Gulab Jamun is one of India’s most popular sweets. They are deep-fried round balls, made of dried milk (khoya), and are dipped in rose-cardamom-saffron flavored sugar syrup.
This classic Indian dessert is heavenly delicious and makes quite a treat! Learn to make the best gulab jamuns with khoya along with all the important tips and tricks to get them melt-in-the-mouth soft.
Diwali is around the corner and most of us are drooling about the Indian sweets.
During Diwali, sweets are generally made so that it can be served(shared) with friends and family. One of the most common and highly enjoyed classic Indian sweet recipes is the Gulab jamoon recipe known for its soft, moist, juicy, and melt-in-mouth texture.
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What is Gulab Jamun?
The name comes from two words.
- Gulab means “rose” and refers to the rose syrup.
- Jamun is a kind of deep purple colored Indian berry fruit, which the dark brown dumplings resemble after they’re cooked.
The rose-flavored syrup gives the dessert a beautiful fragrance and makes it feel both decadent and very special.
There are a few versions of making this dessert either with milk powder, bread, or sweet potatoes. but nothing can replace traditional Khoa (mawa) based jamuns.
The texture, color, moistness, and taste you can get with Mawa are irreplaceable.
It is a favorite Indian sweet for most people. At parties, weddings, and even in Indian thalis, this Indian sweet happens to be one of the desserts served after the meals.
Ingredients required
- Mawa (khoya) – I have used homemade Mawa. You can use store-bought too. If using frozen mawa, bring it to room temperature. Grate it and follow the recipe.
- Baking powder – To make the gulab jamun soft. Don’t use it too much. More baking powder can also result in the Jamun breaking and disintegrating in oil.
- Binding – for the binding I have used All purpose flour (maida). You can use semolina(sooji) too.
- Milk – Milk is used to form a dough
- Sugar – to make sugar syrup
- Flavorings – Rosewater, also called Gulab Jal, cardamom, and saffron.
I know people often assume it to be a difficult dessert but trust me, it’s quite easy and quite simple to make it at home if you take some basic precautions while making it.
5 steps Notes and Pro-tips
I have tried to explain important tips and notes in every step which will help you in making the perfect Gulab jambu.
Step – 1. Gulab Jamun Dough
Basically, for a perfect and moist ball, there are few important things.
- The proportion of dry ingredients like milk Mawa, plain flour and baking powder and wet ingredients like milk.
- The dough needs to be smooth and soft. So, add warm milk, little by little until you have a soft dough.
- You also need to be careful while kneading the dough. You have to keep in mind that you don’t want to over-knead the dough. Mix until the dough comes together.
- Resting the dough for 15 minutes is also important to get the Jamun soft.
Step – 2 Making sugar syrup
- For this recipe, we are not looking for one or two thread sugar syrup consistency. You don’t want a thick sugar syrup else the jamuns will not absorb it.
- Just add all ingredients for the syrup in a pan and once it comes to a boil, lower the flame and let it simmer for 6 to 7 minutes only. The sugar syrup for gulab jamun should only be a little sticky.
- The syrup might look thin to you but don’t worry. It thickens up as it cools.
- If by any chance sugar syrup is thick, fix it by adding some water to the syrup and heat for about a minute.
Step – 3. Shaping jamuns
- Work with soft hands while making the Jamun balls. Do not apply too much pressure.
- The gulab jamun balls should be smooth without any crack. If you see cracks on top, knead again till it’s all smooth. The other reason for crack on balls is, the dough is likely that your dough is dry needs little moisture to make it softer.
- Never try to fry the balls with cracks or else the jamuns will break apart in the ghee/oil
Step – 4 Frying the jamuns
- One of the most important steps is to fry the gulab jamuns at low to medium heat. If you fry at high heat, the jamuns will not be cooked from inside. It will also turn hard.
- Make sure there is enough ghee/oil in a pan to cover the jamuns completely.
- It’s best to first heat oil/ghee at medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, then low the heat to low, and then drop the balls in the oil.
- The temperature of oil/ghee should be such that when you drop the jamuns, it should stay down for a few seconds, then sizzles and comes up slowly.
- Fry on low heat until they are nice dark golden brown. This will take time as you fry on low heat, be patient. The well-fried gulab jamuns will take about 8 to 10 minutes (depending on the size).
Step – 5. Adding jamuns in syrup
While adding the jamuns to the syrup, make sure the syrup is warm but not hot.
If the syrup is hot, the gulab jamuns will likely lose their shape. If the syrup is cold, it will not absorb the syrup. So the syrup should be warm.
