These Gulab Jamun Donuts are the Indian-American twist you didn’t know you needed. Pillow-soft and soaked in sweet rose syrup, this simple fusion recipe is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Let’s just take a moment for the picture. I don’t know about you, but that’s all the convincing I need to make these bad boys.
These gulab jamun donuts with a rose glaze are the fastest way to get people drooling for your cooking. What could be better than combining two culturally classic desserts: the glazed donut and gulab jamun? (And if you’re a fan of fusion desserts, check out my Fusion Desserts You Need to Try).
Gulab jamun is a traditional Indian dessert and can be described as a cakey munchkin soaked in sweet syrup. It’s actually the national dessert of India, so trust me when I say it is widely beloved.
The best part about gulab jamun is that you can have it hot (ice cream optional) or cold! (If you’re looking for a more traditional take on this, check out my recipe for Gulab Jamun Trifle).
I couldn’t resist creating this Indian fusion dessert recipe for Diwali because the only thing better than a regular gulab jamun is a rose-glazed gulab jamun donut. Whether you’re celebrating the festival of lights with a big feast or want to satisfy your sweet tooth, this recipe is foolproof.
There are plenty of ways you can make the base dough in this recipe. I have tried both traditional and box mix methods, and they both consistently turn out great, so choose the option that works best for you.
Either way, these gulab jamun donuts are easy to whip up and make for the perfect dish to impress your guests (or yourself!).
For the traditional method of making this, you would have to make the dough from scratch. Alternatively, you can go for the semi-homemade route and use gulab jamun box mix, which can be found at any local Indian store. I used the brand GITS; they have no added preservatives, colors, or flavors. However, any other brand that you find should work just as well.
Whichever method you decide to use, you just add the syrup and rose glaze (which are even easier to make), and voila – you get a stunning dessert that is to die for.
The sweet syrup and rose glaze add such a unique taste and texture to this gulab jamun donut recipe. I also love to add organic dried edible rose petals to take it one step further and elevate the look of the whole dish.
If you want to get your hands on the same ones I use, check out Rose Dose and use my code ‘tableofspice’ for 10% off your purchase.
DID YOU MAKE THIS DISH?
If you make this dish, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @thetableofspice or hashtag #thetableofspice or both! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Glazed Gulab Jamun Donuts
Ingredients
Gulab Jamun (from scratch)
- ½ cup milk
- 1 cup milk powder
- 3 tbsp semolina
- 2 tbsp milk
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 5 cups oil for frying
Syrup
- 2 & ½ cups sugar
- 3 cups water
- 1 tsp rose water or rose essence
- 2 cardamon pods
- ¼ tsp saffron
Rose glaze
- 3 tbsp powder sugar
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp rose water
Instructions
Rose glaze
- Mix everything together until there are no lumps and you have a smooth consistency. Set aside until donuts are ready to be glazed.
Gulab Jamun from scratch
- Mix the semolina and 2 tbsp of milk together. Set this aside.
- In a large bowl mix together the milk powder, all purpose flour, baking
powder and ghee together. Add the mixed semolina mixture and stir
everything together. - Slowly incorporate the milk, add as you go; mix everything together to form the dough. You may not need the whole amount of milk which is why I added tablespoon at a time.
- Let the dough rest for 5 – 10 mins. In the mean time make the rose syrup.
- In a sauce pan, combine the water, sugar, rose water, saffron and
cardamon pods. Cook on med heat for 10 mins until sugar is dissolved. - Roll out your dough 1/2 inch thick, you don’t want to roll it out too thin because it will result into some flat donuts.
- Using a round cookie cutter, press down firmly and cut your donut
rounds! Using the back end of a piping tip to make the center hole for
your donuts. Repeat and reuse the dough to make more donuts until you
have no more dough! - Heat up some oil and fry these donuts until they are golden brown.
- Once they are cooked, let me cool down for 10 mins and than place them
in the rose syrup to soak. Let them soak for at least 1 hr, but best if
you can let them soak for 2 hrs. Once they have been soaked, drizzle
the rose glaze and enjoy!
Notes
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Make Ahead Preparation & Hosting Tips
This dish is the perfect way to end an extravagant Diwali or holiday meal. No matter what you use it for, here are my favorite tips and tricks to make your life easier:- If you use box mix gulab jamun, add 1 tsp baking powder to it so the donuts will rise really well. This is such an easy way to make it taste completely homemade too!
- Let your gulab jamun sit and soak in the syrup overnight. This will be ideal for letting all the flavors and sweetness really come together, and it will also help with the texture of your final product.
- You can use almond or oat milk as substitutions for regular milk in the rose glaze if you’re looking for a vegan or dairy-free option. (The gulab jamun mix I use is also 100% vegetarian).
- I love to garnish my donuts with chopped pistachio and dried rose petals after I drizzle the glaze. This adds a beautiful visual touch to the dish. Be creative and garnish with what you like!
