Oats Free Gulab Jamun
These soft, syrup-soaked milk dumplings are one of the most beloved sweets in South Asian cuisine, and for good reason — they're pillowy, fragrant, and absolutely impossible to stop eating. The dough comes together from milk powder, a little all-purpose flour, and butter, then gets fried low and slow until deeply golden before being dropped straight into a warm cardamom and rose water syrup. That floral, lightly spiced syrup is what makes the whole thing sing, soaking into each ball until they're plump and glistening. Because the recipe is built entirely around dairy, flour, and aromatics, there's no grain-based filler or rolled ingredient anywhere near it — making it a naturally straightforward choice for anyone avoiding oats. The key to getting that melt-in-your-mouth texture is patience: keeping the oil at a lower temperature lets the centers cook through before the outside over-browns. A scatter of slivered pistachios on top adds a gentle crunch and a pop of color that makes the finished dish look as special as it tastes. Whether you serve them warm straight from the syrup or let them rest to room temperature, they're the kind of dessert that disappears fast.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 1 tbsp rose water
For the dough
- 1 cup milk powder (full-fat)
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 3–4 tbsp whole milk, as needed
For frying
- 2 cups neutral oil (such as canola or sunflower), for frying
For serving
- 2 tbsp slivered pistachios (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the water, sugar, and crushed cardamom pods in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes until the syrup is slightly thickened and coats a spoon lightly. Remove from the heat, stir in the rose water, and keep warm over the lowest heat setting.
- 2
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the milk powder, all-purpose flour, and baking soda. Add the softened butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs with no visible butter pieces.
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