Makhana Kheer or Makhane ki Kheer is a traditional and delicious, creamy Indian pudding made with fox nuts, milk, sugar, dry fruits, and flavorings like saffron cardamom and rose water.
This amazingly delicious, healthy, and flavourful dessert is generally prepared and served on auspicious occasions such as Navratri fasting, Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Mahashivratri, Ekadasi, or during any vrat (Hindu fasting days).
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You can also serve it as a great after-meal dessert, or serve it with your festive meals. Made from scratch with basic ingredients, it comes together in 25 minutes.
Table of contents
About Makhana Kheer
This easy-to-make Makhana Kheer is a delight for the taste buds and a treat for the eyes. With every spoonful of this makhana kheer, you will experience so many exotic textures and flavors that will arouse all the senses of your taste glands.
Makhane Ki Kheer is a delicious way to include this bursting-with-health ingredient in your diet. Makhana Kheer can be enjoyed warm, chilled, or at room temperature. I like it either warm or chilled, never at room temperature.
On this page you’ll get all the tips, tricks and variations to make your best makhana kheer.
Reasons to love this Makhana Kheer
This Makhana Kheer:
✓ is perfectly rich and creamy
✓ is loaded with irresistible flavors
✓ is easy and simple to make
✓ also makes a nutritious baby food
✓ is a delicious dessert
✓ is suitable for gluten-free, grain-free, paleo diets
✓ can also be made vegan
✓ is ready in under 25 minutes
If you are looking for more kheer recipes, here are some of my other favorites – Seviyan Kheer, Rice Kheer, or Sabudana Kheer, and peanut ladoo.
What is Makhana
Makhana or Phool Makhana is also called Fox Nuts or puffed Lotus Seeds. It is a very healthy, delicious, and nutrient-rich ingredient that has been widely used in Asian countries since ancient times. It can be consumed in a raw, roasted, or ground form.
This can also be used as a syrup or paste after being peeled and boiled.
Makhana is packed with calcium, high contents of fiber, proteins, and minerals, and also has anti-inflammatory properties. Due to makhana’s health benefits, it is considered as a superfood ingredient. Hence, it is a part of traditional Indian food habits.
Makhanas are healthy and regularly used as a snack, in desserts, and even in curries across India. Makhana is super versatile and other than eating roasted makhanas, you can have them in many ways like kheer, namkeens, raita, or curry. Makhana is definitely a healthy alternative snack to popcorn.
What is Makhana Kheer
Makhana Kheer or Makhane Ki Kheer Recipe is a traditional and popular North Indian pudding recipe made especially during the festive season or fasting days. This makhana kheer or lotus seeds pudding is a rich, creamy and delicious pudding made using roasted makhanas, milk, sugar, nuts, and dessert flavorings.
It is one of those recipes that is made in every household. So everyone has their own version of making this recipe. Today I am sharing my Mom’s Phool Makhane Ki Kheer recipe which I grew up eating.
Ingredients
Makhana Kheer is made with some simple ingredients. You will only need these ingredients to make this delicious makhane ki kheer.
Makhana
It is also known as lotus seeds or fox nuts. Try to use organic Phool makhana for better taste and experience. You can find them at any Asian grocery stores worldwide or online.
Ghee
It is used for roasting makhanas and raisins. Ghee roasted makhanas add a nice aromatic flavor to the kheer. So it is highly recommended to use ghee for roasting.
Milk
It is the key ingredient of this kheer recipe. So, the creamier the milk the better. I have used whole milk with 3.5% fat. You can also use 2 or 1.5% fat milk. But just don’t use skimmed milk, it won’t taste good and it might also stick to the pan.
Sugar
I have used 1/3 cup white sugar in this recipe. You can adjust the amount of sugar according to your taste buds.
Flavorings
I have used saffron, cardamom, and rose flavoring in this makhana kheer recipe. Adding flavorings is optional. Feel free to remove any of the flavors you don’t like.
Assorted Nuts & Raisins
Makhana kheer tastes great when it is loaded with rich nuts. I have used a combination of raisins, almonds, cashews, and pistachios. You can choose any of your favorite nuts or dried fruits in this kheer recipe.
How To Make Makhana Kheer
Making makhana kheer or Makhane Ki Kheer is very simple and easy. You only need to do some roasting and boiling. This is how you can make makhana kheer:
Step 1: Roast raisins, and roasting makhanas in ghee.
