Nolen Gur Rosogolla Recipe | Soft & Spongy Bengali Jaggery Rosogolla at Home

 Nolen gur rosogolla is a winter-special Bengali delicacy, where the classic soft and spongy rosogolla meets the deep, caramel-like aroma of date palm jaggery (nolen gur). Unlike regular sugar syrup rosogollas, this version has a richer flavour, gentle sweetness, and a beautiful natural colour.

In this recipe, I’m sharing a step-by-step homemade method using liquid nolen gur, along with traditional techniques to keep the rosogollas soft, round, and perfectly spongy. Each step is explained clearly, exactly the way it’s done in Bengali homes during winter.

Whether you’re making rosogolla for the first time or trying a jaggery version for the first time, this method will help you get perfect results at home.

Step 1: Boil the milk

Take full-cream cow milk in a heavy-bottom pan and bring it to a boil on medium flame.
Stir occasionally so the milk doesn’t stick to the bottom.

Once it comes to a rolling boil, lower the flame.

Tip: Always use full-cream milk for soft and spongy rosogolla.

Step 2: Prepare the curdling agent

In a small bowl or ladle, take lemon juice or vinegar and mix it with a little water.

This diluted solution helps the milk curdle gently without making the chhena hard.

 You can also use sour whey or citric acid solution.

Step 3: Curdle the milk

Slowly pour the diluted lemon juice/vinegar into the hot milk while stirring gently.
You’ll notice the milk splitting into white curds and greenish whey.

Turn off the flame as soon as the milk curdles completely.

     Do not over-stir, or the chhena will turn grainy.

Step 4: Strain the chhena

Place a muslin cloth or fine strainer over a bowl and pour the curdled milk into it.

The whey will drain out, leaving soft chhena behind.

Step 5: Wash the chhena

Rinse the chhena under running cold water.

This step removes the sourness of lemon/vinegar and helps in getting perfectly soft rosogollas.

Gently squeeze out excess water—do not make it too dry.

    Ideal chhena should be moist, soft, and crumbly, not sticky or watery.

Step 6: Prepare the Nolen Gur Syrup (Light Consistency)

Instead of regular sugar syrup, this rosogolla is made using liquid nolen gur (date palm jaggery).

In a wide pan, add:

• liquid nolen gur

• water (to make a light, pourable consistency)

Mix well and place the pan on medium flame.
Let the syrup boil for 10–15 minutes until it becomes aromatic but remains thin.

     The syrup should be light and flowing, not thick or sticky.

Step 7: Strain the Gur Syrup

Turn off the flame and strain the boiled nolen gur syrup through a fine strainer or cloth to remove impurities.

Keep this hot strained syrup aside for boiling the rosogollas.

Step 8: Knead the Chhena Until Smooth

Transfer the drained chhena to a plate.
Knead it gently with the heel of your palm for 8–10 minutes until it becomes:

• smooth

• soft

• non-grainy

• slightly greasy

When a small portion rolls into a crack-free ball, the chhena is ready.

Step 9: Shape the Rosogolla Balls

Divide the kneaded chhena into small equal portions.

Roll each portion gently between your palms to form smooth, crack-free balls.

Keep them slightly small, as they will expand during boiling. 

Step 10: Boil Rosogollas in Hot Nolen Gur Syrup

Bring the strained nolen gur syrup back to a gentle rolling boil.

Carefully drop the chhena balls into the hot syrup.
Cover the pan and cook on medium-high flame for 10–15 minutes.

The rosogollas will puff up and absorb the beautiful jaggery aroma.

Do not overcrowd the pan.

Step 11: Transfer to Room-Temperature Gur Syrup (Shape-Saving Step)

Do not leave the rosogollas in hot jaggery syrup.

Carefully remove the rosogollas with a slotted spoon, gently squeeze out the excess hot syrup, and place them into a bowl of room-temperature liquid nolen gur syrup, which is a little thicker than the boiling syrup

This step:

• stops overcooking

• prevents syrup thickening

• keeps rosogollas soft

• helps them retain their perfect round shape

Step 12: Rest & Absorb Flavour

Let the rosogollas rest in the room-temperature syrup for 2–3 hours before serving.

They become:

• softer

• juicier

• richer in nolen gur flavour 🍯

Serving Suggestions

Serve nolen gur rosogolla:

• at room temperature

• or lightly chilled

They taste best when rested overnight, as the flavour deepens beautifully.

