These soft, golden Gulab Jamun with Milk Powder are everything you want in a homemade Indian dessert rich, aromatic, and soaked in fragrant cardamom syrup until they're tender enough to melt on your tongue. I first tasted gulab jamun at a Diwali celebration years ago, and I've been hooked ever since. The best part? You can make this traditional mithai right in your own kitchen with simple ingredients.
If you're craving something sweet after dinner, try pairing these with my White Chocolate Brownies or Banoffee Pie for a dessert spread that'll have everyone asking for seconds.
Why You'll Love This Homemade Gulab Jamun
This recipe creates soft gulab jamun that soak up all that fragrant syrup without falling apart. Using milk powder makes the process so much simpler than traditional recipes that require reducing milk for hours. You'll get bakery-style results with ingredients you can find at any grocery store. The warm spices fill your kitchen with the most comforting aroma, and watching those golden balls puff up in the oil is oddly satisfying.
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Gulab Jamun with Milk Powder Ingredients
Here's everything to make these sweet, syrupy treats.
See Recipe Card Below This Post For Ingredient Quantities
For Gulab Jamun:
- Milk powder: Forms the base of the gulab jamun and gives them their soft, rich texture. Nido brand or any high-fat milk powder works best.
- All-purpose flour: Helps bind the dough and provides structure so the balls hold their shape during frying.
- Baking soda: Creates tiny air pockets that make the gulab jamun light and soft instead of dense.
- Ghee (melted): Adds richness to the dough and helps create tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Whole milk: Brings the dough together gradually. Adding it slowly prevents the mixture from getting too sticky.
- Ghee or oil for frying: A combination of ghee and oil gives the best flavor and helps achieve that beautiful golden color.
For Sugar Syrup (Chashni):
- Granulated sugar: Creates the sweet syrup that the gulab jamun soak in for hours.
- Water: Dissolves the sugar and creates the syrup base.
- Lemon juice: Prevents the sugar from crystallizing and keeps the syrup smooth.
- Saffron strands: Adds a subtle floral flavor and gives the syrup a gorgeous golden hue.
- Green cardamom powder: Brings warm, aromatic spice notes that make gulab jamun so special.
- Rose water: Gives that classic floral fragrance that makes these taste like they came from an Indian sweet shop.
How to Make Gulab Jamun with Milk Powder
Follow these steps for soft, perfectly soaked gulab jamun every time.
Make the dough: Sift the milk powder, flour, and baking soda into a large mixing bowl to remove any lumps. Pour in the melted ghee and use your fingers to rub it into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like damp sand. Add the milk gradually, one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently until you have a smooth, soft dough that's not sticky or dry.
Handle it carefully and avoid over-kneading, or your gulab jamun will turn out hard. Grease your hands with about ½ teaspoon of ghee, then divide the dough into 22 to 25 equal portions. Roll each piece into a smooth ball between your palms, making sure there are no cracks on the surface. Cover the balls with cling film while you work to keep them from drying out.
Prepare the chashni: Combine the sugar and water in a large pot and heat over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar completely dissolves. Skim off any foam or scum that rises to the surface. Let the syrup simmer gently for 4 to 6 minutes until it's slightly thickened but still thin enough to soak into the gulab jamun. Stir in the cardamom powder, lemon juice, saffron strands, and rose water, then keep the syrup warm on very low heat.
Deep fry the gulab jamun: Heat the oil and ghee mixture in a deep pot until it's about 3 inches deep. Test the temperature by dropping in a tiny piece of dough-it should rise slowly to the surface without sizzling too aggressively. If the oil is too hot, the outside will brown before the inside cooks. Gently slide 6 to 8 dough balls into the oil and fry them over low to medium heat, stirring constantly but gently with a slotted spoon to ensure even browning on all sides. This takes about 5 to 7 minutes per batch. The balls should turn a rich golden brown color.
Soak in syrup: As soon as the gulab jamun are fried, lift them out with a slotted spoon and let them drain briefly on paper towels for just a few seconds. While they're still warm, transfer them immediately into the warm sugar syrup. Repeat the frying process with the remaining dough balls, making sure to keep the syrup warm but not boiling. Once all the gulab jamun are in the syrup, cover the pot and let them soak for at least 4 to 5 hours before serving. They'll absorb the syrup and become incredibly soft and sweet.
Equipment For Gulab Jamun with Milk Powder
- Large mixing bowl: For combining the dry ingredients and making the dough.
- Deep frying pot: A heavy-bottomed pot works best for maintaining steady oil temperature.
- Slotted spoon: Essential for turning the gulab jamun while frying and transferring them safely.
- Large pot for sugar syrup: You'll need enough room for all the fried balls to soak.
- Cling film: Keeps the dough balls from drying out while you work.
Substitutions and Variations
No milk powder? You can use khoya (mawa) instead, though the texture will be slightly different and richer.
Skip the saffron. It adds beautiful color and subtle flavor, but the gulab jamun will still taste delicious without it.
