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Kheer or Payasam is a popular Indian dessert made for festivals and special celebrations. It is essentially a rice pudding made with rice and milk, infused with saffron, cardamom, and assorted dried fruits. This Kheer made in the Instant Pot is a game-changer. The best part about this is that there’s no stirring, and it’s ready in under 40 minutes!
Traditionally, making kheer involved keeping milk and rice on the stove for 2 hours, stirring it frequently until the milk thickened and became creamy. With the Porridge setting in the Instant Pot, the same thing happens, but you simply add all the ingredients and go your happy way to enjoy yourself!
As Diwali is approaching, I have been wanting to make some desserts that we can share with family and friends. Food, or rather desserts, is an integral part of Indian Diwali celebrations. You visit friends or have them over. But really, everywhere you go, you will find a table full of snacks and desserts laid out for you to enjoy. Oh, I love Diwali (how can a foodie not? 😉
This will be my dessert addition to Diwali potlucks this year: Instant Pot Kheer.
I call this the original kheer recipe as I was the first recipe developer to figure out this set-and-forget method, and it quickly became popular (for very good reason). Now you will find this method shared on many food blogs. The above picture is the one I first shared for this recipe in 2017.
Made kheer for the first time on Instant Pot.. my god.. amazing.. came out so good.. saved all the hard work and time .. this was so fast and authentic!
– INDRANI
Why Make Kheer in the Instant Pot?
It’s Easy and effortless. Just dump the ingredients, set the timer, and let the Instant Pot do the work.
No stirring is needed—no standing by the stove or worrying about milk sticking to the bottom.
It has the same authentic taste. It’s creamy, flavorful, and just like traditional stovetop kheer.
It’s perfect for any occasion
Ingredients
There are just a few basic ingredients that you need to make kheer:
Rice: I use fragrant white basmati rice to make kheer. Other types of white rice work too.
Milk: I used whole milk. You can also use low-fat milk or unsweetened dairy-free milk.
Sugar: I use regular granulated sugar. Sugar substitutes could work; see tips and notes.
Saffron: Adds color and a delicate aroma to the kheer.
Nuts and Raisins: I like to add almonds, cashews, and pistachios to kheer. Raisins are also a great addition.
How to make Kheer in the Instant Pot?
This rice pudding is super easy, with just the addition of all ingredients to the Instant Pot and setting it to porridge mode. The Instant Pot does its magic, and perfectly aromatic rice kheer is ready for you in 30 minutes. If you haven’t tried kheer in an Instant Pot yet, you simply must!
Vegan Kheer in Instant Pot
Substitute ghee with dairy-free butter and milk with your preferred dairy-free milk alternative. Some readers have tried this kheer with almond milk and oat milk and enjoyed it.
Recipe Tips
This Instant Pot Kheer is super easy to make, but here are some tips that will be helpful as you try this recipe:
Clean the Instant Pot thoroughly: Sanitize the steel insert, lid, and sealing ring thoroughly. If you have an extra sealing ring for sweet foods, use it.
Rinse Rice: Ensure the rice is rinsed thoroughly by washing it 2-4 times until the water runs clear.
Sugar Substitute: Although I have not tried it myself, some readers have suggested that if using jaggery or coconut sugar in place of regular sugar, add it after cooking on the porridge setting (otherwise, the milk can curdle).
Rose Water: If you like, you can add a teaspoon of rose water to this kheer. I recommend adding it after the kheer is cooked.
Add Water: This recipe adds some water to thin out the liquids in the Instant Pot. Do not skip this step, as otherwise, you can get a Burn sign on the Instant Pot.
Natural Pressure Release: It is essential to let the pressure release naturally, as otherwise the milk can splutter and cause a mess.
Storage: You can store kheer in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. The stored kheer can get thicker and creamier. If you prefer, you can thin the consistency by adding more milk.
I hope you enjoy this easy and delicious Instant Pot Indian Dessert – Rice Pudding. Do share how it turned out!
Kheer or Payasam, a popular Indian dessert, is rice pudding made with rice and milk, infused with saffron, cardamom, and assorted dried fruits. This Kheer made in the Instant Pot is a game-changer. The best part about this is that there's no stirring, and it's ready in under 40 minutes!
Sanitize the Instant Pot steel insert, lid, and sealing ring thoroughly. If you have an extra sealing ring for sweet foods, use it.
Rinse the rice 2-4 times until the water runs clear.
Heat the Instant Pot in Saute mode. Add 1/2 tablespoon of ghee and let it melt. Add the rinsed rice and saute for 30 seconds. (It is optional to saute the rice, but it adds richness and aroma to the kheer. If skipping, directly add the rinsed rice to the Instant Pot).
