Classic mithai · Eid favourite

Gulab Jamun Recipe (Soft Milk Powder Jamun)

Soft dough. Low heat fry. Warm syrup.

Farwa ZeeshanRecipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchen

Gulab jamun are soft milk dumplings fried slowly and soaked in rose and cardamom syrup. They go wrong when the dough is over-kneaded and they turn hard, or the oil is too hot and the centre stays raw. The fix is a soft, barely mixed dough, smooth crack-free balls and frying on low heat.

Prep15m
Cook30m
Servings6
kcal / serving320
LevelMedium
Jump to the method

The 3 laws of gulab jamun

Why this recipe works

Do not knead

Over-kneading

Kneading makes jamun hard.

Smooth balls

Cracks

Cracks split open in the oil.

Low heat

Hot oil

Slow frying cooks the centre.

Shopping and prep list

Ingredients

Servings
Tap items as you gather them · 0 of 0 ready

Jamun

Syrup

The NineFoods oil gauge

Is the oil at the right heat?

Drop a pinch of dough or batter in the oil.

Tap a stage to see what to do.

Method · 5 stages

Step by step

1

Syrup

Medium · 8 min
  1. Boil sugar, water and cardamom until slightly sticky.
  2. Add rose water and keep warm.
Look for: slightly sticky, not stringy.
08:00
2

Dough

No heat · 5 min
  1. Mix milk powder, flour, baking powder and ghee.
  2. Add milk a spoon at a time and bring together without kneading.
Look for: soft dough, like playdough.
05:00
3

Shape

No heat · 5 min
  1. Roll small, smooth balls with no cracks.
Look for: crack-free balls.
05:00
4

Fry

Low · 10 min
  1. Fry on low, swirling the oil, until deep brown.
  2. Use the gauge above.
Look for: even deep brown colour.
10:00
5

Soak

Warm syrup · 2 hours
  1. Drop hot jamun into warm syrup.
  2. Soak at least 2 hours.
Look for: jamun doubled and juicy.
120:00

Chef's troubleshooter

What went wrong? Pick the symptom

Why

Dough over-kneaded or too dry.

Fix next time

Mix lightly and add a little more milk.

Why

Oil too hot.

Fix next time

Fry on low so the inside cooks.

Why

Cracks in balls or too soft dough.

Fix next time

Roll smooth and add 1 tsp flour if too soft.

Why

Syrup too thick or cold.

Fix next time

Use warm, thin syrup.

Swap smart

Ingredient roles and substitutes

IngredientJob in the dishSwap with
Milk powderBaseKhoya, 250 g
MaidaBinderSemolina, 1 tbsp
Rose waterAromaKewra
Ghee for fryingFlavourOil

After the meal

Serve, store, reheat

Serve with

Warm, on their own or with vanilla ice cream.

Store

Room temperature 1 day, fridge 5 days in syrup.

Reheat

Warm 20 seconds in the microwave or in warm syrup.

How we tested this recipe

Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio

Farwa Zeeshan

Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.

  • Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 6 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
  • Every one of the 5 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
  • The doneness check (is the oil at the right heat) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
  • Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.

Read our full testing process

Keep cooking

Related recipes and guides

All dessert recipesSugar Syrup Stages for MithaiHow to Make KhoyaHow to Make Ghee at Home

Quick answers

Gulab Jamun FAQ

Why are my gulab jamun hard?

The dough was over-kneaded or too dry.

Why did they break in oil?

The balls had cracks or the dough was too soft.

How long should they soak?

At least 2 hours in warm syrup.

Can I use khoya?

Yes, khoya gives a richer, traditional jamun.