Today’s post is about one of the beloved Indian sweet Gulab jamun, they are like doughnut holes, traditionally made of khoa/khoya (milk boiled down to a solid mass), mixed with flour and deep fried in ghee or oil to copper brown color and then soaked in thin sugar syrup, that is flavored with rose water or cardamom. It is my all-time favorite dessert, and I have to confess this was the first sweet I made one month after being gluten free. Gulab jamun is so mouthwatering good that I am doubtful anyone can stop at one, you need one more and then more…..! And if you want to take your Gulab jamuns over and beyond, eat them slightly warm. Pure Bliss!
This is a repost of a 2014 post. Video is included on my You Tube channel, but the recipe remains the same. Earlier I posted gulab jamuns made with baking soda and now I am showing how you can also make it by adding baking powder.
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I made a batch of milk powder Gulab jamun on the upcoming Diwali. These are easy to prepare and a quick alternative to the regular khoya Gulab jamuns. They can be kept at room temperature for about a week and up to one month when refrigerated. Although they are easy to make and only take a few minutes to assemble the dough, Gulab jamuns are fried slowly under carefully controlled temperatures. So, for those of you who love Indian sweets and would like to make these at home from scratch, the following tips will be helpful to achieve perfect Gulab jamuns.
Photo from 2014. Gulab Jamun made with baking soda
Quick Notes:
- Start by heating the oil on one gas burner and making sugar syrup on the other, then make the dough.
- You can either use skim milk powder or full-fat milk powder. Both will make delicious Gulab jamuns with a slight difference in texture. Full fat Gulab jamuns are on the cakey side and the skim milk ones are melt in the mouth (I have used nonfat milk powder because that is what is available here).
- The dough will be soft and sticky, but 5 minutes of resting will make it a bit firmer like cookie dough. If it seems dry add a tsp of milk. If it is too loose sprinkle flour.
- Do not over mix as it will toughen the dough., resulting in very dense balls that will not absorb the sugar syrup.
- While shaping the balls, grease your hands with ghee or oil to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands and make sure there are no cracks. Cover the balls with a moist kitchen towel, once they are shaped they need to be fried immediately.
- The temperature of the oil for frying has to be on low to medium heat (I would recommend low for gluten-free flour). Drop a few balls at a time, gently swirling the oil for jamuns to float and then slowly moving each ball with a skimmer strainer, at frequent intervals allowing them to brown evenly. They will be hard on the outside and soft inside. If the balls are fried too quickly or not fried long enough they tend to collapse in the sugar syrup.
- The syrup should be hot (not boiling) when you add fried Gulab jamuns. They are incredibly sweet but I keep the sugar on the low side and remove them from syrup after 2 hours. You can refrigerate them in an airtight container and reheat in microwave by adding some syrup.
If you love this Gulab Jamun recipe. You will also love my kaju katli, besan ladoo, or ricotta cheese burfi! Or check out my naturally sweetened chocolate kalakand and coconut burfi! If you try any of these recipes, post a photo of your creation on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #simpleglutenfreekitchen. I would love to see your pictures.
Ingredients
- 1 cup instant skim milk powder
- 1/4 cup GF all purpose flour (Gf all purpose flour)
- 1/3 cup whipping cream +milk as required
- 1/4 tsp scant baking soda or 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 cups water
- 1 tbsp rose water or two drops of rose essence
- oil for frying
Instructions
- To make sugar syrup combine sugar and water in a 7-8" wide pan and bring to the boil. Turn the heat to medium and simmer for 7 minutes. Add rose water and keep it warm.
- To make the dough for Gulab jamuns combine flour, milk powder and baking soda or baking powder together.
- Add whipping cream and bind the mixture with your fingers, to form a loose and sticky dough.
- Scrape the dough from your fingers with a dough scraper or with a knife and let it sit for 5 min (it will firm up a bit like cookie dough). If the dough looks dry add a little milk.
- Wash and dry your hands, divide the mixture into 18-20 equal portions roughly the size of a nickel (they might look small but will expand while deep frying and soaking in simple syrup).
- Grease your palms and roll each portion into a round ball, there should be no cracks on the surface as otherwise the Gulab jamun will crack while frying
- Keep the balls covered with moist kitchen towel so that they don't dry out. (They need to be fried immediately after rolling so ensure that you heat the oil while rolling).
- Heat the oil in a pan or wok to deep fry the balls.
- After the oil heats up gently slide 4-5 balls in oil. The balls will sink to the bottom and will rise itself (the most important thing is to fry at medium-low heat. If you fry at high heat, the jamuns will not be cooked from inside and will also turn hard).
- Using a skimmer strainer, move around the dough balls to ensure even browning.
- Once the balls are evenly copper browned, remove and drain on an absorbent paper.
- Continue frying the rest of the dough balls until done.
- After they have cooled a little add it to the simple sugar syrup and leave to soak overnight or at least 2 hours before serving. If not serving right away refrigerate.
- Serve it with or without syrup, warm or at room temperature.
