Chin Chin Recipe
The sweet and savory snack we call chin chin delivers a delightful West African treat that’s crispy and utterly addictive. These small, fried dough pieces have a unique crunch and a hint of nutmeg, making them perfect for any occasion.
Whether enjoyed as a snack on their own, served at parties, or shared with friends and family during celebrations, this beloved treat brings joy. If any of your friends are from West Africa, it’s sure to make them a little nostalgic.
With basic pantry staples like flour, sugar, butter, and eggs, this easy-to-make recipe allows you to create a batch of these delicious bites right in your own kitchen. Perfect for munching on movie nights or a fun addition to dessert platters, chin chin is sure to become a favorite in your home!
What Is Chin Chin?
Throughout West Africa and Nigeria, it’s small, crispy pieces of fried dough, typically sweetened and flavored with nutmeg, and is prepared for special occasions. While I was growing up, it was customary in most homes in Cameroon to make this delicious snack during Christmas. Each home has its own variation. Some are soft to the point of falling apart, while others are so hard you feel like your teeth are going to break.
Some people shape them like small balls; others knead and cut them into small squares. The overall experience of slowly feasting on chin chin is indescribable. I never tire of trying all the different variations.
Even at this ripe old age, I still love it. The only issue is, “Once I pop, I cannot stop.” On one occasion, I had to hide it in the trunk of my car. It may have been a little extreme, but I wasn’t prepared to share!
How to Make Chin Chin
- Mix the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, nutmeg, and lime zest. (Photo 1)
- Add the butter to the flour mixture and mix until well incorporated. (Photo 2)
- Whisk in the milk and egg, and keep mixing until it forms a sticky dough ball. (Photo 3)
- Knead on a floured surface as needed until the dough is smooth, elastic, even in color, and no longer sticky. You can create many shapes and sizes. (Photo 4)
- Divide the dough in half. On a floured board, roll each half out until it’s about ⅙ inch thick. A pasta machine works great if you have one. Then, cut the dough into any shape you desire. I folded some of them into cute shapes and left others square. (Photos 5-8)
- Fry in around 3 inches of 375℉ (190℃) oil until golden. (Photos 9-11)
- Remove them from the oil, drain, and serve. (Photo 12)
Recipe Tips and Notes
- The coconut version is just as addictive. Grind ¼ to ½ coconut flakes until fine and powdery, then add them to the dry ingredients, and then add a little more milk or water for a better texture. Coconut flour is thirsty, so you’ll need to go by feel.
- Curly chin chin in Cameroon is extra special for Christmas. Cut the dough into narrow strips instead of squares. It will curl when you fry it.
- If you like yours softer, add an extra tablespoon of butter. Just don’t go overboard, or your finished product will crumble.
- A pasta machine helps roll out the dough for shaping. Check out how to use it in my Ghana chin chin recipe.
- Keep an eye on your oil temperature as you fry to make sure it doesn’t get too hot and burn.
- Also, avoid overcrowding the frying pan, which lowers the oil temperature quickly, resulting in a greasy snack.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
You can store this snack in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month, so feel free to make it in advance.
What Goes With Chin Chin
You can serve it on its own or with dips (chocolate sauce and caramel sauce are particularly tasty). Or serve it with other savory snacks, like plantain chips.
You could also include these bites as part of a larger snack platter with other treats like puff-puff, meat pies, or sambusas for variety.
More Celebration-Worthy African Foods to Try
By Imma
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”leWUmIP9″ upload-date=”Mon Aug 06 2018 20:14:42 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)” name=”Chin Chin” description=”Chin Chin – West African Fried pastry enjoyed throughout the region especially in Nigeria- Crispy Crunchy and Addictive.”]
This blog post was originally published in November 2012 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
Nigerian Chin Chin
Ingredients
- 3½ cups (420g) all-purpose flour (see notes for coconut chin chin)
- ¾ cup (150g) sugar
- ½ teaspoon (2-3g) salt
- ¼ teaspoon (1-2g) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (2-3g) grated nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon (1-2g) lime zest, grated
- ¼ cup (4 tablespoons or 60g) butter (or margarine)
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup (175-180ml) milk
- oil for frying
Instructions
- Using a mixer (or by hand), mix the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, nutmeg, and lime zest.
- Mix the butter into the flour mixture until well incorporated.
- Add the milk and egg to the mixture. Keep mixing until you form a sticky dough ball.
- Dump the dough ball onto a floured surface and knead, incorporating more flour into the dough as needed, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and even in color and no longer sticky. You can create many shapes and sizes for chin chin.
- Divide the dough in half. On a floured board, roll each half out until it's about ⅙ inch thick, just like linguine or fettuccine. A pasta machine works great if you have one. Then, cut the dough into any shape you desire.