Add the water, milk, sugar, cardamom, and saffron. Give it all a good stir.
You can add the nuts now if you like. I prefer to sauté the nuts and raisins in ghee, then add them after cooking the kheer (see roasting nuts section).
Close the lid with the vent in sealing position. Set the Instant Pot to PORRIDGE mode for 20 minutes on high pressure. When the Instant Pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally.
Remove the lid and mix well. Kheer is ready. It might seem a little thin in consistency, but it does thicken up as it sits for about 30 minutes. You can cook on SAUTE mode for 2-3 minutes.
Roasting Nuts & Raisins
Heat a small pan on medium-low heat. Add 1/2 tablespoon of ghee to it. Add the sliced or chopped nuts to the pan. Sauté for a minute until they lightly change color. Then add the raisins and saute for another minute. Remove from the pan so they don't overcook or burn. The nuts and raisins are ready to add to the cooked kheer.
Notes
Sugar Substitute: Although I have not tried it myself, some readers have suggested that if using jaggery or coconut sugar in place of regular sugar, then add it after cooking on porridge setting (else the milk can curdle). Storing: When kheer is stored, it gets thicker and creamier. If you prefer, you can thin the consistency by adding more milk. PLEASE READ: This recipe was created in a 6-qt Instant Pot DUO60 Multi-use Pressure Cooker. I do not recommend making this in a 3-qt or doubling the recipe in a 6-qt, as the milk boils and can come out. Kheer sticking to the bottom of the pot: I got feedback from some that the kheer sometimes sticks to the bottom of the pot. Some tips below to avoid this:
Try boiling 1/2 cup of water in the Instant Pot on sauté mode, then add the remaining ingredients. Make sure the water is already steaming before adding other ingredients.
After opening the pot, remove the instant pot steel insert from the pot so that the bottom layer does not overcook or stick to the pot.
Variations:
Add cinnamon powder and vanilla essence to get a different flavor.
You can use brown sugar instead of white sugar, based on your preference.
Tried this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review. I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!
About Meeta
I strongly believe that each one of us has a chef inside us, we just need to explore the ingredients and create great food. My passion is to share easy, and wholesome recipes made using Instant Pot & Air Fryer, that are well tested, so you can cook with confidence.
I made this recipe this evening to the letter. Although it was delicious, I was left with at least 3 cups of liquid (which was so good I was inclined to just drink it lol). Up front, 5 cups of milk seemed like a lot for 1/2 c. rice. Where did I go wrong? I’m going to try another batch with the extra milk.
Hi Susanna – Glad to hear you enjoyed the kheer. Just want to confirm you used 1/2 cup of raw rice in the kheer. Usually the rice soaks up all the liquid and thickens, so much liquid should not be left.
Made this in my multi function pressure cooker, Used high pressure low setting as I don’t have porridge setting for 10 minutes and OMG it turned out exactly how I like to eat it…not too thick not to watery. Definitely will make weekly! My boys loved it. I used a combo of erythritol and stevia to keep sugar down. I also added a bit of rose water as I normally do when I make kheer. Also, the milk didn’t stick at all or boil over or anything Yay! Thanks for sharing the recipe!!
This is my all time fav recipe. I have made this kheer so many times and each time I got wonderful feedback & compliments. So very delighted to find this easy peasy kheer recipe. Saves so much of time & effort !!
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe to us 🙂
Hi Vandana – So glad to hear you have been enjoying the kheer. Thank you for sharing back your review!
Hi Geetali – I have not tried with oat milk, however some readers have tried with almond milk and loved it. So I believe it will work well with oat milk too. Would love to hear if you do try it!
I got the burn warning! I did the porridge setting for 20 minutes on high pressure. Haven’t opened the pot yet, don’t want the milk splashing everywhere. I am so bummed!
Hi Madina – Sorry that you got the burn warning. You did the right thing not releasing the pressure, and letting it release naturally. Next time, try the method in notes which can help to avoid sticking.
MY rice completely dissolved. No texture left 🙁 is this a thing or did I ruin it? I like the rice texture. Also I used coconut/almond silk because I’m allergic to milk. It tastes great but mushy!
Hi Sherri – The rice go get well cooked, but there is slight texture in the kheer. If you like them more holding their shape, then you can cook for just 10 minutes next time. Glad you enjoyed the taste.
Made it first time. loved it
Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Wish i had read the bit about the boiling water as my kneer stuck to the base, and was tough to remove!
