Gulab Jamun is the most popular Indian dessert. Gulab Jamun’s are deep-fried donut-like balls soaked in sweet rose-flavored syrup. Learn to make the best gulab jamun’s with khoya or milk powder, along with all the tips and tricks to get them melt-in-the-mouth soft.
Prep Time45 minutesmins
Cook Time10 minutesmins
Soaking time30 minutesmins
Total Time55 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: gulab jamun, indian dessert balls, khoya gulab jamun
In a large bowl, grate or crumble the khoya. Add all-purpose flour (maida), baking powder, and cardamom powder to it. Mix it well.
Now add ghee and mix again. Add milk a little at a time until the dough starts to form. You don't want the dough to be sticky. We want enough milk for it to come together. Don't over-mix the dough. You want it to be smooth and soft.
Cover with a damp cloth and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.
Gulab Jamun with Milk Powder Variation: I highly recommend measuring the ingredients by weight for this method. Add 1 cup (85 grams) of milk powder, 1/4 cup (30 grams) of all-purpose flour, baking powder, cardamom powder, and ghee. Mix well to make a crumbly mixture. Now, add milk a little at a time until the dough starts to form. I added 6 tablespoons of milk. We want enough milk for it to come together. You want the dough to be a little sticky at this time. Don't over-mix the dough. Cover with a damp cloth and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. After the dough is rested, it will become smooth and soft.
Making sugar syrup for Gulab Jamun
While the dough is resting, in a bowl, add sugar, water, cardamom pods, and saffron.
Bring to a boil. Then simmer for 7 minutes. Do not overcook the syrup. The sugar syrup thickens as it cools, so it shouldn’t look too thick.
Add lemon juice and rose water and stir well. By adding lemon juice, sugar syrup doesn’t form crystals.
Keep this syrup aside nearby. You need it warm right after frying the gulab jamuns.
Making Gulab Jamun balls
Grease your palms with some ghee. With your hands, knead the whole dough once.
Make small balls from the dough about 10 grams each. When rolling the balls, make sure the balls are smooth with no cracks, else they might break when frying. Squeeze the dough between your palms to make it smooth and crack-free. If there are cracks, add a few drops of milk to make it smooth.
The balls will increase in size after frying & soaking in syrup. Make equal-sized balls, about 19, from this dough.
Frying and soaking the Gulab Jamun
Heat the ghee/oil well in a fry pan/wok to about 325°F (160°C). Gently add the dough balls to the ghee. Do not overcrowd the pan, and fry in batches.
Fry on medium-low heat. On high heat, they will get dark from the outside but will not be cooked well from the inside. Stir gently so they are golden brown on all sides.
Remove them using a slotted spoon. Hold them in the slotted spoon to remove extra oil for 5-10 seconds. Then add them to the syrup while the syrup is warm at around 100°F / 38°C temperature (not boiling hot) so they soak in all the sweetness and become soft. If the syrup is too hot, the balls might break or shrink. If it is cold, then the balls will not soak the syrup well. Soak for at least 30 minutes before enjoying. Soaking for up to 2-3 hours is even better.
Gulab Jamun's are ready to be enjoyed. Serve warm or at room temperature. Optionally, garnish with slivered pistachios.
Notes
Serving Gulab Jamun: We love Gulab Jamun’s served warm. You can also serve at room temperature. Add 2-3 jamuns to a small bowl. Top with 1-2 spoons of syrup in the bowl. Garnish with sliced pistachios or almonds. You can also serve warm Gulab Jamun with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This is not the traditional way of serving, but it is so delicious!Reasons why Gulab Jamun can break while frying:
Too much baking powder was added to the dough.
The dough balls had cracks, and the dough was not soft. Knead dough again to make balls without cracks.
The oil was too hot when frying the gulab jamun.
Reasons why Gulab Jamun can become hard:
The dough is too stiff or if it is over-kneaded.
The dough was pressed too hard when making the balls. You want to use soft hands while making the balls.
The balls were fried on high heat, which can make them hard from the outside and uncooked from the inside.
Reasons why gulab jamuns can shink when added to syrup:
The dough was dry and had less moisture. Make sure the dough is well hydrated, and add enough milk.
Gulab jamuns were cooked at too high a temperature, making them undercooked from the inside. This can cause them to deflate as soon as they are added to the sugar syrup.
If the syrup is too hot, the fried gulab jamuns may shrink when added to it. The syrup should be around 100°F when the jamuns are added.
Sometimes, the gulab jamuns can deflate if too much leavening agent, such as baking powder or baking soda, is added to the dough.