COOKING HOUR: Instant Gulab jamun recipe with Jamun mix

Instant Gulab jamun recipe with store bought Jamun mix. Learn how to to make a perfect gulab jamun every time with the instant jamun mix.

Birthdays, parties, celebrations, get togethers, festivals as well as any occasion, this is perfect dessert.

This is basic recipe of all other jamun recipes on this site, in fact this dessert can be prepared under 40 minutes, !

Don’t forget to check FAQs before trying.

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About

Gulab jamun is a popular Indian dessert especially made for festivals like Diwali or any celebrations.

It is very easy to prepare because of which it is very famous. From beginners in cooking, it can be made easily.

Gulab means Rose in Hindi, indicating it is a rose flavored sweet.

I thought nothing to share as a recipe to be honest with this, but have heard many of my friends, relatives say they struggle to make a decent one.

Just following the instructions on the back will give you precise results. Equally important, there are few things to note.

In this recipe post have explained how to make gulab jamun without cracks, not burnt black ones, unevenly fried jamun as well as dissolving/ breaking in syrup.

Let’s learn to make a perfect smooth, soft melt in mouth gulab jamun with instant mix available at shops.

Ingredients

It’s simple! Just few ingredients available in your pantry.

Instant gulab jamun mix, white sugar — Sugar, jamun mix

Instant jamun mix
Sugar
Ghee
Cardamom/ Rose water

See recipe card for quantities.

Substitutions

Ghee – instead of ghee, you can use oil (sunflower oil) or vanaspati or even palm oil. (Vanaspati and palm oil are not healthy choice)
Dough– use milk instead of water for super soft results.

Variations

Here are some minor variations you can make in the recipe.

Flavors – You can keep the syrup plain or add rose water or cardamom.
Color – add few strands of saffron for a golden hue in syrup as well as a sweet flavor like cotton candy.
Stuffed versions – You can stuff coarse crushed nuts as well as raisin in the same.

See this Gulkand stuffed recipe on my website!

My notes

I had a half KG jamun mix pack, so just weighed 200 gm and sieved it. After sieving, I measured it, it came approximately 2 cups.
So as suggested by the package, used ¼th of water, ½ cup in my case. I added extra 1-2 tablespoon water. It became more than sticky but still manageable. But my jamuns turned out to be super soft and smooth. You can take note of this, but make sure to make a stickier side dough for smooth results.
I used a mix of oil and ghee but you can fry fully in ghee or oil. You can use up the oil or ghee for making dosa and in everyday cooking.
Note that rose water and rose essence are different. Essence is much stronger. Rose water is mild. You can skip it totally.
I love the flavor saffron lends to the syrup. Kind of sugar candy / cotton candy flavor.
Do not make dry dough and apply too much pressure, you will get hard middle which doesn’t get soaked but the outer part gets too soft.
Add the rolled jamuns only according to the oil quantity. Jamun should roll freely while you stir for even cooking.

FAQs

Here are some common problems you find while making gulab jamun and tips to avoid it.

How to make crack free, smooth jamun?

Make a soft dough with more water content. It can be sticky but not crumbly.

Why are my gulab jamuns too soft?

Too hot syrup (or both syrup and fried jamun are hot) Make sure to drain from oil and give standing time before adding to hot syrup.

Why gulab jamun does not absorbing sugar syrup?

Either sugar syrup is too thick or the jamuns are too hard/ dense.

How can I make my gulab jamun not break?

Make crack free dough, roll smoothly without cracks.

How can I soften the hard gulab jamun?

Heat the syrup gently along jamun until hot (not boiling) and let it soak longer.

What is gulab jamun mix made of?

It is majorly milk solids (milk powder) and all purpose flour (maida) with some leavening agents (sodium bi carbonate or other commercial ingerdients)

Why is gulab jamun called gulab jamun?

Gulab means rose in Hindi. My understanding is it is flavored with rose water traditionally, hence the name.

Storage

Store upto a week in fridge. Good for 2-3 days in room temperature.

You can warm up in microwave for 10 seconds (2-3 jamuns at a time) to serve it warm.

Top tip

How to make a perfect gulab jamun?

The answer is just follow the package instructions! Haha. Honestly it is the key but through experience you may learn small intricate things, which I have compiled here.