Perhaps you can make it part of the recipe, as others too have mentioned that the kheer stuck to the base.
Thanks
Thank you Meeta for the easy and wonderful recipe. I have the 3quart one. I probably didn’t read your posting in entirety but thankfully the milk didn’t boil over and the kheer came out quite well.
Hi Ravi – Glad to hear the Kheer came out well 😊. Thank you for sharing back your experience!
I wish I could do a half-star up.. but there we go. I tried this last night and, with the 1/2 cup water in saute mode, in an 8 quart IP, I had success. I made it with 1% milk because that’s generally what we keep in the house. It was a little loose for my liking even after the second ‘saute’ to reduce. The recipe doesn’t specify which type of saute. For reducing, the IP manual suggests low, but I feel this may be incorrect for this recipe. It was still ding-dang tasty though, and I’d do it again. I will likely “play around” and reduce the amount of milk by a half cup or so to see what the outcome is
Thank you for sharing back your feedback. I use the saute(normal) setting, unless specified otherwise in the recipe. I think the whole milk helps to give the right thick consistency. This rice pudding also thickens as it cools and is refrigerated. Hope you enjoy it again!
I made it in 3Qt with porridge option for 10 mins as I already did pressure cooker option for 2 mins 2 times with release air but took out the lid quickly and it was filled little above half. After Porridge option I added more milk n put it on sauté mode for 10 mins n adjusted sugar. Stirred on and off . This is the first time ever kheer was done without spilling and sticking too much on bottom. I added very little water and read the recipe after pressure cook for 2 times. Thanks for the tips.
Came out sooo good. So easy and so nice.. I put in instant pot and came back after an hour. There was milk outside vent and in the condensation catcher. Didn’t touch it until npr. But taste was divine
Hi Shruthi – Glad to hear you enjoyed it. As there was milk in the condensation catcher, I would say do a little less quantity next time, just to be sure it does not froth and come out.
I followed the exact recipe and it turned out perfect & very yummy in 3qt IP since I don’t have 6qt. It’s really quick and easy recipe. Thanks for sharing!!
Thank you for the recipe… it was my first ever attempt to cook as I just got my instant pot. I have not tried yet but consistency looks absolutely perfect. The only thing was that it got stuck at the bottom not sure why. I dis try your saute some water trick but still stick so any help for future on that would be helpful. Thanks again
Hi Nicky – So glad to hear you tried this kheer with your new instant pot. I am trying to figure what could be other reasons why the kheer would stick. One tip is to remove the instant pot steel insert out of the pot once you open the pot, so that it is not cooking the bottom layer with the residual heat. Thank you for sharing back your experience.
Hi Meeta , thank you i did boil some water as per your advice and second attempt came out perfect !!!! Thanks for sharing the recipes and updates. Cant wait to try other recipes from your list 🙂
Hi Nicky – So good to hear that. Thank you for sharing it! 🙂
I made exactly to the recipe above and My kheer boiled over into the condensation catcher and went all over the counter, it nearly ruined the pot and could have been extremely dangerous if the liquid went into the machine itself… don’t think it’s a good idea to make milk products in the instant pot with the risk of it boiling over
Hi, so sorry to hear the recipe did not work well. I would like to get some more details to understand what went wrong – what size instant pot did you use? Also, what type of milk did you use – whole or low fat? Did you put the vent in sealing position? Many people have loved this recipe and it has worked perfectly, so I really want to figure out what could have gone wrong in your case.
Thanks for sharing the details. I really do feel that something was wrong with the sealing, as I have never heard this happen for anyone else. As you can see many people have tried this recipe successfully and it has been tested many times.
Most Amazing kheer! Unbelievable that its so simple. Thanks !
I made it in 3q pot with 5 cups of milk with no problems. It is important to use natural release of pressure as milk will come out of the vent if using a quick release and make a mess. Half cup of sugar makes it quite sweet so for those who prefer less sweet it may be worth using less sugar.
Hi, I just love your recipe. The kheer came out so so delicious. My daughters and husband who are not kheer person ate it like crazy. Thanks so much!!
I have a question- my kheer sticked to IP bottom, not sure why🤔
Hi Sarika – So glad to hear you all enjoy the kheer. You can try to boil 1/2 cup water in the instant pot on saute mode, then add other ingredients. This can help to avoid the Kheer sticking to the base of the pot.
This recipe is great! I never leave reviews but wanted to say thank you! It’s so easy and good! I’ve shared it with a lot of friends and family that also make it regularly! I’ve also loved other instant pot Indian food recipes you’ve posted! Thanks again!