🔸 Avoid reheating jaggery-based rosogollas.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

•  Using thick gur syrup

•  Overboiling rosogollas in jaggery

•  Leaving them in hot syrup for too long

•  Skipping the transfer to normal-temperature syrup

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Made with pure nolen gur, no artificial sweetness

• Soft, spongy, and melt-in-mouth

• Traditional Bengali winter delicacy

• Perfect for festivals, guests, or gifting

Making nolen gur rosogolla at home is more than just preparing a sweet—it’s about celebrating Bengal’s winter flavours, patience, and tradition. The moment these soft, spongy rosogollas soak up the aroma of liquid jaggery, the entire effort feels worth it.

Serve them fresh or after resting overnight, and enjoy the warmth of homemade sweetness. Once you try this nolen gur version, it’s hard to go back to the regular one.

If you loved this recipe, don’t forget to share it with fellow sweet lovers and save it for winter evenings.

Top Traditional Foods & Snacks for Makar Sankranti 2026

 (Recipes, Regional Variations & Sweet Meanings)

As winter slowly loosens its grip and the Sun begins its gentle northward journey, Makar Sankranti arrives with quiet warmth and gratitude. It is a festival that doesn’t ask for grandeur—only for shared meals, familiar aromas, and hearts willing to begin again. Across India, kitchens come alive with traditional recipes made from freshly harvested grains, sesame, and jaggery—foods that carry both nourishment and meaning.

Each dish prepared during Makar Sankranti is more than a recipe. It is a reflection of sunlight returning, of families gathering, and of sweetness offered as a wish for the days ahead.

    If you’d like to understand the deeper spirit behind this festival of light and renewal, you may enjoy reading
[Makar Sankranti: A Festival of Sunlight, Sweetness, and New Beginnings]

Why Food Is Central to Makar Sankranti

Makar Sankranti marks the Sun’s transition into Capricorn, symbolizing progress, warmth, and clarity. Traditional foods are made using:

• Sesame (til) – warmth & protection

• Jaggery (gur) – sweetness in speech and life

• Rice & lentils – abundance and nourishment

Together, they remind us to move forward with gentleness and gratitude.

1. Til-Gur Ladoo (Sesame & Jaggery Balls) – Maharashtra & North India

Why it’s special:
Til-gur ladoos symbolize warmth during winter and the age-old message: “Til-gur ghya, god god bola.”

If you’d like to try making this traditional Sankranti sweet at home, here’s a simple recipe you can follow.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 10–12 ladoos
Best for: Winter warmth & Sankranti sharing

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sesame seeds (til)

• ¾ cup grated jaggery (gur)

• 1 tsp ghee

• 2–3 tbsp warm water (if needed)

Method

1. Dry-roast sesame seeds on low flame until aromatic; let them cool slightly.

2. Heat ghee in a pan, add jaggery, and melt gently until soft and glossy.

3. Add roasted sesame seeds and mix well.

4. While warm, grease your palms and shape into small ladoos.

5. Let them cool completely before storing.

Tip

Store in an airtight container for up to a week. Best enjoyed with family and shared with neighbors.

  2. (Steamed, Fried & Stuffed) – Bengal, Assam & Odisha

Pitha is the heart of Sankranti celebrations in eastern India.

Popular Variations:

• Bhapa Pitha (steamed rice cakes)

• Patishapta

• Til Pitha

• Coconut–jaggery stuffed pitha

If you’d like to try, here’s a simple recipe you can follow.

Bhapa Pitha (Steamed Rice Cakes) — Traditional Sankranti Recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10–12 minutes
Servings: 8–10 pitha
Best for: Winter mornings & festive breakfasts

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice flour

• ½ cup freshly grated coconut

• ½ cup grated jaggery

• Warm water (as needed)

• A pinch of salt

Method

1. Mix coconut and jaggery in a bowl; keep aside.

2. Add salt to rice flour and gradually mix with warm water to form a soft dough.

3. Take a small portion of dough, flatten it, add coconut–jaggery filling, and seal gently.

4. Steam the pitha for 10–12 minutes until soft and translucent.

5. Serve warm.

Tip

Bhapa pitha tastes best fresh, with the aroma of steam and winter air.

These delicate treats represent home, warmth, and winter evenings.

3. Sweet Pongal – Tamil Nadu

Prepared during Pongal celebrations, this dish is made when rice is freshly harvested.

Ingredients:
Rice, moong dal, jaggery, ghee, cashews, cardamom.

Sweet Pongal is cooked slowly, allowing flavors to deepen—just like the season invites us to slow down.

4. Khichdi & Chura Mix – Bihar, Jharkhand & Eastern UP

A simple yet nourishing Sankranti meal.

Served with:

• Jaggery

• Ghee

• Seasonal vegetables

This dish celebrates simplicity and balance, making it deeply comforting.

