Milk powder & Pancake Mix Gulab Jamun Recipe( Fried and Air fried Recipe)– The easiest recipe of gulab jamuns with only 3 ingredients and no hassle of making ‘ek taar ki chashni’ or single thread consistency sugar syrup. What makes this recipe so easy and why only three ingredients? Our first ingredient is milk powder as a substitute for khoya. Most gulab jamun recipes require some flour along with leavening agents like baking powder and baking soda to soften the gulab jamuns. Our second ingredient- Bisquick has all the leavening agents already mixed with flour. We usually add some melted ghee to the dough along with some milk to bring the dough together. So in this recipe we are using heavy whipping cream instead of the ghee and milk! And thats it! These three ingredients combine to make the softest, juiciest gulab jamuns.
I am always trying to make low fat versions of the traditional recipes and this time i tried air frying the gulab jamuns. I have been eating one gulab jamun a day since I made these just because I know they are air fried and have been made in a few drops of oil. And I didn’t find any difference in taste!
I ate these Milk powder & Pancake Mix Gulab Jamuns almost 25 years back in Orlando. We were still new to the US and it was so good to eat these as they reminded me of home. I got the recipe and lost it but I knew it had the three ingredients- milk powder, bisquick and heavy whipping cream. In my quest to recreate the gulab jamuns I had eaten 25 years back- I went through many trials with these 3 ingredients. After 7-8 attempts, I got it right! One of the key things is that we need to use FAT FREE MILK POWDER. All my trials were always with the regular milk powder that I had at home. Regular milk powder when mixed with heavy whipping cream, has too much fat and the gulab jamuns will fall apart.
I have seen recipes where Bisquick is simply mixed with milk and deep fried. Those lack the khoya flavor. To get the khoya flavor-milk powder and heavy whipping cream are a must. Together they give the khoya texture and taste. Also, please read the recipe notes, at the bottom of the recipe for tips on making the best gulab jamuns.
Air Fryer Gulab Jamuns-just as juicy and delicious. Made 15 of them in 5 minutes in few drops of oil!
PRO TIPS-Let syrup simmer for 5 minutes. You don’t need to bring the syrup to 1 thread consistency. Make the syrup in a pan that has a flat bottom, makes it easier for the gulab jamuns to absorb the syrup evenly. The gulab jamun dough will be sticky. Don’t try to knead and make it smooth. Instead wash your hands, rub oil on your palms and make smooth crack free balls, applying gentle pressure. If the balls keep cracking, add 1 tsp cream at a time. I used 5 tablespoons of cream. Quality of cream and milk powder varies, so its best to add cream cautiously after 3 tablespoons. After making the balls, cover with a wet paper towel to prevent them from drying out. Fry 7-8 at a tome, depending on size of pan and quantity of oil. The remaining balls should be rubbed with oiled palms again to make sure there are no cracks. Always fry at medium to medium low temperature. If the oil is too hot, the gulab jamuns will brown too quickly and the center will stay raw. Take out fried and air fried gulab jamuns on a paper towel and let it cool for few minutes. Adding hot gulab jamuns to luke warm syrup will cause the gulab jamuns to shrink and shrivel. Always preheat your air fryer before adding gulab jamuns. Starting with a higher temperature, seals in the shape, otherwise, they will flatten out. Then we cook at a lower temperature to cook the gulab jamuns all the way till the inside. Let the gulab jamuns soak in syrup for minimum of 4-5 hours. I had to run errands so I couldn’t take pictures the same day and so I left them covered overnight in the fridge. The gulab jamuns soaked the syrup completely and were soft and spongy.
Some easy desserts to try out are-
Rasmalai Mousse Shots- No gelatin No Agar Agar No eggs
24 Easy Indian Desserts Ready in 10 Minutes
Eggless Tiramisu with Rusk/No alcohol/No ladyfingers
Collection of Easy and Quick Laddoo Recipes
Rose Mousse Shots-No Eggs No Gelatin No Agar Agar
Eggless Gulab Jamun Cake and Rabri Shots
Nolen Gur Rabri Shots/Instant Gur Rabri in 6 minutes
Moving on to the recipe, here is the written recipe followed by the step by step pictorial one-
Milk Powder and Pancake Mix Gulab Jamun (Fryer and Air Fryer Recipe)
Equipment
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1 measuring cups
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1 small bowl for mixing dough
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1 flat steel pan for making sugar syrup
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1 wok/ karahi for deep frying
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1 Air fryer
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1 slotted spoon for frying
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1 tongs for air fryer
Ingredients
Sugar Syrup
- 300 grams granulated sugar 10.5 ounce
- 320 ml water 11 fluid ounces
- 3-4 green cardamoms powdered/crushed
- 8-10 strands saffron
Gulab Jamun Dough
- 1/2 cup Fat Free Milk Powder It should be fat free otherwise the gulab jamuns will break
- 1/4 cup Pancake Mix/Bisquick Original Bisquick pancake and Baking Mix preferred
- 5 tbsp Heavy Whipping Cream May need more or less
- 4-6 cups odorless oil or ghee for frying depending on size of wok
Instructions
Sugar syrup
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In a steel pan, bring water, sugar, crushed cardamon powder and saffron to a boil
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Reduce temperature to low(400 W power level on induction cooktop) and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Gulab Jamun
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In bowl add milk powder and Bisquick
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Add 3 tbsp of heavy whipping cream. Bring it together. Now add 1 tsp of whipping cream at a time till the milk powder and bisquick start binding and becoming dough like. I used close to 5 tbsp of heavy whipping cream
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The dough will be sticky. Dont keep kneading and try to make it smooth. The gulab jamuns will become hard. Instead oil hands and divide dough into 16 equal parts
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With oiled hands make 16 smooth crack free balls. Apply gentle pressure between palms to bring the dough into a ball. Cover with wet paper towel.
