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Gulab Jamun Nut Bread is a delightful Indian-inspired dessert that’s infused with delicate flavors such as rose, cardamom, and saffron. This insanely delicious bread is eggless, easy to make and perfect for an Indian afternoon tea party, chai time, brunch, or holiday gatherings.

A loaf of Gulab Jamun Nut Bread sliced and topped with chopped pistachios and edible dry rose petals.

Gulab Jamun Nut Bread

Gulab Jamun is a widely popular Indian dessert that’s you’ll find at Indian celebrations, restaurants, parties, and festivals. This dessert consists of deep-fried dough balls soaked in a fragrant sugar syrup. The dough is typically made with mawa powder (milk powder), sooji (semolina), and flour.

The base of this recipe was inspired by my Vegan Banana Bread, Eggless Mawa Cake, and Almond Cardamom Cake. I included flavors commonly found in gulab jamun such as, rose, cardamom, and saffron.

If you’re craving gulab jamun, then here is a simpler way of making it without the labor of love. This Gulab Jamun Nut Bread is nutty, fragrant, and pairs perfectly with a hot cup of masala chai.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • It’s DIVINE! – All the gulab jamun flavor in a nut bread. This irressistably delicious treat will keep you coming back for more.
  • Simple To Make – You don’t have to prepare dough balls or deep fry them to enjoy those gulab jamun flavors. It’s so easy to make this nut bread with ingredients you probably already have in an Indian household.
  • Chai Time Treat – If you’re having a tea party, or just having a couple of friends over for chai, make this bread as it pairs beautifully with chai, or even coffee.

Ingredients

Ingredients for Gulab Jamun Nut Bread.
  • White Flour – You’ll need regular all-purpose white flour.
  • Mawa (Milk) Powder – You need to use dry milk powder or mawa powder which can easily be found at the Indian grocery store or Amazon.
  • Sooji/Rava (Semolina flour) – Sooji is also known as semolina flour. It’s used to make Rava Dhokla. Make sure to use fine sooji which is found at the local Indian grocery store or Amazon.
  • Cardamom (Elachi) – You’ll need cardamom powder and 1 large green cardamom (premium quality) – crush before adding it to the gulab jamun syrup.
  • Saffron (Kesar) – Use good quality saffron. I like this Zaran Saffron which can be found on Amazon.
  • Rose Water – You can also find rose water at your local Indian grocery store, or Amazon.
  • Yogurt – Use whole milk yogurt, not dahi (Indian yogurt). The yogurt should be rich and creamy.

*See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.*


Substitutions

  • Vegan – Swap the ghee, milk, and yogurt for their non-dairy alternatives.
  • Pistachios – You may use any combo of almonds, cashews, or pistachios. If you want to omit nuts, you may, but then this wouldn’t be a nut bread.

How to Make Gulab Jamun Nut Bread

STEP 1 – Preheat Oven to 350 Degrees & Combine Dry Ingredients

Combine Dry Ingredients in a medium bowl – white flour, sooji/rava (semolina flour), mawa powder (dry milk powder), ground cardamom, baking soda, baking powder, and salt (Image 1).

Mix the dry ingredients and set aside (Image 2).

Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix.

STEP 2 – Combine Wet Ingredients

Combine Wet Ingredients in a large bowl – whole milk yogurt, oil, ghee, sugar, and milk (Image 3).

Use a whisk to mix well (Image 4).

Combine all the wet ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk.

STEP 3 – Prepare Batter

Add Dry Ingredients to Wet in 2 batches. Do NOT over-mix the batter (Image 5).

Mix batter until well combined (Image 6).

Add Chopped Pistachios (Image 7).

Gently fold the pistachios into the batter, being careful not to overmix (Image 8).

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix, then add pistachios, and fold the batter.

STEP 4 – Bake

Bake. Transfer the batter to a greased loaf tray and use a spatula to level the top. Place the loaf tray into the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 325 degrees and bake for 5-8 minutes. I baked my nut bread for 37 minutes (Image 9).

Once done baking, the top should be golden brown. Perform a toothpick test by inserting a toothpick inside the nut bread making sure it comes out clean. Allow your cake to cool for 10 minutes. The bread should still be warm when you pour the gulab jamun syrup over it – see next step (Image 10).

Transfer the batter to a loaf pan and bake.

STEP 5 – Make Gulab Jamun Syrup (Chashni Syrup)

Gulab Jamun Syrup. Heat a small pot on medium heat and combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water. Gently whisk and heat up for 4-5 minutes until the sugar has dissolved (Image 11).

Add 1 large crushed green cardamom, a pinch of saffron, rose water, and lemon juice. Adding lemon juice helps avoid crystalization and removes the impurities from sugar (Image 12).

Boil for 2 more minutes and perform the Gulab Jamun Syrup Test – see below (Image 13).

Gulab Jamun Syrup Test

How to check if the syrup is ready?

Tip 1 – Once the syrup thickens slightly, test it for stickiness by placing a drop between your fingers.
Tip 2 – Also, check to see if the spoon lightly sticks to the side of the pot, if it does, the syrup is ready. Turn off the stove.

Strain the syrup. (Image 14)

Make the Gulab Jamun Simple Syrup by boiling sugar, water, rose, cardamom, saffron, and lemon juice, then strain.

STEP 6 – Pour Syrup Over Bread & Garnish

Remove the gulab jamun nut bread from the loaf pan and place it on a serving dish (Image 15).

Use a toothpick to poke holes all over the nut bread (Image 16).

