It is also common in nations with substantial populations of people with South Asian heritage, such as Mauritius, Fiji, Gulf states, the Malay Peninsula, United Kingdom, United States, Canada, South Africa, and the Caribbean countries of Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Suriname.

The solids are kneaded with flour (maida), and small balls of this dough are deep-fried in oil or ghee (clarified butter) at a low temperature,[1] then soaked in a light sugar syrup flavored with green cardamom and rose water, kewra or saffron.

According to culinary historian Michael Krondl, 12th century Manasollasa mentions a recipe for fried fritter balls made of chenna cheese and rice flour and was soaked in cardamom-scented syrup, but this recipe did not use rosewater (gulab) syrup.

Gulab jamun gets its brownish red colour because of the sugar content in the milk powder (khoya).

Homemade gulab jamun is usually made up of khoya, a pinch of all-purpose flour/refined wheat flour/ wheat flour (optional), baking powder and clarified butter (ghee); milk kneaded to form a dough, moulded into balls, deep fried and dropped into simmering sugar syrup.

Katangi, a town near Jabalpur is famous for "Jhurre Ka Rasgulla", which has been made there for the past 100 years.

In Western Madhya Pradesh and Malwa, Mawa Bati is popular as local version of Gulab Jamun.