Kheer or Payasam is an Indian favorite dessert for special occasions. It is basically 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 thing about this, no stirring and it is ready in less than 40 mins!
Traditionally making kheer meant keeping milk and rice on the stove for 2 hours and stirring it frequently until the milk thickens and becomes creamy. With the Porridge setting in instant pot, the same thing happens, but you just dump 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 are 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 is going to be my dessert addition to Diwali potluck’s this year – Instant Pot Kheer.
Watch How to Make Rice Pudding / Kheer
How to make Kheer in Instant Pot?
This rice pudding is super easy with just adding all ingredients to the instant pot and setting it on porridge mode. The instant pot does it’s magic and perfect aromatic rice kheer is ready for you in 30 mins. If you have not tried kheer in instant pot yet, you just have to!
I hope you enjoy this easy and delicious Instant Pot Indian Dessert – Rice Pudding. Do share how it turned out!
Here are some other dessert made in the instant pot that you might enjoy:
- Sabudana Kheer – This gluten-free Sabudana pudding is made with tapioca pearls and milk in the instant pot.
- Seviyan Kheer – Also called Vermicelli Kheer or Semiyan Payasam, this delicious dessert can be made in the instant pot in less than 25 minutes.
- Carrot Pudding – Carrot Kheer is made with carrots, milk, cashews and dates, with the added aroma of cardamom & saffron. A delicious & satisfying desert, with no added sugar.
- Coconut Almond Laddoo – A quick sweet recipe that can be made in just 20 minutes for any occasion.
Rice Pudding / Kheer – Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 5 cups Milk, whole
- 1/2 cup White Rice , preferably small or medium grain, rinsed
- 1/2 cup Sugar , (adjust to taste), see notes
- 1/4 cup Roasted Mixed Nuts, chopped or sliced (cashews, almonds, walnut, pistachios) (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Raisins, (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Cardamom powder (Elaichi), (optional)
- 1/8 teaspoon Saffron (Kesar), (optional)
Instructions
- Sanitize the instant pot steel insert, lid and sealing ring thoroughly. If you have an extra sealing ring for sweet foods, use it.
- Add all the ingredients in the instant pot steel insert. Close lid with vent in sealing position. (Based on your preference, you can add sugar, nuts and raisins after pressure cooking too)
- Set instant pot to PORRIDGE mode for 20 minutes on high pressure. When instant pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally.
- Open Instant Pot and mix well. Rice pudding is ready. Serve warm or chilled.
- If needed, to get the desired consistency, cook on SAUTE mode for 2-3 mins. Or add more milk, mix and let it boil for a minute.
Video
Notes
- Try to boil 1/2 cup water in the instant pot on sauté mode, then add other ingredients. Make sure the water is already steaming before adding other ingredients.
- After opening the pot, take the instant pot steel insert out of the pot so the bottom layer does not overcook or stick to the pot.
- Add cinnamon powder and vanilla essence to get a different flavor.
- You can use brown sugar instead of white sugar, based on your preference.
Nutrition
Check out the collection of 10 Instant Pot Indian Desserts from the best blogs here.
When I made this the rice got stuck to the bottom and burned. Do you have any ideas for how to prevent this? I did use 2% milk instead of whole, could that be it?
Hi Shanthi – Sorry to hear the kheer got stuck. I don’t 2% milk is the reason for the issue. What size is your pot? I would suggest to boil a cup of water in the pot before following the recipe next time. That can help so that the milk does not stick to the bottom of the pot.
My daughters love rice pudding. When I made this, they immediately said they no longer want the store bought pudding. Thank you for sharing. I made a second batch right after the first (since there was non left to eat for next day)!!
Hi pretty – So glad to hear your daughter enjoyed the kheer 🙂
Hi Meeta, I have a question. If I make this rice kheer in a large quantity for a party and I use around 20 cups of milk- Should I pressure cook it for a longer period of time or is it still 20 minutes? Thanks!
Hi Janani – I would not recommend a very large quantity of this kheer for pressure cooking. The reason is that milk can foam, and can come out in this case. You can consider slow cooking with the instant pot. I would also suggest to use a glass lid when slow cooking.
Hi Meeta,
This is the most easy and awesome recipe of Instant pot ever. Nothing like dump it all with such amazing kheer. I tried a dairy free version also using Coconut milk. That too turned out awesome. Many thanks to you.
I tried it today and it turned out to be amazing , i added the dry fruits at the end though coz i prefer their rawness. And actually thats the first thing we made in our instant pot. 🙂
Porridge mode works wonders for the kheer it seems .
Hi Pallavi – So happy to hear you enjoyed the kheer and inaugurated your instant pot. Thank you for sharing back your review!
I had made this recipe in a 3qt instant pot. It came out so yummy. I wouldn’t make it again in a 3qt pot. I read the cautionary note once Kheer was in the pot 🙂 the recipe worked for me and highly recommend it. 🙂
Hi Vatsala – If it worked well for you, you can still make it. Maybe reduce the quantity a bit to make sure there is enough space for the milk to foam.
Followed this recipe. However, my milked burnt and had a weird taste. Any suggestion to overcome the same? I have instant pot ultra.
Hi Divya – Sorry to hear the kheer did not work well in your instant pot ultra. What size is your pot? I would suggest to boil a cup of water in the pot before following the recipe next time. That can help so that the milk does not stick to the bottom of the pot.
This kheer is my go to recipe for chawal ki kheer. My whole family loves it and this is just so easy to make. It used to be such a time consuming process on the stove top but with the instant pot, I can make it even on working days to satisfy our sweet tooth. Thanks for the easy but so delicious recipe! Happy Diwali!
Hi Aval – So happy to hear you all enjoy the kheer. Happy Diwali to you and your family too!
I make kheer in pressure cooker all the time. Adding the raisins at the start of the cooking process made the milk curdle. Cashews and raisins were cooked in the porridge mode and did not taste good.
I suggest that you change the instructions, sugar and dry fruits should be added after the Kheer is completely cooked.
Hi Harpreet – Sorry to hear the recipe did not work out for you. I have seen milk curdle when there are impurities and possibly the instant pot is not completely sanitized. As you can see in the video, the milk did not curdle for me and for many people who have given good reviews for this recipe. I agree traditionally sugar, nuts and raisins are added after cooking the kheer, however this is the easy one-pot method to make kheer in the instant pot. It is definitely a personal preference to add nuts and raisins before or after pressure cooking. Please feel free to adjust the recipe to your preference.
Totally love it..not just me but everyone who tastes it loves it..I tried it recently during Ganeshji festival and already thrice after that..Thanks a lot it really couldn’t get easier
Hi Komal – So happy to hear you enjoyed the kheer!