5. Peanut & Sesame Chikki – Gujarat & Rajasthan

Crunchy, golden, and sun-dried, chikki reflects the brightness of Uttarayan.

Common Types:

• Til chikki

• Groundnut chikki

These snacks are easy to store and widely searched during Sankranti season.

 6.Murmura Ladoo & Tilkut – Eastern India

Made using puffed rice, jaggery, or sesame paste, these traditional sweets are light yet fulfilling—perfect for winter afternoons.

 Food That Carries the Soul of the Festival

Though recipes change across regions, the essence remains the same:

• Fresh harvest

• Seasonal warmth

• Sweetness in thought and action

As the Sun begins its northward journey, these traditional foods quietly remind us of what truly matters—warmth in our homes, sweetness in our words, and gratitude for what we have received. Makar Sankranti is not only celebrated on plates and stoves, but in shared meals, familiar aromas, and simple moments of togetherness.

No matter which region we belong to, these dishes carry the same message: welcome the light, honor the harvest, and step forward with hope.

Makar Sankranti: A Festival of Sunlight, Sweetness, and New Beginnings

 There are festivals that arrive quietly—and yet stay with us long after the day ends. Makar Sankranti is one such moment, where winter sunlight, homemade pitha, and gentle hope come together.

Makar Sankranti is not just a date on the calendar—it is a feeling.
A soft warmth in winter mornings.
The smell of jaggery melting slowly.
The quiet happiness of the sun returning to us.

Celebrated across India in many beautiful forms, Makar Sankranti marks the transition of the Sun into Capricorn (Makara Rashi) and the beginning of Uttarayan, the northward journey of the Sun. Spiritually and seasonally, it symbolizes light over darkness, warmth over cold, and hope over stillness.

Why Makar Sankranti Is So Special

Unlike many festivals based on lunar cycles, Makar Sankranti is celebrated on a fixed date—usually 14th January—making it one of the most scientifically aligned Indian festivals.

It is believed that from this day onward:

• Days start becoming longer

• The Sun’s energy grows stronger

• Nature slowly prepares for renewal

In simple words, life begins to move forward again.

A Festival Known by Many Names

Across India, Makar Sankranti wears different names and colors, yet carries the same warmth:

• Pongal in Tamil Nadu

• Uttarayan in Gujarat

• Magh Bihu in Assam

• Poush Sankranti in Bengal

• Khichdi Parv in Uttar Pradesh

Every region celebrates it in its own way—with harvest rituals, prayers to the Sun God, joyful gatherings, and of course, traditional food.

The Sweet Heart of Makar Sankranti: Pitha & Traditional Delicacies

No Makar Sankranti celebration feels complete without homemade sweets, especially those made from rice flour, jaggery, coconut, and sesame seeds.

In eastern India, pitha becomes the soul of the festival.

Soft, warm, and lovingly handmade, pithas are not just food—they are memories folded into rice flour.

Some popular Sankranti pitha varieties include:

• Steamed rice pitha filled with jaggery and coconut

• Fried pitha with crisp edges and soft centers

• Milk-soaked pitha simmered gently till fragrant

Across India, til (sesame) and gur (jaggery) dominate Sankranti kitchens because they:

• Keep the body warm in winter

• Symbolize bonding and sweetness in relationships

Makar Sankranti and the Joy of Simple Traditions

This festival teaches us something very gentle—happiness does not need extravagance.

It lives in:

• Early morning sunlight on winter skin

• Kites floating freely in open skies

• Warm plates passed around family kitchens

• Smiles shared over simple sweets

In many homes, elders pray to the Sun God, children fly kites, and kitchens stay busy with laughter and steam.

A Festival of New Energy and Inner Shifts

Spiritually, Makar Sankranti is considered highly auspicious.
It is believed that:

• New beginnings started now grow stronger

• Acts of charity bring multiplied blessings

• Letting go of bitterness invites peace

It quietly reminds us to:

• Release old heaviness

• Welcome light, both outside and within

• Move forward—slowly, but sincerely

Makar Sankranti in Today’s World

Even today, amidst busy lives, this festival gently asks us to pause.

To eat something warm.
To sit with family.
To notice the sky.
To be thankful for sunlight.

Makar Sankranti doesn’t shout—it softly arrives, bringing sweetness, warmth, and hope.

As the Sun changes its path, may our hearts also shift—
towards kindness, warmth, and gentle beginnings.

May this Makar Sankranti fill your days with:

• Light like the morning sun

• Sweetness like fresh pitha

• And peace that lingers long after winter fades.