Paneer kheer is a creamy, delicious Indian dessert made with soft paneer, milk, sugar, cardamom, and nuts. This easy paneer kheer recipe comes together in about 25 minutes and is perfect for festivals, celebrations, or when you want to make a homemade Indian sweet without spending hours in the kitchen.
Unlike traditional rice kheer, this recipe uses crumbled or grated paneer instead of rice. The soft paneer pieces simmer in sweetened, cardamom-flavored milk, creating a dessert with a taste and texture similar to rasmalai. Serve it warm or chilled for a simple yet special treat.
More Kheer recipes: Lauki Ki Kheer, Basundi, Mango Rice Kheer
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What Is Paneer Kheer?
Kheer is the Indian milk pudding. The best-known version is made with rice simmered in milk, but kheer can also be made with vermicelli, sabudana, or, as here, paneer. Paneer kheer (sometimes called paneer payasam or chhena kheer) has no grains to cook. You reduce the milk until it turns slightly creamy, sweeten and flavor it, then fold in fresh paneer at the very end.
The result is lighter than rice kheer and tastes very much like rasmalai, which is why it is such a popular shortcut sweet for festivals such as Navratri, Janmashtami, Diwali, Holi, Ganesh Chaturthi and other special occasions. Since it does not contain rice or grains, it can also be an option for vrat or fasting, depending on your family's fasting traditions and the ingredients you use.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ready in 25 minutes. No soaking, no boiling in syrup, no shaping.
- Only a few ingredients. Milk, paneer, sugar, cardamom and nuts.
- Higher in protein than most desserts. A nice way to end a vegetarian meal.
- Great warm or chilled. I prefer it chilled, when the flavors settle and it tastes even more like rasmalai.
- Festival-friendly. Good for Diwali, Raksha Bandhan, Holi, birthdays, or any dinner party where you want an Indian dessert without a lot of stress.
Ingredients You Need
Paneer: Use fresh, soft paneer for the best texture. Homemade paneer works especially well. You can also use store-bought paneer.
Milk: Whole milk gives the kheer a rich, creamy consistency. You can use 2% milk, but the result will be less rich.
Sugar: Adjust the amount according to your taste. You can use regular granulated sugar or preferred sweetener.
Cardamom powder: Adds the classic aroma and flavor of Indian kheer. Freshly ground green cardamom is especially fragrant.
Almonds, pistachios, and cashews: Chopped nuts add flavor and a pleasant crunch. Use your favorite combination.
Saffron: Optional, but a few strands add a lovely color and aroma.
Rose water: Optional. Add a little at the end for a delicate floral fragrance.
How to Make Paneer Kheer
1. Prep first. Crumble the paneer into small, soft pieces with your fingers, and chop the nuts. Soak the saffron in 1 tablespoon of warm milk. Prepping before you start matters because the milk-reducing stage needs your attention.
2. Reduce the milk. Pour the milk into a heavy-bottomed pan and bring it to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring now and then. Lower the heat and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often and scraping down the sides, until the milk has reduced by about a quarter and looks slightly creamy.
3. Sweeten and flavor. Stir in the sugar, cardamom, saffron with its soaking milk, and half of the nuts. Simmer for 2 minutes, until the sugar dissolves.
4. Add the paneer. Turn the heat to low and add the crumbled paneer. Cook for just 1 to 2 minutes, only until it is warmed through. Overcooking makes paneer firm and rubbery, so this step is short on purpose.
5. Finish. Turn off the heat, stir in the rose water, and let it cool a little. The kheer thickens as it sits.
6. Serve. Spoon into bowls and top with the remaining nuts and a few rose petals. Enjoy it warm, or chill for at least 1 to 2 hours for a rasmalai-style dessert.
Tips for the Best Paneer Kheer
Use fresh or homemade paneer. Paneer is the star here. Fresh paneer is soft and mildly sweet. Older or very firm store-bought blocks can taste salty or dry, which shows up in a delicate dessert like this. If your paneer feels firm, soak it in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain and crumble it.
Reduce the milk before adding paneer. Paneer doesn't thicken the kheer, it only floats in it. The creaminess comes from simmering the milk, so don't skip or rush that stage.
Stir the milk regularly: This helps prevent scorching and keeps the texture smooth.
Keep the paneer cooking time short. One to two minutes is enough. Longer and it turns chewy.
Use unsalted nuts. Salted nuts will throw off the dessert.
Add rose water at the end: This preserves its delicate fragrance.
Don't skip the cardamom. Of the flavorings, it matters the most.
Remember that kheer thickens as it cools: Keep it slightly thinner than your desired final consistency.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Condensed milk, Jaggery or maple syrup instead of sugar. Replace some of the sugar with sweetened condensed milk for a richer, sweeter dessert. Jaggery can curdle hot milk, so remove the pan from the heat, let the milk cool a few minutes, and stir it in at the very end. Maple syrup or honey also work if added off the heat; the flavor will be a little different from traditional kheer.
