Recipe
🍰 DESSERT
Gulab Jamun
Soft milk-solid dumplings deep-fried and soaked in rose-and-cardamom syrup, the sweet of every Indian celebration.
Indian · medium · serves 6
prep 20 min · cook 25 min
~380 cal · 3g protein · 77g carbs · 7g fat · 0g fiber · 72g sugars · 4g sat fat (estimated, per serving)
↓ Jump to Recipe
AI-generated illustration
Gulab jamun is perhaps the most beloved sweet across the Indian subcontinent, the dessert that crowns weddings, festivals, and every celebration worth the name. Its name marries gulab, rose, for the scented syrup, and jamun, for the dark berry the dumplings resemble.
The dumplings are made from khoya, milk reduced to soft solids, bound with a little flour, rolled into balls, and deep-fried gently to a deep brown. Still warm, they are dropped into a syrup fragrant with rose water and , where they drink it in and swell to a melting softness. Served warm, they are pure, syrupy indulgence.
Saved recipes and passport stamps are kept on this device. Sign in to keep them across your devices and leave reviews.
Make it yours
✓ Naturally vegetarian and egg-, nut- and pork-free. No swaps needed.
Toggle a diet and the ingredients rewrite themselves with regional substitutes.
🥕 Vegetarian
🌱 Vegan
🌾 Gluten-Free
🥛 Dairy-Free
🥜 Nut-Free
🥚 Egg-Free
🐖 Pork-Free
Dietary labels are a cooking guide, not allergen-safety advice. We track dairy, egg, gluten, tree nuts and peanuts (we count coconut as a tree nut, following FDA labeling), fish, and shellfish; we do not screen for sesame, soy, mustard, celery, or sulphites. If you have a food allergy, read the label on every product you use, and note that a kitchen can cross-contaminate in ways a recipe cannot control.
Ingredients
US
Metric
Serves 6
2 cups khoya (milk solids) or milk powder
1/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp (for the dough)
2 cups sugar
5 pods
1 tbsp rose water
for frying oil, for frying
Instructions
1
Make the syrup: boil the sugar with water, cardamom, and rose water to a light syrup and keep warm.
2
Knead the khoya with the flour, baking soda, and ghee into a smooth, soft dough and roll into small crack-free balls.
✎ Chef’s note
The pinch of baking soda is what lets the dumplings puff and drink up the syrup to a melting softness; too much and they crack apart. Roll the balls perfectly smooth with no cracks, or they split open in the oil. A soft, well-kneaded dough is the key.
3
Fry gently over low heat, turning, until evenly deep brown.
4
Drop the hot dumplings straight into the warm syrup and soak at least an hour before serving.
Indian subcontinent celebration sweet.
Ratings & reviews
Cooked it? Rate this dish:
No account needed. Sign in to leave a full review with a comment.
Cooked it?
Kept on this device, no account needed. Sign in to leave a review and keep your passport across your devices.
No reviews yet, be the first to cook it.
🌏 While it simmers, know your destination
📍
Punjab. India's Punjab is the land of the tandoor, five rivers, and generous vegetarian tables, buttery dals, sarson ka saag with makki roti, and rich paneer dishes. Ghee, dairy, and wheat define its hearty north-Indian cooking.
🗺️
India. Almost every savoury Indian pot passes through a tempering: whole spices dropped into hot fat until mustard seeds pop and curry leaves crackle, then either built on or poured over the finished dish. It is tadka in the north and chaunk, baghaar or oggarane elsewhere, and the spice box that lives beside the stove exists so it can be done in seconds.
🌍
Asia. Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, and its food spans the delicate seasonality of Japanese washoku, the chili-fired curries of India and Thailand, and the wheat-and-lamb traditions of Central Asia. Rice, noodles, soy, and fermentation recur across its regions, while ancient spice routes and religious traditions shaped distinct grammars of flavor. Whether from a street-cart wok or a monastery kitchen, eating is deeply communal and ritual-rich.
The story behind this dish is up top, worth a read while the pot works.
More from India
Punjabi Chole (Chickpea Masala)Chickpeas simmered dark and tangy with tea-infused water, ginger, and a toasted spice blend.
Kerala Ishtu (Coconut Vegetable Stew)A gentle, fragrant stew of potatoes and vegetables in coconut milk with ginger, green chili, and curry leaves.
Pav BhajiMumbai’s beach-stall classic: a buttery mashed vegetable curry with toasted buns, lime, and raw onion.
Browse all India recipes →
Good to know
You’ll need: Rolling pin.
Storing it: Fried food is best eaten fresh while crisp. Re-crisp leftovers in a hot oven or air fryer; the microwave makes them soft.
Make it a India meal
Punjabi Chole (Chickpea Masala)Dinner
Mango LassiDrink
Similar dishes from around the world
KaimatiKenya
KoeksistersEswatini
Pishme (Turkmen Fried Dough Diamonds)Turkmenistan
Chak-ChakUzbekistan
Yovo Doko (Sweet Fritters)Benin
KhabzeyBhutan
Cuisine
Diet
Frequently asked questions
What is Gulab Jamun?
Soft milk-solid dumplings deep-fried and soaked in rose-and-cardamom syrup, the sweet of every Indian celebration.
Where does Gulab Jamun come from?
Gulab Jamun is a Indian dish from Punjab, India.
Can Gulab Jamun be made vegan, gluten-free, or dairy-free?
This Gulab Jamun recipe includes substitution suggestions for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, and pork-free versions, including several at once such as gluten-free and dairy-free together. Treat them as a starting guide rather than a guarantee, and see the allergen note below.
Is Gulab Jamun safe for people with food allergies?
Our dietary labels and substitutions are a cooking guide, not medical or allergen-safety advice. We track dairy, egg, gluten, tree nuts and peanuts (we count coconut as a tree nut, following FDA labeling), fish, and shellfish, but we do not screen for sesame, soy, mustard, celery, or sulphites. If you have a food allergy, always read the label on every product you use, and remember a home or commercial kitchen can cross-contaminate ingredients in ways a recipe cannot control.
How long does Gulab Jamun take to make?
About 45 minutes total (20 minutes prep, 25 minutes cooking), serving 6.
Get the Sunday Spin
One dish from somewhere in the world, in your inbox every Sunday. No spam, just dinner inspiration you can cook that day.