Badam Kheer Recipe | How To Make Badam Kheer | Badam Payasam

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In this Badam Kheer Recipe, 2 of my most-liked things have come together! One is my favorite nut, almond (badam) and the other is one of the most favorite desserts, kheer or payasam. This Badam Kheer is thus, a rich and creamy Indian style pudding made with blanched almond paste, milk and saffron. No doubt it is super decadent, is easy to make and gets done quickly as well. The only major time that goes in it is when you keep the almonds to blanch. Other than that, the kheer actually cooks within 20 minutes. Try it!

badam kheer served in a bowl with a bowl of almonds kept on the top left side and text layover.

More on Badam Kheer

One of the nicest things about this Badam Kheer Recipe is that you are getting to consume almonds, known as badam in Hindi, in an awesome way. Though, it is a dessert, but still. If you really make it a little less sweet then you can actually enjoy the benefits of this amazing nut.

Apart from that, call it a North Indian kheer or a South Indian payasam, this particular way of making a milk pudding in India has really been an ancient phenomenon. Both these variations are easy to prepare, do not take much of a time and hence are most loved choices during festive occasions too. You just have to simmer and boil the ingredients in the milk to make a luscious dessert.

At my home too, along with this Badam Kheer, I often prepare the Suji Ka Halwa, Rice Kheer or Vermicelli Kheer on religious occasions and festivals. The Badam Kheer Recipe resembles a lot to the badam Milk, but the taste as well as the consistency is obviously different in both. The payasam is creamier and thicker as compared to the almond flavored milk, which is a light and refreshing beverage.

Badam is really a powerhouse of health benefits, has a terrific nutritional profile and great for the body and mind. The most important one being that is actually super for the brain. The reason we’ve been having soaked almonds, first thing in the morning, at home since times immemorial. I guess it’s a common tradition practiced in a lot of other households across India.

The best way to have Badam Kheer is to either serve it warm or chilled as a dessert after your meals.  

Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Badam Kheer

Preparation

1. Rinse ¼ cup almonds (about 35 almonds) and add them in a bowl. Then, pour ⅓ cup hot boiling water. Cover and keep aside for 30 to 40 minutes.

blanching almonds in hot water for badam kheer recipe.

2. Then, drain all the water.

drained almonds for badam kheer recipe.

3. Peel the almonds. You just need to press the skin and it comes out easily.

peeled almonds in a bowl for badam kheer recipe.

4. Take 3 to 4 of blanched almonds and slice them thinly.

thinly sliced blanched almonds for badam kheer recipe.

Grinding almonds

5. Add the remaining almonds in a grinder jar. Also, add ¼ to ⅓ cup milk. Milk can be chilled or at room temperature.

peeled blanched almonds and milk added in a grinder jar.

6. Next, add 5 tablespoons sugar or as required. For a less sweet taste, you can add 4 tablespoons sugar.

sugar added to grinder jar.

7. Next, add seeds from 4 green cardamoms.

cardamom seeds added to grinder jar.

8. Grind till smooth. The almonds should be ground very well to a smooth consistency. If there are coarse particles or chunks, then it can be irritating to the throat.

ingredients ground to a smooth mixture.

Making Badam Kheer

9. Take 2.5 cups milk in a pan. Make sure that the pan is large enough so that the milk does not spill out while boiling.

milk added in a large pan.

10. Keep the pan on a low flame and begin to heat the milk, till it comes to a boil. Stir at intervals, so that the milk does not scorch from the bottom.

heating milk till it comes to a boil.

11. Add 10 to 12 saffron strands.

saffron strands added to boiling milk.

12. Simmer on low heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir at intervals.

simmering milk.

13. Then, add the prepared almond mixture.

adding prepared almond mixture in the boiling milk.

14. Mix very well with a spoon.

mixing almond mixture in the milk with a spoon.

15. Let the kheer come to a boil.

kheer coming to a boil.

16. Then, switch off the heat. Scrape the evaporated and dried milk from the sides of the pan and add them in the Badam Kheer.

cooked badam kheer.

17. You can serve Badam Kheer hot, warm or chilled. While serving, garnish with the sliced almonds and a few strands of saffron. Few more tasty recipes that you can make with almonds are Badam Ladoo and Badam Halwa.

badam kheer served in a bowl with a bowl of almonds kept on the top left side and text layover.

