Gul Poli Recipe (Maharashtrian Jaggery and Sesame Flatbread)

Quick answer: Gul poli is a thin whole-wheat flatbread stuffed with grated jaggery, roasted sesame and roasted gram flour, then cooked on a griddle and served with ghee. Maharashtrian families make it for Makar Sankranti. Unlike puran poli, which is filled with cooked chana dal and jaggery, gul poli's filling is uncooked jaggery, so it turns slightly crisp and keeps for several days.

Kitchen note: This recipe is not yet kitchen-tested by a HinduTone cook. The quantities and timings follow common home methods; judge doneness by look and texture, and adjust for your stove and ingredients.

What is gul poli?

Gul is jaggery and poli is a flatbread in Marathi, so gulachi poli is "flatbread of jaggery". Because the filling also carries sesame (til), many families call it tilgul poli. It is a Sankranti dish in Maharashtrian homes: the same sesame and jaggery that go into tilgul ladoo are wrapped in dough. Fillings vary by family. The base is jaggery and sesame; many homes add roasted gram flour (besan) to hold the jaggery together, and some add poppy seeds, dry coconut or ground peanuts. It is usually eaten warm or at room temperature with a spoon of ghee.

How is gul poli different from puran poli?

Both are Maharashtrian festive flatbreads, and puran poli is also made at Sankranti in some homes. Telugu bobbatlu, made with a chana dal filling, are a close cousin of puran poli.

For the rest of the Maharashtrian Sankranti day, see our Makar Sankranti in Maharashtra guide.

Ingredients

For the filling

For the dough

Some cooks mix a little plain flour (maida) into the atta for easier rolling. Hard, dry jaggery does not melt smoothly; choose a soft, sticky block.

How to make the filling

1. Dry-roast the sesame on low heat until it swells and smells nutty, 4 to 5 minutes. Cool and grind to a coarse powder.
2. Roast the poppy seeds and coconut for a minute each, if using. Cool and grind with the sesame.
3. Heat the tablespoon of ghee, add the gram flour and roast on low heat, stirring, until it smells nutty and darkens a shade, 5 to 7 minutes. Cool.
4. Grate the jaggery as finely as you can. Lumps melt into pockets that can burst on the griddle.
5. Mix the jaggery, sesame powder, roasted gram flour, cardamom and nutmeg. Rub the mixture between your palms until it is even and holds together like soft dough when pressed. If it is too dry, add a teaspoon of warm ghee; if too sticky, a spoon more roasted gram flour.
6. Divide into 10 to 12 balls.

How to make the dough

1. Mix the atta and salt. Pour over the hot oil and rub it in with a spoon, then your fingers once it is cool enough.
2. Add water little by little and knead a smooth dough, slightly firmer than chapati dough.
3. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
4. Divide into the same number of balls as the filling, each a little larger than a filling ball.

How to roll and cook gul poli

1. Roll a dough ball into a 7 to 8 cm disc. Place a filling ball in the centre.
2. Bring the edges up around the filling, pinch to seal and remove any extra dough at the top. Flatten gently.
3. Dust well with rice flour. Roll lightly and evenly from the centre outward into a thin round about 15 to 18 cm across. Turn it often and dust again if it sticks. Light pressure keeps the jaggery from breaking through.
4. Heat a griddle (tava) on medium-low heat. Place the poli on it and cook until small brown spots appear underneath, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
5. Turn and cook the other side. Press the edges gently with a folded cloth so they cook through. Do not add ghee while cooking.
6. Lift onto a plate and let it cool for a few minutes before stacking. It crisps as it cools.
7. Brush off loose rice flour from the griddle between polis so it does not burn.

If jaggery leaks onto the griddle, wipe it off at once with a damp cloth folded thick. Melted jaggery is much hotter than boiling water and sticks to skin, so keep children away from the griddle and let polis cool before handing them over.

Pressure cooker or Instant Pot?

