Gulab Jamun, everyone’s favourite dish that is so popular in India. In every wedding, festival, or even a simple family dinner, the moment you get a plate of soft, warm and luscious gulab jamuns, everything fades away. How can you forget the first bite, that feels so soft, syrupy, aromatic and melt-in-the-mouth, it is just pure bliss.
But here’s the truth we often avoid:
Traditional gulab jamun comes with a heavy load of sugar and calories. For people who are health-conscious, diabetic, or watching their weight, enjoying even two pieces can feel like a guilty pleasure. In this blog we will be exploring unforgettable gulab jamun recipes.
Sweet Delight That’s Good For Your health
No more saying no to this yummy delight. Here’s the good news? Now you can enjoy these heavenly bites without even compromising with your health goals.
All you need to do is some smart ingredient swaps like using low-sugar sweeteners, and healthier cooking methods. It’s actually possible to make delicious, healthy, low-Sugar, diabetic friendly and flavorful Gulab Jamun that tastes surprisingly close to the real ones.
So if you’ve been craving for gulab jamun but holding back—this guide is just for you.
Nutritional Snapshot (Approx. Per Serving – 2 Pieces
| Component | Value | Why It Matters |
| Calories | 140–180 kcal | Way lighter than traditional ones (ranges 260–300) |
| Protein | 4–6 g | Keeps you full & supports muscle health |
| Carbohydrates | 20–22 g | From natural ingredients |
| Fiber | 2–3 g | Supports digestive system |
| Sugar | 3–5 g | Big sugar reduction using natural substitutes |
| Fat | 5–8 g | Healthy fats from nuts & light oil mostly |
When you compare these modern versions with traditional gulab jamun, which were sobbed in nearly 50–60 g sugar per serving, it is a huge improvement.
1. Healthy Low-Sugar Gulab Jamun Recipe
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1 cup of milk powder
- ½ cup of almond flour or coconut flour
- 2 tbsp of pure ghee or oil
- ½ tsp of baking soda
- Water or low-fat milk (as you need to knead)
- Oil or ghee for shallow fry or baking
For the syrup
- 2 cups of water
- 1 cup of erythritol, stevia, or any sugar-free sweetener
- 1 tsp of cardamom powder
- 1 tbsp of rose water
- A few saffron strands (for flavor and aroma)
- 1 tsp of lemon juice
Step-by-Step Method
1. Make the Dough
1. Take almond or coconut flour in a bowl, then add milk powder, baking soda, along with some ghee or oil. Mix it all well!
2. Slowly add milk or water in it and knead it gently into a soft and smooth dough.
Note: Don’t knead it too much. Overkneading the dough can lead to loss of light texture and gulab jamuns may get dense.
2. Shape the Jamuns
1. Once the dough is ready, divide it into small balls (size can be around walnut).
2. Make sure there are no cracks in the balls. Because cracks cause them to break while cooking which will be tough to handle.
3. Cook the Jamuns
You can choose any of the following method:
- Shallow Fry: Cook the jamuns on a low flame, turning them gently, until they get golden brown.
- Bake: Bake them at 160°C for at least 12–15 minutes, turn them halfway.
4. Prepare the Sugar-Free Syrup
1. Now boil water with sweetener (chashni) for at least 5 minutes.
2. After boiling add fresh lemon juice, cardamom, rose water, and saffron for flavor and aroma.
3. Simmer it until it gets aromatic and a little sticky.
5. Soak
1. Drop these hot boiled jamuns directly into warm sweet syrup.
2. Let them rest for at least 30–40 minutes so they easily absorb flavor.
2. Rose-Flavoured Diabetic-Friendly Gulab Jamun
Ingredients
For Jamuns
- 1 cup of milk powder (unsweetened)
- ½ cup of almond flour
- 2 tbsp of ghee or coconut oil
- ½ tsp of baking soda
- ¼ cup of warm low-fat milk (adjust as needed)
- A few drops of natural rose extract for flavor
- Oil and ghee for shallow frying or air-frying
For Low-Sugar Rose Syrup
- 2 cups of water
- ¾ cup of erythritol / stevia / monk fruit sweetener (as per accessibility and taste)
- 1 tbsp of rose water
- Few dried rose petals
- 1 tsp of lemon juice
- ½ tsp of cardamom powder
Procedure
1. Make Dough
Take a bowl, put almond flour, milk powder and baking soda. Then add some ghee and rose essence into it and mix it well. Pour some warm milk gradually and knead the dough gently, until it becomes a soft dough. Let it rest for at least 5 minutes.