Here are some tips to make perfect gulab jamun:

Prepare a perfect dough to begin with. There should not be any lumps, sieve it.
Consistency of the dough can be sticky, you can use ghee to grease and shape, but not crumbly or dry. Dry dough means cracked dough, balls and as you fry and add to syrup, it will get broken.
Optimum temperature of ghee or oil. Definitely hot ghee/ oil will make it turn brown fast but inside not cooked. Low ghee/ oil temperature will make it too soft which after adding to syrup will get broken/ dissolved.
Especially, make syrup just right. Too thin syrup will make the jamun get too soft and bland. Too thick syrup will not be absorbed by the jamun.
Syrup should not be cooled completely. It should be hot, but not rolling boiling while you add fried jamun.
Always drain the fried jamun over kitchen tissue and not directly to syrup. If you add directly, it may break as well as some oil/ ghee may end up in syrup.

Recipe card

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Instant Gulab jamun recipe with Jamun mix

Instant Gulab jamun recipe with store bought Jamun mix. Learn how to to make a perfect gulab jamun every time with the instant jamun mix.

Course Dessert, Sweets

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Servings 40 Gulab jamun

Cup measurements

Ingredients

200 gm Gulab Jamun mix approximately 2 cups after sieved
4 cups Sugar
4 cups Water
1 Cardamom crushed
1 Pinch Saffron
Rose water Few drops
Pistachios for garnish Optional
Ghee or oil, for deep frying

Instructions

Take instant jamun mix firstly in a mixing bowl. Sieve it to break any small lumps if it is there.
Combine by adding water little by little and make a smooth dough. Use finger tips and do not apply pressure and make tight dough. I used my slicone spatula.
The dough can be slightly sticky, not crumbly.
Keep aside for 10 to 15 minutes as instructed by the package. Keep covered.
Meanwhile which you can prepare sugar syrup. Take sugar and water in a large sauce pot.
Add saffron, stir well over medium heat. Bring to boil. Simmer for 10 minutes after that.
It should come to sticky consistency, do not make too thick or too thin. Just before switching off, add powdered cardamom or rose water and mix well.
Switch off the stove, keep aside.
Now, knead the dough again to smooth it. Grease your hands with ghee. Gently roll into equal size smooth balls. Grease once in a while to avoid sticking.
Heat ghee/ oil to medium heat. It should not smoke at any point. Test by adding a pinch of dough in ghee/ oil. It should rise immediately. Add rolled jamun balls in batches. Keep stirring for even color as it fries.
Patiently cook until deep red in colour.
Drain over paper towel. Continue with next batch. Repeat the same.
The syrup should be hot but not boiling. So maintain the temperature.
If both are too hot, it breaks and gets dissolved in the syrup. Give overnight soaking time if possible. Or minimum 3-4 hours.
After that, it will absorb the syrup and gets soft. Size will also be bigger.
In between mix gently without breaking.
You can garnish with pistachios if you like.

Video

Notes

Do not add saffron more, it will not be nice. Few strands (8-9) is enough.
You can add cardamom or rose water, either one of it.
I added very little rose water as per my family preference.
Never let oil or ghee smoke and fry in high heat. Let flame be medium.

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Stepwise photos

Take instant jamun mix firstly in a mixing bowl. Sieve it to break any small lumps if it is there.

2. Combine by adding water little by little and make a smooth dough. Use finger tips and do not apply pressure and make tight dough. I used my slicone spatula.

3. The dough can be slightly sticky, not crumbly.

4. Keep aside for 10 to 15 minutes as instructed by the package. Keep covered.

5. Meanwhile which you can prepare sugar syrup. Take sugar, saffron and water in a large sauce pot.

6. Stir well over medium heat. Bring to boil. Simmer for 6 minutes after that.

7. It should come to sticky consistency, do not make too thick or too thin. Just before switching off, add powdered cardamom or rose water and mix well.

8. Switch off the stove, keep aside.

9. Now, knead the dough again to smooth it. Grease your hands with ghee. Gently roll into equal size smooth balls. Grease once in a while to avoid sticking.

10. Heat ghee/ oil to medium heat. It should not smoke at any point. Test by adding a pinch of dough in ghee/ oil. It should rise immediately. Add rolled jamun balls in batches. Keep stirring for even color as it fries.