There is no pressure-cooker or Instant Pot step: gul poli is cooked entirely on a griddle. A heavy non-stick or cast-iron pan works well on electric and induction hobs.

Gul poli for naivedyam

Some families offer gul poli with tilgul on Sankranti morning before the meal. Whether it is offered, and whether it must be made with ghee, depends on family custom. Follow your family practice or ask your priest. See our Makar Sankranti puja at home guide.

Substitutions abroad

Poppy seeds are optional in this recipe. Some countries restrict them, so check local rules before buying, carrying or posting them, or simply leave them out.

Vegan option

Use oil in place of ghee to roast the gram flour, and serve with a little coconut oil or plain. The dough already uses oil.

Common mistakes

• Coarse jaggery: lumps melt and burst through the dough. Grate it fine and rub the filling smooth.
• Too little filling or too much dough: you get a thick, bready poli. The filling ball should be about as big as the dough ball.
• Pressing hard while rolling: the filling breaks out. Roll gently and dust often.
• High heat: the outside burns before the jaggery melts. Keep the griddle at medium-low.
• Stacking hot: polis steam and turn soft. Cool them on a plate first.

Storage

Cool completely, stack and wrap in a cloth or keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 to 5 days in cool weather. In hot or humid places, refrigerate and use within a week. Warm on a griddle before serving, or eat at room temperature with ghee.

Allergens

Contains wheat (gluten), sesame and milk (ghee). Poppy seeds and coconut are optional. Sesame is a major allergen in the USA and is on the UK's list of 14 allergens. There is no reliable gluten-free version of this flatbread; a sesame-free version made with jaggery and gram flour alone is possible.

Frequently asked questions

Is gul poli the same as tilgul poli?

Yes. Gul poli, gulachi poli and tilgul poli are names for the same Sankranti flatbread. The exact filling varies by family: some use more sesame, some add peanuts or poppy seeds.

Why does the jaggery leak out while rolling?

The jaggery was grated coarsely, the filling was too loose, or the dough was too soft. Rub the filling smooth, use a firmer dough and roll gently with plenty of rice flour.

Should gul poli be crisp or soft?

It is meant to be thin and slightly crisp at the edges once cooled, with a soft jaggery layer. If it is hard all over, the heat was too high or it was cooked too long.

Can I make the filling ahead?

Yes. The filling keeps in an airtight jar for about a week. Bring it to room temperature and rub it again before stuffing.

When is Makar Sankranti in 2027?

In India, 15 January 2027 per the panchang; some government lists mark 14 January. In the USA, Canada and the UK the panchang date is Thursday 14 January 2027. Confirm with your local panchang or temple priest.

How do I serve gul poli?

With a spoon of ghee on top, warm or at room temperature. Some families serve it with warm milk.

Sources

• Maharashtra Tourism (Government of Maharashtra), "Makar Sankranti" (lists gul poli among the festival foods): https://maharashtratourism.gov.in/festivals/makar-sankranti/ (accessed 12 November 2026)
• Priyadarshini Chatterjee, "On Makar Sankranti, the one thing that ties festivities across India is seasonal eating", Scroll.in, 14 January 2018 (describes tilachi poli with a jaggery, sesame and poppy-seed filling): https://scroll.in/magazine/864777/scroll_in (accessed 12 November 2026)
• US Food and Drug Administration, "Food Allergies": https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-food-labeling-and-critical-foods/food-allergies (accessed 12 November 2026)
• Food Standards Agency (UK), "Food allergy and intolerance advice for consumers": https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/food-allergy-and-intolerance-advice-for-consumers (accessed 12 November 2026)
• NHS, "Burns and scalds": https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/burns-and-scalds/ (accessed 12 November 2026)

Last reviewed: 12 November 2026.

Related guides

• Makar Sankranti 2027 guide
• Makar Sankranti in Maharashtra
• Tilgul ladoo recipe
• Chikki recipe
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