Enjoy making and eating this yummy dessert on Diwali!
vasudha
Thanks a lot for this post and at the right time with DIWALI around the corner. Thanks once again.
WISH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A VERY HAPPY DIWALI! !!!
Balvinder
Thank you! Hope you had a wonderful Diwali!
Darshna
Thanks Neetu! (Balvinder) The gulab jamun came out wonderful. They truly are melt in the mouth when warm. The recipe was perfect!
Balvinder
I am glad. Thank you for the feedback.
easyfoodsmith
All time favorite!! I make gulab jamuns in a similar fashion but use APF instead of rice flour. I would love to give a try to your recipe.
Bam's Kitchen
Love the addition of rose water. These look stunning and delicious and I bet the rice flour makes them light and delicious.
Balvinder
Thank you!Rose water adds a touch of fragrance. Hence, its name ‘Gulab’ means rose.
Juliana
I have never made this milk balls, but had it in restaurants…look delicious blander…and yes, I love the rose water…
Have a wonderful week Balvinder 😉
Balvinder
Thanks Juliana!
Katerina
They look so soft and fluffy! Beautiful!
Anupama
beautifully explained in such detail:) lovely recipe and jamuns!
Sridevi
I thought Gulab jamun was gluten free! Good to know they add flour to the mix. I make them with the store bought mix. These jamuns look gorgeous, soft and perfect!
Balvinder
Thanks for appreciating! Our Indian sweet sellers add flour to many sweets. Even I found only when I started asking if they have added, sooji, maida or wheat or any flour.
Angie@Angie's Recipes
These milk balls look very delicious!
Shirley Tay (Blackswan)
Happy Diwali, my dear friend! Bet you’re having a great time feasting! Sorry, been so busy haven’t had time to come by & I’ll be flying off again next week. xoxo
Choc Chip Uru
My grandma just made some that look similar, delicious desserts – I could eat them all 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Helene D'Souza
Your gulab jamun look nice puffy and light, just the way I like it with the syrup. If I remember correctly, gulab jamun was one of the first Indian desserts that I tried and definitely one of the best too. Thanks for sharing your recipe Balvinder! =D
Balvinder
Glad you like these!
Ansh
Happy Diwali !! Your gulab jamuns looks great. Love the gluten free version!!
Balvinder
Happy belated Diwali dear!
Monica
Trust you to show me how these delicious little doughnuts that I admire at restaurants are made! And your ability to make them gluten free is so wonderful! Happy Diwali to you! 🙂
tina
Hi, I have one question. Can we make this without using cream? Thanks in advance.
Balvinder
Definitely! Use regular milk with a tbsp of butter or desi ghee to add fat.
Smriti
Hi Balvinder,
My hubby has a gluten allergy and loves gulab jamuns. Am very glad to have found this recipe. Really looking forward to making it. One question. Can we use baking powder instead of baking soda? Thanks in advance.
Balvinder
Yes you certainly can. I have never tried myself but my friend has used it, so use about 1/2 tsp.
Monica
I was wondering if I can use baking powder.
Balvinder
You certainly can.
Monica
Are you sure they won’t disintegrate?
Balvinder
No they won’t. I am pretty sure. When I make it next time I’ll use baking powder and update my post.
Soma Saharay
There is a touch of simplicity in whatever you do n yet they are so perfect Balvinder…
beena.stephy
Wow mouthwatering sweet. Nice presantation
Henna
Happy Diwali! These look like the perfect treat for my gf daughter. Quick question – when you say “white rice flour mix” is that using your rice flour mix but substituting brown rice with white rice (so blend would be 2 cups white rice flour, 2/3 cup potato starch, 1/3 cup tapioca starch, 1 1/4 tsp xanthum gum)? Thank you,
Balvinder
Hi Henna,
Happy Diwali to you and your family! I am so glad that this recipe will be helpful for your daughter. You got the right white rice flour mix. When you make I want to see the happy face of your daughter eating gulab jamun. Please take a picture and share with me.
Henna
Hi Balvinder! I made these on Diwali and again last night to take to a dinner party. Everyone loved them, and nobody could tell that they were gluten-free. Thank you for such an awesome recipe!
Fozia shaikh
Can I use brown rice flour
Balvinder
I am sure you can use brown rice flour mix (with tapioca and potato starch in it)
Aneesa Corcoran
These were absolutely amazing! Was looking for a recipe since my husband was diagnosed with Coeliac’s disease. It’s so light and delicious and amazing served with ice cream xxx
Balvinder
That’s great, Aneesa! Thank you! I would have loved to see your creation.
Jean | DelightfulRepast.com
Balvinder, this looks like a really fun recipe to make–and eat!
Laura
Balvinder – these look and sound divine! I love a 2-bite sweet – really only so I can justify having more than one! Hope you’ve had a wonderful Diwali!
Judee
I’ve always admired these desserts in the Indian restaurant. Yours look so professional and they are gluten free too. Lovely.
John / Kitchen Riffs
I LOVE this dish! Never made them — one of those restaurant things for me. I really should try them myself — as your recipe shows, they’re pretty straightforward to make. Thanks!