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Chin Chin

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Author: Imma
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Chin Chin – West African Fried pastry enjoyed throughout the region especially in Nigeria- Crispy Crunchy and Addictive.

Chin Chin

Chin chin is my all time favorite snack -it  tastes so good , yet so bad for you .It is a scrumptious fried pastry made in various ways. Throughout West Africa and Nigeria Chin Chin originally was prepared for special occasions. It has evolved from a special occasion food to being a snack food, sold on street corners, kiosk and supermarkets.

CHin Chin

Growing up, it was customary  at most homes in Cameroon,  to make this delicious snack during the Christmas season. Each home has its own variation: some soft to the point of falling apart, others so hard that after a couple of bites you feel like your teeth would break.

Chin Chin

Some shaped like small balls; others   kneaded and cut into small  1 inch squares. The overall experience  of  slowly feasting on chin-chin is immeasurable…..I never got  tired of trying all the different variations of Chin-Chin.

Chin Chin

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. Well, that was a little extreme, but I had to. It is so addictive!!

 

chin chin

The ingredients for this recipe are: butter, sugar, eggs and flour and some sort of seasoning. Although the thought of making chin- chin dough can be a little intimidating, this recipe is surprisingly simple and straightforward.

chin chin

You can shape this however you like. They take no longer to make than any other cookie, and the most time consuming part is probably the frying.

Enjoy!!!

NOTES

  • If you like your chin soft then add more butter – 1 or 2 Tablespoons more . Be careful not to use too much butter . If not your chin chin is going to crumble.
  • A pasta machine helps in rolling out the dough and shaping it. check it out here 

 

Check out this post here Popular African Food to Celebrate Christmas

Popular African Food to CelPopular Popular African Food to Celebrate Christmas.3 copy

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.”]

CHin Chin
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Chin Chin

Chin Chin – West African Fried pastry enjoyed throughout the region especially in Nigeria- Crispy Crunchy and Addictive.
4.82 from 50 votes
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 1 hour
African
Servings 6 people

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 cups 440 grams all-Purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1- teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon grated lime zest
  • 1/4 cup or 4 tablespoons margarine/butter
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • oil for frying
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Using a mixer or by hand mix the dry ingredients; flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, nutmeg and lime zest
  • Add the butter to the flour and mix well until the butter is well incorporated with the flour.
  • Add milk and egg into the mixture. Keep mixing until you have formed 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. Chin-chin can be cut into many shapes and sizes
  • Divide dough in half .On a floured board roll each half about 1/6 inches thick. Just like linguine or fettuccine. You can make it easy by using a pasta machine if you have one available. Make shapes as desired.
  • Add oil (about 3 inches deep) to a heated skillet/sauce pan or my all time favorite Dutch oven that is over medium heat and bring it to 375 degrees .
  • Fry in hot oil until golden .Remove from oil, drain, and serve. You can store this in an air tight container for up to a month.

Tips & Notes:

  1. For this recipe , I used a standard measuring cup( leveled ). I also used standard measuring spoons.
  2. If you like your chin soft then add more butter – 1 or 2 Tablespoons more . Be careful not to use too much butter . If not your chin chin is going to crumble.
  3. A pasta machine helps in rolling out the dough and shaping it. check it out here 

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 355kcal (18%)| Carbohydrates: 62g (21%)| Protein: 8g (16%)| Fat: 10g (15%)| Saturated Fat: 5g (31%)| Cholesterol: 48mg (16%)| Sodium: 284mg (12%)| Potassium: 74mg (2%)| Fiber: 6g (25%)| Sugar: 20g (22%)| Vitamin A: 340IU (7%)| Calcium: 91mg (9%)| Iron: 2.3mg (13%)
Author: Imma
Course: Snacks
Cuisine: African
Tag Us On Instagram!Did you make this recipe? I love hearing how it turned out! Tag me on Instagram @ImmaculateBites and be sure to leave a rating below!
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Nutrition Facts
Chin Chin
Amount Per Serving
Calories 355 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 48mg16%
Sodium 284mg12%
Potassium 74mg2%
Carbohydrates 62g21%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 20g22%
Protein 8g16%
Vitamin A 340IU7%
Calcium 91mg9%
Iron 2.3mg13%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

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Chin Chin

 

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Comments & Reviews

  1. Esther says

    5 stars
    Hi Imma , I’m just about to use this recipe but do I need to use oil? Can I bake mychin-chin in an Oven ?