I have never made this in a rice cooker, so cannot say for sure it will work well. It does work on the stovetop in a large pot. However it needs frequently stirring on the stovetop.
I Googled and found several recipes for rice pudding in the rice cooker. I didn’t really have a look at them and the recipes may not work for all rice cookers. But give it a look
I made this recipe this evening to the letter. Although it was delicious, I was left with at least 3 cups of liquid (which was so good I was inclined to just drink it lol). Up front, 5 cups of milk seemed like a lot for 1/2 c. rice. Where did I go wrong? I’m going to try another batch with the extra milk.
Hi Susanna – Glad to hear you enjoyed the kheer. Just want to confirm you used 1/2 cup of raw rice in the kheer. Usually the rice soaks up all the liquid and thickens, so much liquid should not be left.
Made this in my multi function pressure cooker, Used high pressure low setting as I don’t have porridge setting for 10 minutes and OMG it turned out exactly how I like to eat it…not too thick not to watery. Definitely will make weekly! My boys loved it. I used a combo of erythritol and stevia to keep sugar down. I also added a bit of rose water as I normally do when I make kheer. Also, the milk didn’t stick at all or boil over or anything Yay! Thanks for sharing the recipe!!
Hi Farzana – So happy to hear you enjoyed the kheer. Thank you for sharing back your review!
This is my all time fav recipe. I have made this kheer so many times and each time I got wonderful feedback & compliments. So very delighted to find this easy peasy kheer recipe. Saves so much of time & effort !!
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe to us 🙂
Hi Vandana – So glad to hear you have been enjoying the kheer. Thank you for sharing back your review!
Have you tried this recipe with Oat milk?
Hi Geetali – I have not tried with oat milk, however some readers have tried with almond milk and loved it. So I believe it will work well with oat milk too. Would love to hear if you do try it!
I got the burn warning! I did the porridge setting for 20 minutes on high pressure. Haven’t opened the pot yet, don’t want the milk splashing everywhere. I am so bummed!
Hi Madina – Sorry that you got the burn warning. You did the right thing not releasing the pressure, and letting it release naturally. Next time, try the method in notes which can help to avoid sticking.
I have made this recipe countless times .. always come out perfect!! This time I doubled the recipe in 6 quart and it worked great!!
Hi Sara – Glad to hear you enjoyed the kheer!
MY rice completely dissolved. No texture left 🙁 is this a thing or did I ruin it? I like the rice texture. Also I used coconut/almond silk because I’m allergic to milk. It tastes great but mushy!
Hi Sherri – The rice go get well cooked, but there is slight texture in the kheer. If you like them more holding their shape, then you can cook for just 10 minutes next time. Glad you enjoyed the taste.
Made it first time. loved it
Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Wish i had read the bit about the boiling water as my kneer stuck to the base, and was tough to remove!
Perhaps you can make it part of the recipe, as others too have mentioned that the kheer stuck to the base.
Thanks
Hi Pretty – Happy to hear you enjoyed the kheer. I will rework the recipe to include the details. Thank you for sharing your feedback!
Thank you Meeta for the easy and wonderful recipe. I have the 3quart one. I probably didn’t read your posting in entirety but thankfully the milk didn’t boil over and the kheer came out quite well.
Hi Ravi – Glad to hear the Kheer came out well 😊. Thank you for sharing back your experience!
I wish I could do a half-star up.. but there we go. I tried this last night and, with the 1/2 cup water in saute mode, in an 8 quart IP, I had success. I made it with 1% milk because that’s generally what we keep in the house. It was a little loose for my liking even after the second ‘saute’ to reduce. The recipe doesn’t specify which type of saute. For reducing, the IP manual suggests low, but I feel this may be incorrect for this recipe. It was still ding-dang tasty though, and I’d do it again. I will likely “play around” and reduce the amount of milk by a half cup or so to see what the outcome is
Thank you for sharing back your feedback. I use the saute(normal) setting, unless specified otherwise in the recipe. I think the whole milk helps to give the right thick consistency. This rice pudding also thickens as it cools and is refrigerated. Hope you enjoy it again!
I made it in 3Qt with porridge option for 10 mins as I already did pressure cooker option for 2 mins 2 times with release air but took out the lid quickly and it was filled little above half. After Porridge option I added more milk n put it on sauté mode for 10 mins n adjusted sugar. Stirred on and off . This is the first time ever kheer was done without spilling and sticking too much on bottom. I added very little water and read the recipe after pressure cook for 2 times. Thanks for the tips.