Quick FAQs
Too much moisture in the dough.
More baking powder can also result in the Jamun breaking and disintegrating in oil.
When frying, the temperature should not be too high or too low. A more or too low temperature of ghee while frying can also break or crack the gulab jamun.
If the binding ingredient like all-purpose flour (maida) is less, then this can also break Jamun when frying.
Once you add the Jamun dough balls to the oil, let them slightly cook and then only tough turn them.
When making Jamun ball, there should be no cracks on it or else it will break in ghee. If you see cracks then add some more milk to the dough mixture. Mix and then form the Jamun again.
First, add one gulab jamun and check. If it comes out well, only then add more.
One of the reasons is less moisture in the Jamun. The dough should be soft.
You over-kneaded the dough. When you knead the dough, gluten strands will form which will make the Jamun dense and heavy. You need to mix until it just forms a smooth and soft dough.
You may have added too much baking powder or soda.
Another reason could be the sugar syrup. The sugar syrup should have a sticky consistency. They should not have a watery consistency. If the sugar syrup is watery, then the Jamun absorbs more sugar syrup resulting in it being super soft and can even break in the sugar syrup.
One more reason could be, the sugar syrup is very hot. Make sure the syrup is just warm when you add the jamuns.
If you have fried them in hot oil, they got cooked from outside but from inside. Heat needs to be low to medium all the time.
The reason could be the sugar syrup is either too thick or too thin. You need to bring it to a boil and then simmer for 6 to 7 minutes only. It should be a little sticky, that’s all.
If it’s not sticky at all boil some more. If it’s too sticky and forms threads, you have cooked it more. Do not look for any thread consistency, a light sticky syrup is just what you need for this recipe.
If you keep all these tips-tricks and quick FAQs in mind, you will end up with the most delicious melt-in-mouth gulab jamuns!
How to make this recipe? Step by step process –
Making dough
In a large bowl, take grated/crumbled mawa(khoya), and knead it with the heels of your palm for about 1 to 2 minutes. Then add maida (all-purpose flour), cardamom powder, and baking powder. Mix until well combined.
Start adding warm milk, little by little until it all comes together as a dough. Don’t add too much milk in a go or else the dough will become too soft. Also, don’t knead the dough too much. Just bring it all together to a smooth dough. Cover and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
Sugar syrup
Meanwhile, let’s make syrup. In a wide pan add sugar and water.
Bring it to a boil. Add cardamom pods, saffron strands, rose water, and lemon juice. Then lower the heat to medium heat and let the syrup simmer for 5 to 6 minutes.
Once it’s a little sticky, remove the pan from heat and set aside. Keep it aside and let it come to a warm temperature.
Forming gulab jamun balls
Now give a quick knead to the dough. Divide the dough into 30 equal parts and make a small ball out of all the parts. Always Work with soft hands when forming jamuns. Squeeze the ball between your palm to shape it. Form a smooth round ball with no cracks.
If you are not able to form a ball without cracks. Add some more milk and make the dough again.
Frying
Traditionally gulab jamun is fried in ghee. You can go the traditional way if you want or just fry them in flavorless oil.
First, heat the ghee/oil till it is medium hot, for about 5 minutes. Then reduce the flame to a low to medium and wait for a minute.
Then gently place 4 to 5 Jamun dough balls in the ghee. Keep the remaining dough balls covered with a clean napkin to prevent them from drying out.
Once the Jamun dough balls start to have tiny light golden spots on them, then keep on rotating them with a slotted spoon in the oil often. This way the gulab jamun will have an even golden color.
Make sure the ghee is not hot or cold.
If the ghee is on the cooler side, then the Jamun will absorb more oil and can crack or break too.
If the ghee is very hot, then the gulab jamun will get browned quickly with the inside portion being uncooked and raw.
Once they are dark brown, remove them from the oil
Adding fried balls in sugar syrup
Soak the gulab jamuns in warm (not hot and not cold) sugar syrup. Let it soak the syrup for 30 minutes.
You may decorate them with dried fruits or edible silver leaf (Chandi ka vark).
Served them warm or at room temperature. My favorite ways of eating gulab jamuns are with Vanilla ice cream and in Thandai Mousse.
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Gulab Jamun Recipe
Ingredients
For Jamun
- 300 grams Khoya / Mawa Grated
- 3 tablespoon Maida / All purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Cardamom Powder
- 4 tablespoon Milk or as required
Sugar Syrup
- 2 cups Sugar
- 2½ cups Water
- 2 teaspoon Rose water Also called gulab jal
- 2 Cardamom pods Shell open
- few strands Saffron
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Oil or ghee for frying I used ghee
Instructions
Making dough
- In a large bowl, take grated/crumbled mawa(khoya), and knead it with the heels of your palm for about 1 to 2 minutes. Then add maida (all-purpose flour), cardamom powder, and baking powder. Mix until well combined.
