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Three round gulab jamuns in a silver dessert bowl, with one topped by a sliver of nut, and a blurred pan of more sweets in the background.

Easy Gulab Jamun Recipe (Soft, Juicy, Not Too Sweet!)


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5 from 16 reviews

  • Author: Zoha Malik
  • Total Time: 1 hour (includes resting time)
  • Yield: 15 gulab jamun

Description

An easy take on delicious homemade gulab jamun! Made with milk powder, they're pillowy soft and juicy right to the middle, not too sweet and ready in an hour.


Ingredients

Dough balls:

  • 1 cup full fat milk powder (100g) - I recommend Nido whole milk powder
  • 3 tbsp all purpose flour (30g)
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 large egg - or substitute 3 1/2 tbsp whole milk
  • 3 tbsp heavy cream (40g)
  • 2 tbsp melted ghee or unsalted butter (30g)

Frying:

  • Neutral oil to fry (~2" deep in frying pan)

Soaking syrup:

  • 1 1/4 cups water (300g)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
  • 2-3 cardamom pods
  • Optional: saffron and rose water if desired


Instructions

Dough balls:

  1. Mix the milk powder, flour and baking powder in a bowl and get rid of any lumps
  2. Separately whisk together the melted ghee, egg and cream until smooth
  3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and use a spoon to mix them together. Use a press and swirl motion, getting rid of any lumps, until a shaggy dough forms that starts to pull away from the edges of the bowl.  This should take 60-90 seconds only. Do not over-knead or overwork the dough. It's fine for it to be soft and sticky
  4. Refrigerate the dough for 10-20 min until it is semi-firm and easy to shape. During this time, you can start heating the oil for frying as instructed below
  5. Once chilled, divide the dough into 15 equal pieces, about 16g each. I recommend a scale to ensure all pieces are the same weight
  6. Lightly rub some ghee or oil onto your palms and fingers. Working one piece at a time, roll the pieces gently between your palms, applying light pressure at first to make them smooth and crack-free. Then release the pressure and rotate your palms in opposite directions, with the ball in between, to make them into perfect spheres. This should be quick, and easy; avoid over working the balls as that can cause them to crack. If the dough feels too sticky during this process, place it back in the fridge for a few minutes
  7. Once all balls have been shaped, you can place them into the fridge while the oil heats up

Frying:

  1. While the dough is chilling, you can start heating the oil in a wok or large saucepan - make sure it's at least 2" deep. Heat it to ~310-320F on medium-low heat. At this temperature, if you drop a small piece of dough into the oil, it should take a few seconds to rise to the surface with some bubbles around it (not immediately)
  2. I always recommend frying 1 test gulab jamun first. Add one ball gently into the oil, and use a steel spider to gently swirl it around continuously. It should almost double in size, develop a deep golden brown color and be fully cooked through after 3-4 minutes. If it colors too quickly or starts to burn, the oil is too hot. If it takes longer to get color or starts to fall apart, the oil might be too cold
  3. Now fry the rest of the gulab jamun in 2-3 batches (I do 5 at a time to avoid overcrowding the pan). Keep gently swirling them so they get an even color all over, and fry for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Place on a paper towel to drain

Soaking in syrup:

  1. While you're frying the gulab jamun, you can work on the syrup alongside. Add the sugar, water and cardamom pods for the syrup into a large saucepan. Place on the stove on low heat, and stir occasionally. Cook only until the sugar has dissolved and the syrup starts to simmer. Then turn off the heat and cover with a lid
  2. By the time the balls are done frying, the syrup should still be hot. If not, turn on the heat to bring it to a simmer again, and turn it off. Gently drop all the balls into the syrup, and swirl the saucepan around a few times to encourage all sides of the gulab jamun to get soaked
  3. Cover with a lid and rest for at least ~20 minutes, or until the gulab jamun have soaked up nearly all of the syrup and almost doubled in size. I like to gently swirl the pan once more halfway through the soaking process
  4. Serve and enjoy!

Video Tutorial:

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id="1SDZt8RY" upload-date="2026-06-30T21:14:45+00:00" name="Easy Homemade Gulab Jamun" description="how to make easy homemade gulab jamun" player-type="default" override-embed="default" orientation="vertical"]

Notes

  • Make ahead and storage: You can prepare the gulab jamun ahead of time, and keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. I recommend warming up in the microwave to serve
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Resting Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Frying
  • Cuisine: Pakistani, South Asian