- Sugar-free paneer kheer: Use a suitable sugar substitute according to its package directions. The flavor and texture may vary depending on the sweetener.
- Nut-free. Skip the nuts and garnish with rose petals or a little extra saffron.
- Dairy-free? Paneer has no true vegan substitute, and tofu gives a noticeably different flavor in a sweet dish, so I'd choose a different dessert for vegan guests.
- Extra richness. Stir in 2 tablespoons of cream or a spoonful of mawa (khoya) at the end.
What to Serve With Paneer Kheer
Paneer kheer is lovely after a festive thali with dishes like paneer butter masala, dal makhani, or jeera rice, and it also suits lighter menus. Some families serve kheer with hot puris, which is delicious if you like the sweet-and-savory combination.
Storage and Make-Ahead
Store paneer kheer in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 to 3 days. It tastes great cold, so there is no need to reheat. Reheating can make the paneer dense and chewy. If you must warm it, do it gently in short bursts and stir, or just let a bowl sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. I don't recommend freezing it, because the texture of the milk and paneer changes after thawing.
For a party, you can make it a day ahead and chill it. Add the garnish just before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. Rasmalai uses soft paneer (chenna) discs that are simmered in syrup and then soaked in thickened, spiced milk. Paneer kheer uses crumbled paneer stirred into the milk, so it's much faster, but the flavors are very similar.
Yes. Both homemade and store-bought paneer work well. Choose fresh, soft paneer for the best texture. If the paneer is firm, grate it finely.
Usually the cause is milk that was close to turning, very salty paneer, or an acidic ingredient. Use fresh milk, unsalted nuts, and add jaggery only off the heat.
Yes, paneer kheer can be suitable for fasting because it does not contain rice or other grains. However, fasting rules vary by household, so check that your ingredients and sweetener meet your family's vrat guidelines.
The milk continues to thicken as it cools, and the paneer also contributes to the consistency. Stir in a little milk until you reach your preferred texture.
Paneer kheer is the dessert I turn to when I want something that feels special but doesn't take over the kitchen. It's creamy, fragrant, a little festive, and so simple that a first-time cook can get it right. If you make it, I'd love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment and a star rating below, and tag me when you share it!
More Indian Desserts to Try
If you enjoy homemade Indian sweets, try these recipes next:
- Kalakand with ricotta cheese
- Badam katli
- Besan burfi
- Soft gur til ke ladoo
- Air fryer gujiya
Paneer Kheer Recipe (Easy 25-Minute Indian Dessert)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups full-fat milk
- ½ cup (50 g) fresh paneer, crumbled
- ¼ cup sugar ;to taste (see sweetener notes below)
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1 pinch saffron strands
- 2 tablespoons chopped almonds
- 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios
- 1 teaspoon rose water optional (or a few drops of kewra water)
- Dried rose petals or extra nuts for garnish
Instructions
- Crumble the paneer into small, soft pieces with your fingers, and chop the nuts. Soak the saffron in 1 tablespoon of warm milk. Prepping before you start matters because the milk-reducing stage needs your attention.
- Pour the milk into a heavy-bottomed pan and bring it to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring now and then. Lower the heat and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often and scraping down the sides, until the milk has reduced by about a quarter and looks slightly creamy.
- Stir in the sugar, cardamom, saffron with its soaking milk, and half of the nuts. Simmer for 2 minutes, until the sugar dissolves.
- Turn the heat to low and add the crumbled paneer. Cook for just 1 to 2 minutes, only until it is warmed through. Overcooking makes paneer firm and rubbery, so this step is short on purpose.
- Turn off the heat, stir in the rose water, and let it cool a little. The kheer thickens as it sits.
- Spoon into bowls and top with the remaining nuts and a few rose petals. Enjoy it warm, or chill for at least 1 to 2 hours for a rasmalai-style dessert.
Notes
- Use fresh or homemade paneer. If store-bought paneer is firm, soak it in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain and crumble.
- Reduce the milk before adding the paneer. The creaminess comes from the simmered milk, not the paneer.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Serve it cold rather than reheating, as reheating can make the paneer dense.
- Condensed milk, Jaggery or maple syrup instead of sugar. Replace some of the sugar with sweetened condensed milk for a richer, sweeter dessert. Jaggery can curdle hot milk, so remove the pan from the heat, let the milk cool a few minutes, and stir it in at the very end. Maple syrup or honey also work if added off the heat; the flavor will be a little different from traditional kheer.
- Sugar-free paneer kheer: Use a suitable sugar substitute according to its package directions. The flavor and texture may vary depending on the sweetener.
- Nut-free. Skip the nuts and garnish with rose petals or a little extra saffron.
- Extra richness. Stir in 2 tablespoons of cream or a spoonful of mawa (khoya) at the end.
- Not suitable for freezing.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
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