Spoon Gulab Jamun Syrup. Gently spoon 80% of the gulab jamun syrup all over the warm bread (Image 17).

Garnish with 1 tablespoon of chopped pistachios and edible dry rose petals. Spoon the remaining syrup over the pistachios and rose petals so they stick. Slice and enjoy with hot masala chai (Image 18).

Poke holes in the cooled bread and pour the sugar syrup over the bread, then garnish with pistachios and edible rose petals.

Recipe Tips

Batter – The batter will be thick and wet when it’s done. This is OK. Transfer the batter to the loaf pan. Also, do NOT overmix the batter

Gulab Jamun Syrup – Once the syrup thickens slightly, check to see if it’s sticky by placing a drop between your fingers. Also, check to see if the spoon lightly sticks to the side of the pot, if it does, the syrup is ready.

Serving Suggestions

→ Gulab Jamun Nut Bread goes best with a hot cup of masala chai. It’s so good. Alternatively, this would also go well with a hot cup of coffee.

→ Pair this bread with a delicious Indian Afternoon Tea or an afternoon brunch.


Recipe FAQs

Is Gulab Jamun Nut Bread eggless?

Yes it is.

How can I make this recipe vegan?

Swap the ghee, milk, and yogurt for their non-dairy alternatives.

What other nuts can I substitute for pistachios?

You can use almonds or cashews, or any combination of nuts you like that amounts to 1/3 cup. You may also omit nuts, however then this recipe wouldn’t be a nut bread.

A loaf of gulab jamun nut bread with a close up of a bread slice topped with pistachios and edible rose petals.

More Indian Fusion Dessert Recipes

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Gulab Jamun Nut Bread

By: Nisha
Gulab Jamun Nut Bread is a delightful Indian-inspired dessert infused with delicate flavors such as rose, cardamom, and saffron. This insanely delicious bread is eggless, easy to make, and perfect for an Indian afternoon tea party, chai time, brunch, or holiday gatherings.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Bake Time: 37 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 2 minutes
Servings: 10 slices

Ingredients 

FOR GULAB JAMUN NUT BREAD

  • 1 1/8 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp sooji/rava/semolina
  • 1/2 cup mawa/milk powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
  • 1/2 cup whole-milk yogurt
  • 1/3 cup oil
  • 1 tbsp ghee, melted
  • 6 tbsp sugar
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 1/3 cup pistachios, chopped

FOR GULAB JAMUN SYRUP

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 large green cardamom, crushed
  • few strands saffron
  • 1 tsp rose water
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
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Instructions 

  • Preheat Oven to 350 Degrees & Combine Dry Ingredients in a medium bowl – white flour, sooji/rava (semolina flour), mawa powder (dry milk powder), ground cardamom, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients and set aside.
  • Combine Wet Ingredients in a large bowl – whole milk yogurt, oil, ghee, sugar, and milk. Use a whisk to mix well.
  • Prepare Batter. Add Dry Ingredients to Wet in 2 batches. Do NOT overmix the batter. Mix batter until well combined. Add Chopped Pistachios. Gently fold pistachios into the batter. Do NOT overmix.
  • Bake. Transfer the batter to a greased loaf tray and use a spatula to level the top. Place the loaf tray in the oven for 30 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 325 degrees and bake for 5-8 minutes. I baked my nut bread for a total of 37 minutes. Once done baking, the top should be golden brown. Perform a toothpick test by inserting a toothpick inside the nut bread making sure it comes out clean. Allow your cake to cool for 10 minutes. The bread should still be warm when you pour the gulab jamun syrup over it – see next step.
  • Make Gulab Jamun Syrup. Heat a small pot on medium heat and combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water. Gently whisk and heat up for 4-5 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Add 1 large crushed green cardamom, a pinch of saffron, rose water, and lemon juice. Adding lemon juice helps avoid crystalization and removes the impurities from sugar. Boil for 2 more minutes.
    TIP – Once the syrup thickens slightly, check to see if it's sticky by placing a drop between your fingers. Also, check to see if the spoon lightly sticks to the side of the pot, if it does, the syrup is ready. Turn off the stove. Strain the syrup.
  • Pour Syrup Over Bread & Garnish. Remove the gulab jamun nut bread from the loaf pan and place it on a serving dish. Use a toothpick to poke holes all over the nut bread. Spoon Gulab Jamun Syrup. Gently spoon 80% of the gulab jamun syrup all over the warm bread. Garnish with 1 tablespoon of chopped pistachios and edible dry rose petals. Spoon the remaining syrup over the pistachios and rose petals so they stick. Slice and enjoy with hot masala chai.

Notes

Batter – The batter will be thick and wet when it’s done. This is OK. Transfer the batter to the loaf pan. Also, do NOT over mix the batter
Gulab Jamun Syrup – Once the syrup thickens slightly, check to see if it’s sticky by placing a drop between your fingers. Also, check to see if the spoon lightly sticks to the side of the pot, if it does, the syrup is ready.

Nutrition

Calories: 272kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 222mg | Potassium: 178mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 99IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 1mg

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian Fusion
Diet: Vegetarian
Tried this recipe?Mention @honeywhatscooking or tag #honeywhatscooking!
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Hi, I'm Nisha!

I'm a foodie who is passionate about healthy-ish living and mindful eating. You'll find a bit of everything here. I use mostly organic real ingredients and incorporate seasonal produce in my cooking. I believe food is medicine. Join me on this soul-searching journey as I share my love for good food, and I hope I inspire you to eat better somewhere along the way.


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