Hi Sarika – So good to hear that. Thank you for sharing your experience. 🙂
Came out sooo good. So easy and so nice.. I put in instant pot and came back after an hour. There was milk outside vent and in the condensation catcher. Didn’t touch it until npr. But taste was divine
Hi Shruthi – Glad to hear you enjoyed it. As there was milk in the condensation catcher, I would say do a little less quantity next time, just to be sure it does not froth and come out.
I followed the exact recipe and it turned out perfect & very yummy in 3qt IP since I don’t have 6qt. It’s really quick and easy recipe. Thanks for sharing!!
Hi Sonia – So glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Hi
Thank you for the recipe… it was my first ever attempt to cook as I just got my instant pot. I have not tried yet but consistency looks absolutely perfect. The only thing was that it got stuck at the bottom not sure why. I dis try your saute some water trick but still stick so any help for future on that would be helpful. Thanks again
Hi Nicky – So glad to hear you tried this kheer with your new instant pot. I am trying to figure what could be other reasons why the kheer would stick. One tip is to remove the instant pot steel insert out of the pot once you open the pot, so that it is not cooking the bottom layer with the residual heat. Thank you for sharing back your experience.
Hi Meeta , thank you i did boil some water as per your advice and second attempt came out perfect !!!! Thanks for sharing the recipes and updates. Cant wait to try other recipes from your list 🙂
Hi Nicky – So good to hear that. Thank you for sharing it! 🙂
I made exactly to the recipe above and My kheer boiled over into the condensation catcher and went all over the counter, it nearly ruined the pot and could have been extremely dangerous if the liquid went into the machine itself… don’t think it’s a good idea to make milk products in the instant pot with the risk of it boiling over
Hi, so sorry to hear the recipe did not work well. I would like to get some more details to understand what went wrong – what size instant pot did you use? Also, what type of milk did you use – whole or low fat? Did you put the vent in sealing position? Many people have loved this recipe and it has worked perfectly, so I really want to figure out what could have gone wrong in your case.
I used 6 qt pot, whole milk, vent sealed…
Thanks for sharing the details. I really do feel that something was wrong with the sealing, as I have never heard this happen for anyone else. As you can see many people have tried this recipe successfully and it has been tested many times.
Most Amazing kheer! Unbelievable that its so simple. Thanks !
Hi Nita – Thank you! Hope you enjoyed it. 🙂
I made it in 3q pot with 5 cups of milk with no problems. It is important to use natural release of pressure as milk will come out of the vent if using a quick release and make a mess. Half cup of sugar makes it quite sweet so for those who prefer less sweet it may be worth using less sugar.
Hi Ana – Glad to hear it worked well in the 3qt instant pot. Thank you for sharing back your experience.
Hi!
Have you ever tried making this with coconut milk? It sounds so good but my husband and I don’t tolerate dairy products 🙁
Hi Stephanie – I have not tried, but some readers have tried with almond milk or coconut milk and enjoyed it. Hope you give it a try!
I used a combination of Oatley brand oat milk and Almond milk, and it came out divinely creamy and perfect. Thank you for such a yummy recipe.
Hi, I just love your recipe. The kheer came out so so delicious. My daughters and husband who are not kheer person ate it like crazy. Thanks so much!!
I have a question- my kheer sticked to IP bottom, not sure why🤔
Hi Sarika – So glad to hear you all enjoy the kheer. You can try to boil 1/2 cup water in the instant pot on saute mode, then add other ingredients. This can help to avoid the Kheer sticking to the base of the pot.
Sure thank you so much! Will try next time😊
This recipe is great! I never leave reviews but wanted to say thank you! It’s so easy and good! I’ve shared it with a lot of friends and family that also make it regularly! I’ve also loved other instant pot Indian food recipes you’ve posted! Thanks again!
Hi …. I wanted to try this recipe for half the amount ( 2.5 cups of milk). How long should I keep it in porridge mode ?
Hi Kanina – The cooking time will remain the same even if you reduce the quantity. Hope you enjoy the kheer!
Great dish , can i use a rice cooker instead of a pressure cooker.
Thanks
I have never made this in a rice cooker, so cannot say for sure it will work well. It does work on the stovetop in a large pot. However it needs frequently stirring on the stovetop.
I Googled and found several recipes for rice pudding in the rice cooker. I didn’t really have a look at them and the recipes may not work for all rice cookers. But give it a look
I received my IP yesterday and the very first thing I made was this kheer. Turned out perfect. Thanks for the recipe.
Hi – So good to know that. Thank you for sharing 🙂