Make them smaller. If you prefer bite-sized sweets, divide the dough into 30 to 35 portions instead.
Add pistachios. Stuff each ball with a blanched pistachio before frying for a fun surprise inside.
Use different flavors. Try adding a pinch of nutmeg to the syrup or swap rose water for kewra water for a different floral note.
Storage and Serving Suggestions
Store your gulab jamun in an airtight container with their syrup in the refrigerator for up to one week. They actually taste better the next day after they've had more time to soak. You can serve them cold, at room temperature, or gently warmed. I like them slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side the contrast between warm and cold is incredible. They're also beautiful served with a sprinkle of chopped pistachios on top or alongside other Indian sweets like Shaped Chocolate Chip Cookies for a fusion dessert table.
For special occasions, arrange them on a decorative platter and drizzle a little extra syrup over the top. A few edible rose petals make them look extra festive. Pair them with hot chai or coffee for an afternoon treat that feels like a warm hug.
Expert Tips
Don't rush the dough. Take your time when adding the milk and forming the balls. Cracks in the dough mean cracks in your finished gulab jamun.
Keep the oil temperature steady. If it's too hot, the outside burns before the inside cooks. If it's too cool, they'll absorb too much oil and turn greasy.
Use warm syrup. The gulab jamun need to go into warm syrup, not cold and not boiling. Warm syrup helps them soak evenly.
Let them soak long enough. Four to five hours is the minimum. Overnight is even better. The longer they sit, the softer and more flavorful they become.
Roll smooth balls. Any cracks or rough spots will split open during frying. Take an extra moment to roll each ball until it's completely smooth.
FAQ
What are the main ingredients of gulab jamun?
The main ingredients are milk powder, flour, baking soda, ghee, and milk for the dough. The sugar syrup uses sugar, water, cardamom, saffron, and rose water. My mom always says that using good quality milk powder makes all the difference in how soft they turn out.
What is the secret to perfect gulab jamun?
The secret is keeping the dough soft but not sticky, frying at a low temperature so they cook through evenly, and soaking them in warm syrup for several hours. Patience is truly the key rushing any step will show in the final result.
What are the mistakes while making gulab jamun?
Common mistakes include over-kneading the dough, which makes them hard; frying at too high a temperature, which burns the outside; adding too much milk, making the dough too soft to hold shape; and not soaking them long enough. Also, make sure there are no cracks in your dough balls before frying.
Is gulab jamun a healthy food or junk food?
Gulab jamun is definitely a treat, not an everyday food. It's high in sugar and calories since it's deep-fried and soaked in syrup. But as an occasional festive dessert or special celebration sweet, it brings so much joy that it's absolutely worth it. Just enjoy them in moderation, like Grandma says one or two with a cup of tea is perfect.
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Gulab Jamun with Milk Powder
Soft Gulab Jamun (With Milk Powder)
Ingredients
For Gulab Jamun
- 250 g milk powder High-fat milk powder such as Nido, works best for this recipe
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour Maida
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda Ensure the spoon is leveled
- 2 tablespoon ghee Melted ghee
- ½ cup + 3 tablespoon whole milk Add gradually 1 tablespoon at a time
- Ghee or oil for deep frying Use a mix of ghee and oil for better flavor
For Sugar Syrup
- 500 g granulated sugar
- 500 ml water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 10-12 saffron strands Optional for color and flavor
- ¼ teaspoon green cardamom powder Freshly ground for the best flavor
- 1 tablespoon rose water For aroma
Instructions
- Sift milk powder, flour, and baking soda into a large mixing bowl.
- Add melted ghee and mix gently using your fingers until it resembles damp sand.
- Gradually add milk, 1-2 tablespoons at a time, and combine until the dough is smooth.
- Gently knead the dough until smooth, being careful not to overwork it. If the dough becomes too sticky, add a little more flour.
- Grease your hands with ½ teaspoon ghee and divide the dough into 22-25 equal portions.
- Roll each portion into a smooth ball, ensuring there are no cracks.
- Place the balls on a plate and cover with cling film to prevent them from drying out.
- In a wide pot, combine water and sugar to make the syrup. Heat on low-medium and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Do not allow the syrup to thicken.
- Once the sugar dissolves, let the syrup simmer for 4-6 minutes, then turn off the heat. Stir in cardamom, saffron, lemon juice, and rose water. Keep the syrup warm.
- Heat ghee and oil in a deep frying pot over low-medium heat. Ensure the oil is deep enough to submerge the gulab jamun.
- Test the oil with a small piece of dough; it should rise gently without browning immediately. If it sizzles too much, lower the heat.
- Gently add 6-8 balls at a time to the hot oil. Fry for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the fried gulab jamun and drain briefly on paper towels, then immediately place in the warm sugar syrup.
- Repeat frying the remaining dough balls and soaking them in syrup. Once all balls are in the syrup, cover the pot and allow them to soak for 4-5 hours.
- Once soaked, serve the gulab jamun warm, or store in the refrigerator for up to 20 days.
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