- Heat a deep cast-iron skillet, saucepan, or (my all-time favorite) a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add around 3 inches of oil and heat it to 375℉ (190℃). Fry chin chin in the hot oil until golden.
- Remove them from the oil, drain, and serve.
Tips & Notes:
- For coconut chin chin, finely grind ¼-½ of coconut flakes. It should be powdery like flour, then add it to the dry ingredients. Coconut flour is quite thirsty, so add a little extra milk or water for a better texture.
- If you like softer chin chin, add 1-2 tablespoons more butter. But please be careful not to use too much, or the dough may become soft and crumbly.
- A pasta machine helps roll out and shape the dough.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe
Hi, pls is it self rising flour or plain flour to be used? And how can I increase the quantity for my son’s birthday.
Thanks
Adeola , I used plain flour. Just double or triple recipe.Let me know how it works out for you.
Thanks a lot. Will do so and give you and others details!!!!
How much butter should I add? 1/8th of a cup more???
Liz, start with a 1/8 the cup. Too much butter will make the chin chin full apart when frying . If you do not like the texture increase with 1 to 2 more spoons .
What is the name of the mixer (food processor) u are using.I need one like that.
KitchenAid Professional 600 Series 6-Quart Stand Mixer
Today marks my 18th wedding anniversary and my hubby LOVES chinchin. His friend who loves it also is coming over too!!! Your recipe never fails. Some of my friends want a softer version. Any thoughts???
Cheers
Liz ,add a little bit more butter – it will do the trick!
Tomorrow 2/8/14 will be the 5th anniversary that my mother passed away. She used to make these for me and my siblings when I was little…..I’m going to make these to connect with her and my own daughter. Than-you for the recipe!
Lauren , What a great way to celebrate your mom. It is my pleasure that this chin-chin recipe is of great help. The only food memory of my mom is , goat soup she made the best.Thanks for taking the time to share this .God bless
Good!
This was so good,thanks for the receipe!
Glad you liked it bola.
Thanks so much Immaculate, am going to try your recipe. The cup u said is a standard measuring cup or milk tin cup, heaped or leveled. Also what’s d equivalence of the normal ten-cup measuring congo in Kg? Thanks.
Awwww thank u so much immaculate.what would my new year snack taste like without ur recipe.i tried many b4 but urs came out as the best.i was so proud to invite my friends over.trust me we had a wonderful chinchin day.Thank u
Awesome! Glad you liked them and Super glad you shared it with your friends. Thanks for taking the time to comment-It means a lot to me! Happy New Year girl!
Pls can i have Ɣ☺Ūя̲̅ measurement in Kg ?instead of cup.or let me know size of the cup Ʊ mean.thanks.
I get plenty of compliments from your recipe. Had a multicultural day at my kids’ school and they loved it. Have you tried it using cinnamon instead of nutmeg ? Wondering if it would taste like a fried cinnamon bun. Have used vanilla, prefer the nutmeg, Have you used it? I am also thinking of a spicy kicked up version, but alas it would not be the same, but if it tastes great, who cares!!!
Merry Christmas!!
Liz, actually ,I have tried it with cinnamon and my son loves it – granted he is a cinnamon boy. Any thing with cinnamon he is in. I on the other hand, am a nutmeg girl , I would associate that with my childhood……Like you said, who cares about what spice goes into chin-chin if it tastes great. Spice it up girl!!!!
Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas . Thanks for the feedback so greatly appreciated.
Its wonderful.but cant get the measurement very clear
Just tried the recipe, it’s brilliant. I’m even thinking of adding cocoa and other variations such as coconut. Just out of curiousity what does ‘AP’ in ‘AP flour’ stand for. Many thanks again.
African baker , I am working on those variations already. AP stands for all purpose flour- standard flour that is a staple in most kitchens. Thanks!
Tanx for d recipe. It turned out really good.can I get d measurement in kg pls.
Jecinta, you would have to double or triple the recipes to get in kilo grams
I have been looking for a good chin chin recipe for years. I even have a recipe by a Nigerian lady and her recipe is full of measurement errors. Yours is great.
Thank you
Thanks liz, am so glad my chin- chin taste great.
pls can one use liquid milk for chin chin eg. peak milk
You sure can, chin chin is made with liquid milk.Peak milk will do just fine. Let me know how it works for you. Thanks for stopping by!
hello Immaculate, is there a way we can package and market this yummy chin-chin or do you already package them?, if so I need some samples.
Kind regards,
Thomas.
How did Chin Chin get its name?
Tried it, came out super good. Thanks, you are the best
Thanks kelsey.
Tried out this recipe, and it was the bomb. Thanks Imma 🙂
I am glad you liked it!!!!