day Hindu ritual period in autumn (Pitri Paksha) dedicated to paying homage to ancestors (pitṛs) through prayers, food offerings, and charity.
Why use the Instant Pot
Traditionally, Kheer required hours of slow-stirring on a stovetop to reduce the milk. This takes a long time, needs a lot of stirring and yet it may burn or overflow if not watched closely.
Today, tools like the Instant Pot have great "dump and start" versions that achieve that same slow-cooked creaminess in under 30 minutes without any manual stirring. And once you make this Instant Pot Kheer, it is definitely going to be the method of choice.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Milk: Fresh milk is the first ingredient here. If you want a rich and creamy kheer, use whole milk. Lower fat milks will yield a thinner version of this instant pot kheer. I have used full fat milk in this kheer. Stale milk tends to curdle under pressure in the instant pot.
- Rice: High starch rice is great. Sona Masoori or Surti Kolam is great. I generally use basmati rice in the recipe. Wash the rice well and drain it before using. Also, millets or quinoa works well here.
- Sugar: This is my preferred sweetener in the recipe. Substitute sugar with jaggery, date syrup or coconut sugar if you like. However, these give a darker color to the kheer.
- Other ingredients: I like to add cardamom powder and nuts like almonds, cashews, pistachios. Another delicious add-in is charodi or chironji. A popular ingredient for Indian sweets, these seeds can be found from the Indian store. Often other ingredients like saffron, rose petals, raisins etc. are perfect to add.
See the recipe card for detailed ingredient information, measurements and nutrition.
How to make this recipe
1- Add cold water, milk, sugar and rice (in that order) to the instant pot. The water keeps the milk from scorching the base and avoids the dreaded "burn" warning.
2- Close the lid and set the mode to 'porridge' for 20 minutes.
3- Let the kheer cook and after the cooking cycle is done, let all the pressure release naturally. Open the lid.
4- Set the mode to 'sauté'. Add mixed nuts, chirodi and cardamom seeds. Mix well.
5- Let the kheer cook for 5 minutes and press cancel.
6- Mix well and serve cold or warm topped with dried rose petals and saffron. This kheer tastes great with piping hot puris.
Serving and Storage
This Instant Pot Kheer is perfect to enjoy warm or cold. Simply pour into bowls and enjoy with piping hot puris, Gujarati dal, pulao and potato sabji. It makes a complete thali that is super yum.
Moreover, it is easy to chill this instant pot kheer and enjoy it as a dessert or with roti or puri.
Any leftovers keep well for up to 3 days when refrigerated. The kheer will be thicker and creamier as it stays. Simply add some milk to thin it out if desired.
This recipe is not meant for freezing. The texture of milk and rice modifies significantly on freezing and thawing. So avoid that.
Expert Tips and Notes
- Use the right milk: For a truly "quintessential" creamy texture, Whole Milk is non-negotiable. Lower fat percentages (1% or 2%) will result in a much thinner pudding that may require extra sautéing to reduce. Also, use fresh milk as far as possible. Stale milk has higher acidity and tends to curdle under pressure in the instant pot.
- The Water Layer: Always add a splash of cold water to the bottom of the Instant Pot insert before adding the milk. This creates a thin barrier that prevents the milk proteins from scalding and sticking to the steel base.
- Natural Pressure Release (NPR) Only: Never perform a Quick Release (QR) when cooking milk or starchy foods like rice. The pressure can cause the hot milk to foam up and spray through the steam vent, creating a mess and a burn hazard. Always let the pressure drop naturally.
- The Cooling Factor: Remember that Doodhpaak and Kheer thickens significantly as it cools. For the best texture, stop the "Sauté" mode while the kheer still looks slightly thinner than your final desired consistency.
- Make it Vegan: Simply swap dairy based milk for a non-dairy milk. Use 2 cups of canned coconut milk and 1 cup of water or thin coconut milk from a carton to prevent the "Burn" notice. Or use cashew milk, the thickest of the non-dairy milks. Reduce the time to 12-15 minutes to keep the sugars of the milk from scorching the base of the instant pot.
