Peanut Free Gulab Jamun
Soft, syrup-soaked, and perfumed with cardamom and rose water, these little golden spheres are one of the most beloved sweets in South Asian cuisine — and they are genuinely worth every step. The dough comes together from milk powder, flour, a touch of baking soda, and butter, then gets fried low and slow until deeply golden before being dropped straight into warm sugar syrup to plump and soak. That patient frying temperature is the real secret: keeping the oil between 300 and 320°F lets the centers cook through without the outsides burning, so every bite is tender all the way in. For anyone navigating nut allergies, the base recipe is completely peanut-free by nature — the only optional nut element is a garnish of slivered pistachios, which you can simply leave off without changing the dish at all. Store-bought sweets and mithai boxes can be a minefield when it comes to shared equipment and unlabeled ingredients, so making these at home puts you fully in control. Serve them warm with a spoonful of that fragrant syrup pooled in the bowl, and they will disappear faster than you expect.
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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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