Soft, buttery, and infused with the nostalgic flavours of Gulab Jamun, a traditional Indian dessert, my Rose and Cardamom-infused Gulab Jamun cookies bring a modern twist to a traditional Indian sweet.
This cookie (biscuit to some) recipe is easy to make with a few ingredients, the main one being the ready-made Gulab Jamun mix. They are soft and buttery, flavoured with the subtle floral fragrance of Rosewater and warming Cardamom. Perfect for Diwali, Eid or a cosy afternoon tea, these delicate floral cookies capture all that we love about Gulab Jamun in a soft, crumbly form.
Jump to:
Key Ingredients & Notes.
- Gulab Jamun mix: Buy from an Asian grocery store. The mix gives the signature sweet, spiced base that makes these cookies instantly recognisable.
- Unsalted butter: Gives a rich, soft texture.
- Plain flour: Added to help the cookie dough hold its shape during baking.
- Milk: Helps bring the dough together.
- Castor sugar: A fine sugar that dissolves quickly when creamed with butter.
- Rosewater: Adds a delicate floral fragrance.
- Cardamom powder: Adds a warm, earthy element.
- Saffron: Gives the cookies a luxurious, golden colour and fragrance.
- Almond flakes: - A nutty decoration to the finished biscuit.
See recipe card for quantities.
Step-By-Step Photos
- To begin, add the saffron to the milk and set aside to infuse.
- Then cut the butter into cubes and set aside to come to room temperature.
- When the butter is at room temperature, cream the butter and sugar together until they are pale and creamy.
- Add the Gulab Jamun mix, cardamom powder and flour.
- Mix to form a crumbly dough.
- Create a well in the middle of the dough mix, add the saffron-infused milk and the Rosewater.
- Next, mix until the dough comes together.
- Preheat your oven to 170°C.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Pinch the dough into 30g chunks and roll into a ball shape. Place the balls on the baking tray and gently press down on each one to slightly flatten the top.
- Decorate each dough ball with Almond flakes.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Then rotate the tray and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and set aside to cool down.
And there you have it, delicious, Gulab Jamun-inspired cookies with a subtle taste of rose and cardamom. Great with afternoon tea!
Ingredient Substitutions
To create a different flavour profile, you can substitute the Rosewater for orange blossom essence. Try one teaspoon. Also, you may need to increase the milk quantity to replace the liquid volume of the Rosewater.
If you prefer, Pistachios can be used to replace almonds as a decorative and flavorful addition.
Top Tip
While baking, you want to create an even golden brown colour, so you should rotate the baking tray after 10 minutes. Make sure to do this as quickly as possible to prevent the oven from losing heat. Additionally, because some ovens vary in their heat distribution, keep a close eye on the cookies to prevent them from overcooking or burning.
FAQ's
Gulab Jamun is a classic Indian dessert made from fried milk dough balls. The balls are soaked in a rose and cardamom-flavoured sweet syrup, making them soft, rich, and delicately floral.
Here is a breakdown of the allergens in these Gulab Jamun cookies:
Gulab Jamun dry mix: milk powder (dairy), flour (gluten), and possibly traces of nuts (always check the packet).
Butter: Milk proteins (casein, whey).
Flour: Wheat (gluten).
Milk: Dairy - lactose, milk proteins
Almond: Nut
No, Gulab Jamun is traditionally made from milk solids, and the ready-made mixes are no different I couldn't find a vegan ready-made mix online; however,manyy other bloggersofferg recipes for vegan Gulab Jamun desserts, but not a cookie.
Store them in an airtight jar; they usually stay fresh for well over a week.
No, these cookies are less sweet than traditional Gulab Jamun. Gulab Jamun is very sweet-tasting, primarily due to the sugar syrup it is soaked in. On a scale of sweetness from 1 to 10, it is about an 8.
My cookies are made using less sugar. I love a sweet treat, but try to keep the sugar levels down. On a scale of sweetness from 1 to 10, my cookies are about a 5.
These cookies are a great idea to send to friends for Diwali or Eid, as they can stay at room temperature for up to a week. You can also be creative with your gift box to pack them in. Around Diwali time, it's traditional to send desserts to family and friends with the wish "may your life be as sweet as this" Eid-al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting, and traditionally, the fast is broken with something sweet.
Related Recipes
Looking for other dessert recipes like this? Try these sweet treats:
Pairing Suggestions
These are my favourite dishes to serve with my Gulab Jamun cookies:
📖 Recipe
Gulab Jamun Cookies With Rosewater and Cardamom
Equipment
- Hand whisk or Electric whisk
- Baking tray
- Parchment paper
- Bowl to mix ingredients
Ingredients
- 250 g Gulab Jamun Mix
- 170 g Plain Flour
- 130 g Unsalted Butter
- 150 g Castor Sugar
- 5 tablespoon Milk
- 2 tablespoon Rosewater
- ½ teaspoon Cardamom powder
- Saffron, a few strands
- 10 g Almond flakes For decoration
Instructions
- Add the saffron strands to the milk and let them infuse into the milk.
- Cut the butter into cubes and set aside to come to room temperature.
- Cream the butter and sugar, until pale and creamy. This is so the sugar is evenly distributed and dissolved in the butter.
- Now add the flour, Gulab Jamun mix and cardamom powder. Mix until you get a crumbly dough.
- Create a well in the middle of your mix and add the rosewater and saffron infused milk. Mix to combine until the dough comes together.
- Preheat oven to 170ºC (fan assisted oven)
- Prepare the baking trays with parchment paper and set aside.
- Pinch 30g of cookie dough and roll into a ball. Set on the baking tray. Repeat this process for the remaining dough. If you weigh each portion to be 30 g, you should get 26 balls.
- Press down gently onto each cookie on the tray. Just flatten the top a little and press an almond flake into them.
- Bake in the oven for 10 minutes and then rotate the tray and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes till golden brown.
- Once cooked, remove from the oven and let the cookies rest until they cool down.
Nutrition
NOTES
Food Safety
- Wash your hands regularly while preparing, handling and cooking food.
- Wipe down countertops and high-contact points regularly.
- If you cook meat and fish, do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat. Use separate chopping boards for meat and fish. Wash your chopping boards immediately after use.
- Thoroughly cook food to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C).
- Don't leave food at room temperature for extended periods (more than 2 hours).
- Store food correctly.
George says
Once I ate one, I could not stop. Lovely with a cup of tea
Chef Tripti says
Thank you George. I am glad you enjoyed them.