More Traditional Indian Dessert Recipes
Here are some more traditional Indian sweet recipes to try for the festive season or celebration.
Recipe FAQ
Yes certainly! Do not add jaggery to the Instant Pot during the pressure cooking cycle; it will curdle the milk. Stir it in at the very end after the Kheer has cooled slightly.
If the kheer is too thick after the cooking process is done, simply add in ¼ cup of warm milk and set the mode to sauté for 4-5 minutes. This will give you the correct consistency quickly.
Doodhpaak is a traditional Gujarati sweet. We make doodhpaak by boiling milk till it is cooked and then adding a small amount of rice and finally sugar. The rice remains whole but cooked unlike kheer where it mushes up. Also, doodhpaak is generally white with no saffron added.
The "burn" notice is definitely one of the dreaded ones when using the instant pot. To avoid this, always add ¼ cup of cold water to the pot before adding the milk. Also, scrub the insert well before using. Any residue from the previous recipe (especially savory) can burn or even curdle the milk.
More Dump-and-start Recipes
Loving your instant pot? Make these easy dump and start recipes. These come together in a matter of minutes and need only a handful of ingredients.
Love this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card below & if you REALLY like it, consider a review in the comments whilst you are there, thanks!
Instant Pot Kheer [ Indian Rice Pudding]
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups whole milk
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup long grain rice (I used basmati)
- ¼ cup water
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- 2 tablespoon charoli (optional)
- 2 tablespoon slivered almonds (pistachios and cashews)
- 1 teaspoon rose petals to top (optional)
- ⅛ teaspoon saffron strands
Instructions
- Add cold water, milk, sugar and rice (in that order) to the instant pot. The water keeps the milk from scorching the base and avoids the dreaded "burn" warning.3 cups whole milk, ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup water, ½ cup long grain rice
- Close the lid and set the mode to 'porridge' for 20 minutes.
- Let the kheer cook and after the cooking cycle is done, let all the pressure release naturally. Open the lid.
- Set the mode to 'sauté'. Add mixed nuts, chirodi and cardamom. Mix well.½ teaspoon cardamom powder, 2 tablespoon charoli, 2 tablespoon slivered almonds
- Let the kheer cook for 5 minutes and press cancel.
- Mix well and serve cold or warm topped with dried rose petals and saffron. This kheer tastes great with piping hot puris.⅛ teaspoon saffron strands, 1 teaspoon rose petals to top
Video
Notes
- Use the right milk: For a truly "quintessential" creamy texture, Whole Milk is non-negotiable. Lower fat percentages (1% or 2%) will result in a much thinner pudding that may require extra sautéing to reduce. Also, use fresh milk as far as possible. Stale milk has higher acidity and tends to curdle under pressure in the instant pot.
- The Water Layer: Always add a splash of cold water to the bottom of the Instant Pot insert before adding the milk. This creates a thin barrier that prevents the milk proteins from scalding and sticking to the steel base.
- Natural Pressure Release (NPR) Only: Never perform a Quick Release (QR) when cooking milk or starchy foods like rice. The pressure can cause the hot milk to foam up and spray through the steam vent, creating a mess and a burn hazard. Always let the pressure drop naturally.
- The Cooling Factor: Remember that Doodhpaak and Kheer thickens significantly as it cools. For the best texture, stop the "Sauté" mode while the kheer still looks slightly thinner than your final desired consistency.
- Make it Vegan: Simply swap dairy based milk for a non-dairy milk. Use 2 cups of canned coconut milk and 1 cup of water or thin coconut milk from a carton to prevent the "Burn" notice. Or use cashew milk, the thickest of the non-dairy milks. Reduce the time to 12-15 minutes to keep the sugars of the milk from scorching the base of the instant pot.
- Instant Pot: Remember to always account for the time needed for the Instant Pot to come to pressure. The cook time listed does not account for this. Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates using an automated calculator. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
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