Cinnamon Free Kheer
Few desserts are as deeply comforting as this slow-simmered South Asian rice pudding, where whole milk and basmati rice gradually meld into something luxuriously thick and creamy. The flavor comes from a beautiful combination of ground cardamom, saffron, and a finishing splash of rose water — fragrant and floral without a trace of cinnamon, making it a natural fit for anyone who needs to avoid that spice. Many spiced desserts lean heavily on cinnamon as a shortcut to warmth, but this recipe proves you don't need it when you have saffron deepening the color and cardamom doing the aromatic heavy lifting. Toasted cashews and almonds are cooked in butter until golden, then stirred in along with plump golden raisins for texture and richness in every spoonful. The whole process rewards patience — nearly an hour of gentle stirring — but the result is a pudding that tastes like it came from a restaurant kitchen. Serve it warm straight from the pot, let it cool to room temperature, or chill it for a silky cold dessert topped with a handful of pistachios.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 5 cups whole milk
- ¼ cup basmati rice, rinsed
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
- 1 pinch saffron threads
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp raw cashews, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp raw almonds, slivered or roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp golden raisins
- 1 tsp rose water
For serving
- 1 tbsp pistachios, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the milk and rinsed basmati rice in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring frequently to prevent the milk from scorching on the bottom.
- 2
Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring every 2–3 minutes and scraping the bottom and sides of the pan, until the milk has reduced by roughly half and the rice is completely soft and the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 35–40 minutes.
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