Step 2: Crushing half of the roasted makhanas.
Step 3: Boiling milk with saffron.
Step 4: Cooking makhanas with milk.
Step 5: Cooking kheer with sugar, nuts, and flavorings.
On this Makhana Kheer recipe page, you will get the step-by-step picture recipe and video instructions on how to make makhana kheer at home.
Storage Suggestions
Makhana Kheer stays fresh in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days when kept in an airtight container. When you want to serve, you can have it chilled or warm it up in a microwave oven or on a stovetop pan.
Serving Suggestions
Makhana Kheer can be served as a fasting meal along with sabudana khichdi. Or you can also serve it along with an elaborate Indian meal to your guests. I like to serve this makhana kheer with some garlic naan, Instant Meethe Chawal, Paneer Butter Masala, makhana namkeen, and boondi raita.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to make vegan makhana kheer?
Making vegan makhana kheer is very simple. You need to replace ghee with coconut oil or with vegan butter. Swap whole milk with coconut milk, almond milk, or soy milk. The rest of the recipe will be the same. I like to use thin coconut milk for this recipe because it adds a delicious coco-nutty flavor to this kheer.
How to make makhana kheer for babies?
Makhana kheer for growing babies is a very healthy and filler option. Make makhana kheer the same way for babies as shown in the recipe box — just make sure to powder all of the roasted makhanas. Pulsing helps in digesting the kheer if babies don’t have teeth.
When making kheer for babies, you might also need to remove the nuts and additional flavoring. Also, cut down, or completely omit the sugar.
How to make makhana kheer with jaggery?
Making Makhana Kheer with jaggery (gur) is a healthy way to sweeten the kheer. It also adds a beautiful brownish hue to the makhana kheer recipe. To make the kheer with jaggery, you can either use powdered jaggery or crushed jaggery.
When making kheer with jaggery, you need to cook the kheer without sweetener. Once the kheer is cooked, turn off the heat. Then add the jaggery powder and stir it until the jaggery dissolves.
Never add the jaggery to the milk while cooking, because the milk might curdle when you cook with jaggery. And curdled kheer won’t taste so good.
Tips, Tricks, and Variations to make the best Makhana Kheer
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I have used white sugar in this makhana kheer recipe. To make it healthier, you can replace white sugar with organic jaggery powder or dates paste.
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To make a richer tasting makhana kheer, you can also use about 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk to this kheer. Make sure to skip the sugar when using sweetened condensed milk.
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While making the makhane ki kheer, I coarsely powdered half of the roasted makhanas in a mixer jar. Doing this adds a nice creamy smooth consistency to the kheer. You can also crush them using a rolling pin or use the whole makhanas.
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Kheer thickens after cooling, so don’t evaporate milk too much if you are planning to eat this Makhane Ki Kheer chilled.
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Adding rose water in this recipe is completely optional. You can also replace rose water with a splash of kewra water.
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Add freshly grated paneer to the milk along with coarse makhanas to make paneer makhana kheer.
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Makhane ki kheer can be served warm or chilled. When serving chilled, let the kheer come to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container and chill for 2-3 hours or until chilled.
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Adding 1/3 cup sugar makes a kheer on the sweeter side. If you prefer a light sweet taste, then feel free to reduce the amount of sugar.
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If for some reason your Makhane Ki Kheer has become super thick after cooling, then boil 1/4 cup milk in a pan and add this slowly to the kheer until it reaches the desired consistency.
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Keep stirring constantly while roasting makhanas and cooking milk. This step will prevent it from burning and sticking to the pan.
Makhana Kheer | Makhane Ki Kheer (Step-by-step photo instructions)
How to make Makhana Kheer
- Heat 3 tablespoons of ghee to a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Once hot, add 2 tablespoons of raisins and roast them until they puff up. When roasted, remove the raisins from the pan and transfer them onto a bowl. Keep it aside.
- To the same pan, add the phool makhana and roast them over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes or until makhanas are crunchy and crispy. Keep stirring often to prevent them from burning and from sticking to the pan. After that, transfer half of the roasted makhanas to a bowl and keep it aside.
- Now, add the rest of the roasted makhanas to a mixer jar and pulse for a few seconds to make a coarse mixture. You don't need a fine powder, so you can also use a rolling pin to crush the makhanas. Set them aside.