    Reply

  2. Rachel says

    Thumbs up!!! I will be preparing this for my daughter’s first birthday next month….but you didn’t add baking powder, any reasons pls? thanks

    Reply

    • ImmaculateBites says

      Hi Rachel! You really don’t need to in this recipe. Some recipes do call for it , it all depends on the ingredients and what texture you are trying to achieve. Wishing you all the best !!!

      Reply

    • imma africanbites says

      Hi, Geraldine. If you prefer the harder chin-chin, then do not add the baking powder and egg. And try to add more flour to the dough get a firmer consistency. Please let me know how it turns out for you. Enjoy!

      Reply

    • ImmaculateBites says

      If you seal tightly it would last for a couple of weeks. It usually don’t last more than a week in my household.

      Reply

  8. Project topics says

    5 stars
    Best African dough crunches (Chin Chin). But I’m allergic to gluten. Thanks for sharing this.

    Reply

  9. Helen Babalola says

    When ever am looking for a recipe, I always run here cause I know I will get what I really wanted. Thumbs up Immaculate. Making it for a customer I know she will love it. Thanks a lot.

    Reply

    • ImmaculateBites says

      Am so happy to hear this! Good to know the recipes are working out for you.

      Merry Christmas to You!

      Reply

      • Vera says

        Pls madam. I have tried almost all methods online to get a hard texture for my chinchin for sale. But it’s not working.and that’s how the society wants it..very hard. Pls can you help me with that recipe

      • ImmaculateBites says

        Hi Vera. I understand what you mean. The ingredients that determine the softness of your chinchin are butter, baking powder, and eggs. Reduce these quantities until you get your preferred texture. Also adding a little more flour when rolling will yield you harder chinchin. Do let me know how it works out for you.

  12. Betty says

    I giv u thumbs up. Immaculate bites recipes ar d bomb. Just wntd tryin out somtin nice for my picky eater daughter. Stormd across ur recipe. Followd it wt halved measurmnt. My daughtr culdnt resist it. She ate nd was filled. Husby too kpt commentin dt d taste is soo great. Finally,i can say i got chinchin right. Cant wait for sch to resum,wil make in batches as her snack. Though,wil try to reduce d sugar abit cos twas a littl on d high side for me,bt d little one sees it just ok for her. Kp d good works up…bin a keen follower of ur recipes,bt ds is d first i wil try out nd glad i wasnt dissapointd.

    Reply

    • ImmaculateBites says

      Awesome! Glad to hear it was a hit in your household. Thanks for taking the time to share this with me.

      Reply

    • Kukumi says

      Hi good evening I don’t know what I did wrong my oil kept on bubbling till it spilled all over my burner. My chin chin also ended up cracking after frying. What could I have done wrong. I had to flee from the front of the cooker because it was bubbling and pouring.

      Reply

      • ImmaculateBites says

        Hello Kukumi,
        There are two things that might be the issue .
        1. The chin chin is probably too rich – need to cut back on the butter .
        2. Also Fry a little at a time do not overcrowd the frying pan.

        Hope this helps

  13. Morenike sadiq says

    4 stars
    I would love to knw if this recipe can be used for commercial purpose,would I have to add or subtract some items to make it long lasting and crunchy …..pls recommend the best flavour that can make it extra delicious thank u

    Reply

    • ImmaculateBites says

      Sorry I just make it for the home cooks. I suggest testing it out with different flavors and see how it goes .

      Reply

  14. floxy says

    Thanks ma for spending your time to encourage we the leaners on your recipes. Pls ma; how can I make my chichin sweet and still make profit out of it.

    Reply