Fried Gulab Jamuns
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Heat oil in a wok at medium (280 W power on induction cooktop)
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Put 8 gulab jamuns into the wok. Before putting each ball, gently roll them once again with oiled hands to make sure there are no cracks. Keep the other 8 balls covered with wet paper towel.
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After 2-3 minutes, very gently use the back of the slotted spoon to roll the balls in hot oil so they brown evenly.
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Once they reach a nice golden brown color, remove on a plate lined with paper towel. Let the gulab jamuns air and cool for 3-4 minutes. This is important. Do not add hot gulab jamuns to syrup. They will shrink. After 3-4 minutes, dunk the fried balls in sugar syrup. Do not cover the syrup with lid.
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Repeat process with remaining 8 balls. Once again oil your hands and ensure there are no cracks and put the balls in oil. Fry on medium till golden brown. Remove on paper towel. Cool for 3-4 minutes. Add to syrup.
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Leave in syrup for 3-4 hours. Flip once after couple of hours so the gulab jamuns soak up the syrup evenly. I left them overnight in the fridge as I couldn't take pictures of the finished gulab jamuns that day.
Air Fryer Gulab Jamuns
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Preheat air fryer at 370 F/188 C
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Make sure the balls are crack free. Take 1-2 tbsp oil in a bowl. Roll each ball in oil and place in air fryer in single layer. Keeping space in between for the gulab jamuns to puff up.
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Air fry at 400 F/ 200 C for 3 minutes
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Shuffle the gulab jamuns around so they brown evenly. Brush some oil, if needed ( I did not) and air fry again at 350 F/ 175 C for 2 minutes
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My gulab jamuns were done in 5 minutes. If you feel they are not done, do at increments of 1 minutes at 350 F/175 C
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Remove from air fryer and let them air and cool for few minutes. Add to syrup. Leave for 3-4 hours. Flip once after couple of hours so both sides are dipped well into the syrup. I left them overnight in the fridge as I couldn't take pictures of the finished gulab jamuns that day.
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Garnish with chopped pistachios, rose petals, saffron strands and silver vark (edible silver paper)
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Microwave for 30 seconds to a minute before serving. Do not microwave if it has silver vark on it.
Notes
Nutrition
Here is the step by step pictorial recipe-
Ingredients
In a flat bottom steel pan bring water, sugar, crushed cardamoms, saffron to a boil
Reduce temperature to low and simmer for five minutes. Remove and set aside
In a bowl add milk powder and Bisquick
Add 3 tbsp heavy whipping cream Bring dough together.
Now keep adding 1 tsp cream at a time till the milk powder and Bisquick start binding and becoming dough like
The dough will be sticky. Don’t keep kneading and try to make it smooth. The gulab jamuns will turn hard
Instead oil hands and divide dough into 16 equal parts
With oiled hands make 16 crack free balls. Apply gentle pressure with palms to bring them together
Cover with a wet paper towel
Heat oil at medium temperature and place 8 gulab jamuns in oil
Cook till golden brown. Use the back of a slotted spoon to gently roll the balls in hot oil, so they brown evenly
Remove on a paper towel and allow to cool for 3-4 minutes and then add to syrup
Repeat the process with the remaining balls. Roll once again in oiled hands to make sure there are no cracks
For Air Fryer- Preheat air fryer at 370 F/190 C
Take 1-2 tbsp oil in a bowl. Roll each gulab jamun(make sure there are no cracks) in oil and place in a single layer
Keep space in between as they will puff up. Air fry at 400 F/ 200 C for 3 minutes
Shuffle the gulab jamuns around so they brown evenly. Brush some oil if needed and air fry again at 350 F/ 175 C for 2 minutes
If you feel it needs more browning, do in increments of 1 minute. Remove on paper towel
Cool for few minutes and add to syrup. Leave for 4-5 hours. I left them covered, overnight in fridge
Fried and air fried gulab jamuns in syrup after an hour
Fryer gulab Jamuns
Air Fryer Gulab Jamuns- Just as delicious. Made 15 of these in 5 minutes in a few drops of oil!
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Megha Gupta
I tried this 3 ingredient Gulab Jamun recipe during Diwali, and totally loved it.
I used, milk mawa powder from Indian store, bisquick pancake mix from Walmart and a few ts of milk instead of cream, so it doesn’t have additional fat. It was so easy to make, didn’t have any breakage problem and my family loved the yummy Gulab Jamuns. I would highly encourage anyone to try this if they like Gulab jamuns at all. It’s easy to make and turns out super tasty. Thank you Aanchal ji.
Aanchal Gupta
Hi Megha ,so glad to hear that you loved the 3 ingredient gulab jamun. I am happy to know that the milk mawa powder from the Indian store worked well instead of the fat free milk powder. Using milk instead of cream so it doesnt have additional fat is a great idea. Thanks for sharing your feedback.