This Oats Kheer (Oats Payasam) is a healthy Indian dessert recipe made with old-fashioned rolled oats, milk, sugar, and nuts and flavored with cardamom powder. This creamy pudding comes together in less than 30 minutes. It can be enjoyed as a dessert or breakfast.

Kheer is one of the most popular Indian dessert dishes—you simply can’t go wrong with the classic combination of rice, milk, sugar, and dried fruits. But what if we told you there’s an even easier way to enjoy kheer without spending hours by the stove?
Oats Kheer is a delicious twist on the traditional recipe, where oats replace rice, making it a quick and nutritious dessert. Perfect for satisfying sweet cravings, especially on hot summer days when you want something light yet indulgent.
This easy oats kheer is made with old-fashioned rolled oats, milk, sugar, almonds, and pistachios. You can also swap sugar for jaggery powder or a healthier sweetener of your choice. If you love kheer, then check out my semiya kheer, paneer kheer, and sabudana kheer.
More Indian Oats Recipes, to check out
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Oats Kheer Recipe Ingredients
- Oats: I used rolled oats to make the kheer. My favorite is Organic Bob's Red Mill old-fashioned oats. You may also use instant or quick oats.
- Milk: I used full-fat dairy milk, you can also make it with coconut milk, or almond milk, if you are vegan.
- Ghee: I used homemade ghee for roasting the rolled oats.
- Sugar: I used refined sugar in this recipe.
- Cardamom powder: I have used freshly ground cardamom from 3 whole green cardamom pods.
- Mixed nuts: Used slivered almonds and pistachios. You can also add roasted cashews & raisins.
How to Make Rolled Oats Kheer
Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a kadai over medium heat.
Add ½ cup of old-fashioned rolled oats to the kadai. Roast for 2-3 minutes on a low flame. Do not brown.
Then, slowly pour 2Â cups whole milk along with 1 pinch of saffron stands.
Simmer and stir occasionally until the oats cooks well, and the kheer has thickened slightly. It takes 8-10 minutes.
Then add 3Â tablespoons sugar and stir well for 2-3 minutes until the sugar dissolves completely.
Lastly, stir in ½ teaspoon cardamom powder, and 2 tablespoons slivered almonds, and 1 tablespoon of pistachios. Take the oats kheer off the stove. It will thicken further as it cools down.
Oats Kheer is ready to serve.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Oats payasam hot or chilled as a dessert after an Indian meal. You may also serve it on special occasions or festivals.
Storage Suggestions
You can store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
After refrigeration, the kheer may thicken a bit. You can adjust the consistency by adding a little warm milk while reheating.
Expert Tips
- Roasting Oats: Roasting the rolled oats in ghee before adding milk is very important. This prevents it from becoming mushy. You may also use quick or instant oats.
- Consistency:Â The kheer thickens as it cools down or during refrigeration, so make sure to make a slightly runnier consistency while cooking.
Variations for Oats Payasam
- Sweetener: You can use any sweetener of your choice. You may also use jaggery instead of refined sugar. Just ensure it's organic and add it at the end, as impurities in the jaggery may curdle the milk.
- Milk: Use whole milk for a thick and creamy oats kheer. If you are vegan, use almond or cashew milk.
- Condensed Milk:Â You can add 2-3 tablespoons of condensed milk (skip or reduce the sugar amount) to enhance the flavor.
- Choice of Nuts:Â Add any nuts of your choice to this kheer.
More Indian Dessert Recipes
Oats Kheer (Oats Payasam with Old Fashioned Rolled Oats)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 pinch saffron strands
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- 2 tablespoons slivered almonds
- 1 tablespoon pistachios
Instructions
Stovetop Method
- Heat a tablespoon of ghee in a kadai over medium heat.
- Add ½ cup of old-fashioned rolled oats to the kadai. Roast for 2-3 minutes on a low flame. Do not brown.
- Then, slowly pour the milk along with saffron stands.
- Simmer and stir occasionally until the oats cooks well, and the kheer has thickened slightly. It takes 8-10 minutes.
- Then add the sugar and stir well for 2-3 minutes until the sugar dissolves completely.
- Lastly, stir in the cardamom powder and nuts. Take the oats kheer off the stove. It will thicken further as it cools down.
- Oats Kheer is ready to serve.
Notes
Variations
- Sweetener:Â You can use any sweetener of your choice. You may also use jaggery instead of refined sugar. Just ensure it's organic and add it at the end, as impurities in the jaggery may curdle the milk.
- Milk:Â Use whole milk for a thick and creamy oats kheer. If you are vegan, use almond or cashew milk.
- Condensed Milk:Â You can add 2-3 tablespoons of condensed milk (skip or reduce the sugar amount) to enhance the flavor.
- Choice of Nuts:Â Add any nuts of your choice to this kheer.
Expert Tips
- Roasting Oats:Â Roasting the rolled oats in ghee before adding milk is very important. This prevents it from becoming mushy. You may also use quick or instant oats.
- Consistency:Â The kheer thickens as it cools down or during refrigeration, so make sure to make a slightly runnier consistency while cooking.
Nutrition
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