- Start adding warm milk, little by little until it all comes together as a dough. Don’t add too much milk in a go or else the dough will become too soft. Also, don’t knead the dough too much. Just bring it all together to a smooth dough. Cover and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
Sugar syrup
- Meanwhile, let’s make syrup. In a wide pan add sugar and water.
- Bring it to a boil. Add cardamom pods, saffron strands, rose water, and lemon juice. Then lower the heat to medium heat and let the syrup simmer for 5 to 6 minutes.
- Once it’s a little sticky, remove the pan from heat and set aside. Keep it aside and let it come to a warm temperature.
Forming gulab jamun balls
- Now give a quick knead to the dough. Divide the dough into 30 equal parts and make a small ball out of all the parts. Always Work with soft hands when forming jamuns. Squeeze the ball between your palm to shape it. Form a smooth round ball with no cracks.
- If you are not able to form a ball without cracks. Add some more milk and make the dough again.
Frying
- Traditionally gulab jamun is fried in ghee. You can go the traditional way if you want or just fry them in flavorless oil.
- First, heat the ghee/oil till it is medium hot, for about 5 minutes. Then reduce the flame to a low to medium and wait for a minute.
- Then gently place 5 to 6 Jamun dough balls in the ghee. Keep the remaining dough balls covered with a clean napkin to prevent it from drying it out.
- Once the Jamun dough balls start to have tiny light golden spots on them, then keep on rotating them with a slotted spoon in the ghee often. This way the gulab jamun will have an even golden color.
- Make sure the ghee is not hot or cold.
- If the ghee is on the cooler side, then the Jamun will absorb more oil and can crack or break too.
- If the ghee is very hot, then the gulab jamun will get browned quickly with the inside portion being uncooked and raw.
- Once they are dark brown, remove them from the oil
Adding fried balls in sugar syrup
- Soak the gulab jamuns in warm (not hot and not cold) sugar syrup. Let it soak the syrup for 30 minutes.
- You may decorate them with dried fruits or edible silver leaf (Chandi ka vark).
- Served them warm or at room temperature. My favorite ways of eating gulab jamuns are with Vanilla ice cream and in Thandai Mousse.
Video
Notes
- The proportion of dry ingredients like milk Mawa, plain flour, and baking powder and wet ingredients like milk.
- The dough needs to be smooth and soft. So, add warm milk, little by little until you have a soft dough.
- You also need to be careful while kneading the dough. You have to keep in mind that you don’t want to over-knead the dough. Mix until the dough comes together.
- Resting the dough for 15 minutes is also important to get the Jamun soft.
- For this recipe, we are not looking for one or two thread sugar syrup consistency. You don’t want a thick sugar syrup else the jamuns will not absorb it.
- Just add all ingredients for the syrup in a pan and once it comes to a boil, lower the flame and let it simmer for 6 to 7 minutes only. The sugar syrup for gulab jamun should only be a little sticky.
- The syrup might look thin to you but don’t worry. It thickens up as it cools.
- If by any chance sugar syrup is thick, fix it by adding some water to the syrup and heat for about a minute.
- Work with soft hands while making the Jamun balls. Do not apply too much pressure.
- The gulab jamun balls should be smooth without any crack. If you see cracks on top, knead again till it’s all smooth. The other reason for crack on balls is, the dough is likely that your dough is dry needs little moisture to make it softer.
- Never try to fry the balls with cracks or else the jamuns will break apart in the ghee/oil
- One of the most important steps is to fry the gulab jamuns at low to medium heat. If you fry at high heat, the jamuns will not be cooked from inside. It will also turn hard.
- Make sure there is enough ghee/oil in a pan to cover the jamuns completely.
- It’s best to first heat oil/ghee at medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, then low the heat to low, and then drop the balls in the oil.
- The temperature of oil/ghee should be such that when you drop the jamuns, it should stay down for a few seconds, then sizzles and comes up slowly.
- Fry on low heat until they are nice dark golden brown. This will take time as you fry on low heat, be patient. The well-fried gulab jamuns will take about 8 to 10 minutes (depending on the size).
- I have updated this recipe with new content, photos, and video, originally published in November 2015.
Nutrition
Warm regards,
Dhwani.
Very good detailing. We appreciate your knowledge and hardwork, Thanks a lot.