2. Shape
Divide the dough into some small smooth balls. Try to ensure that there are no cracks.
3. Cook
Shallow fry the balls on low flame until they get golden. Instead of frying you can also air fry at 170°C for 10–12 minutes.
4. Make Rose Syrup
Take water in a pot and add a little sweetener in it, boil them together for at least 5–7 minutes. Add some lemon juice, cardamom powder, rose water, and petals in it for flavor.
5. Soak
Once the syrup is ready add hot gulab jamuns to it and let it rest for approx 30–40 minutes.
6. Serve
Top it up with crushed rose petals and pistachios.
3. Saffron & Almond Jamun (High-Protein, Keto-Friendly)
Ingredients
For Dough
- 1 cup of fresh paneer, smoothly crumbled
- ¼ cup of almond flour
- 1 tbsp of coconut flour
- ½ tsp of baking powder
- 1 tbsp of pure ghee
- 2–3 tbsp of milk or almond milk (as per taste and choice)
For Syrup
- 2 cups of water
- ¾ cup of monk fruit sweetener or Stevia
- 10–12 saffron strands soaked prior in 1 tbsp warm milk for flavor
- ½ tsp of cardamom powder
- 1 tsp of rose water
Procedure
1. Make Jamun Dough
To start with, mash paneer until it gets silky smooth. Add some almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and ghee in it. Gradually add milk and knead it until you get a soft dough.
2. Shape
Now make some small balls and smoothen the surface properly.
3. Bake / Air Fry
Bake it at 160°C for at least 12–15 mins, you can also air fry it at 160°C until it becomes golden.
4. Prepare Syrup
Take the water, add some sweetener and boil it all for 6 minutes. Now add some saffron milk, cardamom powder, and rose water in the syrup.
5. Soak
Dip some gulab jamuns in warm syrup and let them rest for at least an hour.
6. Serve
Top the sweet and delightful balls with almond slivers.
4. Coconut & Jaggery Baked Gulab Jamun (Natural Sweetness)
Ingredients
For Jamuns
- ½ cup coconut flour
- ½ cup milk powder
- 2 tbsp ghee
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ cup low-fat milk (adjust)
- Desiccated coconut for coating
For Syrup
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup jaggery powder (low GI; use less if required)
- ½ tsp cardamom powder
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Procedure
1. Dough
Take a bowl, put some coconut flour, milk powder & baking soda in it, mix it all well. Slowly add some ghee and milk in it and knead until you get soft dough.
2. Shape
Roll it into some smooth mini balls.
3. Bake
Bake them at 160°C for at least 14–16 minutes until they get light golden in color.
4. Syrup
Heat some water and jaggery gently and make sure you do NOT boil vigorously. Add some cardamom & lemon juice in it.
5. Soak
Add hot gulab jamuns in warm syrup. Let them sit for at least 45 minutes.
6. Finish
Roll these soaked jamuns lightly in the dry coconut flakes.
The Sweet Conclusion
Healthy Low-Sugar Gulab Jamun demonstrates that eating sweets doesn’t have to mean sacrificing anything—just making wiser decisions. It promotes contemporary healthy lifestyles while preserving the nostalgia of traditional mithai.
Serve this soft, fragrant, guilt-free treat when guests arrive or cravings strike. Because when wellness and taste go hand in hand, celebrations feel even more delightful. For more sweet, healthy and sugar free sweets recipes stay tuned with us at Chefs Home Around!