- To the same pan, add 4 cups of full cream milk and stir it for 1 minute. Now, add saffron-soaked milk to the same pan. Boil it for 2-3 minutes over medium heat. Keep stirring constantly so the milk doesn't get burned and stick to the pan.
- Then add whole makhanas and stir well while scraping the sides of the pan to collect the milk cream. Boil it for 2-3 minutes, and then add crushed makhanas. Stir well and simmer 2-3 more or until makhanas are softened and cooked.
- Now add sugar to the pan and stir well and cook until sugar dissolves completely. Once the sugar is dissolved, add the ground cardamom and mix again. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until it thickens. Makhana kheer becomes thick after cooling, so make sure not to overcook the kheer.
- Lastly, add the roasted raisins and mix everything well. Simmer for 2 more minutes. Turn off the heat and add chopped nuts and rose water.
- Stir well and transfer makhana kheer to a serving dish. Garnish with chopped nuts, saffron strands, and dried rose petals. Serve Makhane Ki Kheer warm or chilled.
Recipe Card
Makhana Kheer | Makhane Ki Kheer [Recipe]
★★★★★
(Rating: 5 from 4 reviews)
| Prep time 🕐 | Cook time 🕐 | Total time 🕐 |
|---|---|---|
| 25 mins | ||
| Category ☶ | Cuisine ♨ | Serves ☺ |
| Desserts | Indian | 6 |
| Nutrition Info ⊛ | Serving size ⊚ | |
| 350 calories | 1 |
INGREDIENTS
For Makhana Kheer
- 3 tablespoons ghee
- 2 cups phool makhana/fox nuts/lotus seeds
- 4 cups (1 liter) full cream milk
- 12-14 saffron strands soaked in 3 tablespoons warm milk
- 1/3 cup sugar, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 2 tablespoons raisins
- 3 tablespoons chopped nuts (I used almonds, cashews, and pistachios)
- 1/2 teaspoon rose water (optional)
For Garnish (optional)
- Chopped nuts
- Saffron strands
- Dried rose petals
INSTRUCTIONS:
How to make Makhana Kheer
- Heat 3 tablespoons of ghee to a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Once hot, add 2 tablespoons of raisins and roast them until they puff up. When roasted, remove the raisins from the pan and transfer them onto a bowl. Keep it aside.
- To the same pan, add the phool makhana and roast them over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes or until makhanas are crunchy and crispy. Keep stirring often to prevent them from burning and from sticking to the pan. After that, transfer half of the roasted makhanas to a bowl and keep it aside.
- Now, add the rest of the roasted makhanas to a mixer jar and pulse for a few seconds to make a coarse mixture. You don't need a fine powder, so you can also use a rolling pin to crush the makhanas. Set them aside.
- To the same pan, add 4 cups of full cream milk and stir it for 1 minute. Now, add saffron-soaked milk to the same pan. Boil it for 2-3 minutes over medium heat. Keep stirring constantly so the milk doesn't get burned and stick to the pan.
- Then add whole makhanas and stir well while scraping the sides of the pan to collect the milk cream. Boil it for 2-3 minutes, and then add crushed makhanas. Stir well and simmer 2-3 more or until makhanas are softened and cooked.
- Now add sugar to the pan and stir well and cook until sugar dissolves completely. Once the sugar is dissolved, add the ground cardamom and mix again. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until it thickens. Makhana kheer becomes thick after cooling, so make sure not to overcook the kheer.
- Lastly, add the roasted raisins and mix everything well. Simmer for 2 more minutes. Turn off the heat and add chopped nuts and rose water.
- Stir well and transfer makhana kheer to a serving dish. Garnish with chopped nuts, saffron strands, and dried rose petals. Serve Makhane Ki Kheer warm or chilled.
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NOTES:
- If for some reason your Makhane Ki Kheer has become super thick after cooling, then boil 1/4 cup milk in a pan and add this slowly to the kheer until it reaches the desired consistency.
- To make a richer tasting makhana kheer, you can also use about 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk to this kheer. Make sure to skip the sugar when using sweetened condensed milk.
- While making the makhane ki kheer, I coarsely powdered half of the roasted makhanas in a mixer jar. Doing this adds a nice creamy smooth consistency to the kheer. You can also crush them using a rolling pin or use the whole makhanas.
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Author: Anupama
Recipe Source Link: https://www.mygingergarlickitchen.com/makhana-kheer/