Expert Tips

  1. When you are adding milk to grind the almonds, the milk can be chilled or at room temperature.
  2. You have to grind the badam to a smooth consistency. Presence of coarse chunks or particles can be irritating to the throat.
  3. You have to peel the blanched almonds for the distinct color, taste and texture in the payasam.
  4. To make it a less sweet dessert, decrease the quantity of sugar.
  5. In case you want to make the kheer with jaggery instead of sugar, you can do so. But adding jaggery will change the color of the kheer. Also, remember to not add jaggery in hot kheer as it can then curdle. So once cooked, remove the pan from heat and let it cool down a bit. Then, stir in the jaggery.
  6. While boiling the milk, make sure to keep stirring it at intervals so that it does not scorch from the bottom.
  7. You can add sliced or chopped almonds and some saffron as garnishing before serving the kheer.
  8. Some people like to add khoya/mawa (evaporated milk solids) to this payasam, to make it even more rich. If you are doing so, add some crumbled khoya towards the end.  
  9. Use airtight boxes to store the leftover kheer and refrigerate it. Ensure to consume this within 3 to 4 days.
  10. Scale the recipe to double the quantities for making it for more number of people.

More Payasam Recipes To Try!

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badam kheer recipe

Badam Kheer

Badam kheer or almond payasam is a delicious creamy kheer made with blanched almond paste, milk and saffron.
4.67 from 6 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Cuisine Indian
Course Desserts
Diet Vegetarian
Difficulty Level Moderate
Servings 4
Units

Ingredients

for blanching & grinding almonds

  • ¼ cup almonds or 35 almonds
  • cup water for soaking almonds
  • ¼ to ⅓ cup milk for grinding
  • 5 tablespoons sugar or add as required
  • 4 green cardamoms

other ingredients

  • 2.5 cups milk
  • 10 to 12 strands of saffron

Instructions
 

preparation

  • Rinse ¼ cup almonds (about 35 almonds) and add them in a bowl. Then pour ⅓ cup hot boiling water. Cover and keep aside for 30 to 40 minutes.
  • Then drain all the water.
  • Peel the almonds. You just need to press the skin and it comes out easily.
  • Take 3 to 4 of blanched almonds and slice them thinly.

grinding almonds

  • Add the remaining almonds in a grinder jar.
  • Next add 5 tablespoons sugar or add as required, seeds from 4 green cardamoms. 
  • Add ¼ to ⅓ cup milk. Milk can be chilled or at room temperature.
  • Grind till smooth. The almonds should be ground very well to a smooth consistency. If there are coarse particles or chunks, then it can be irritating to the throat.

making badam kheer

  • Take 2.5 cups milk in a pan. Make sure that the pan is large enough so that the milk does not spill out while boiling.
  • Keep the pan on a low flame and begin to heat badam milk till it comes to a boil. Stir at intervals so that the milk does not scorch from the bottom.
  • Add 10 to 12 saffron strands and stir. 
  • Simmer on low flame for 3 to 4 minutes. Do stir at intervals.
  • Then add the almond paste. mix very well with a spoon.
  • Let the entire badam ki kheer come to a boil.
  • Then switch off the flame. Scrape the evaporated and dried milk at the sides of the pan and add them in the kheer.
  • You can serve badam kheer hot, warm or chilled. While serving garnish badam ki kheer with the sliced almonds and a few strands of saffron.

Notes

  • The recipe can be doubled.

Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)

Nutrition Facts
Badam Kheer
Amount Per Serving
Calories 218 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 17mg6%
Sodium 75mg3%
Potassium 302mg9%
Carbohydrates 25g8%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 24g27%
Protein 7g14%
Vitamin A 280IU6%
Vitamin C 0.2mg0%
Calcium 223mg22%
Iron 0.5mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This Badam Kheer Recipe from the archives was first published in January 2017. It has been updated and republished in March 2024.

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Welcome to Dassana's Veg Recipes. I share vegetarian recipes from India & around the World. Having been cooking for decades and with a professional background in cooking & baking, I help you to make your cooking journey easier with my tried and tested recipes showcased with step by step photos & plenty of tips & suggestions.

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8 Comments

  1. Hi

    could you use almond flour and skip the step of soaking and grinding the almonds?

    1. patricia, only you can unsubscribe from your browser settings. we cannot do this from our end.