Chin Chin – West African Fried pastry enjoyed throughout the region especially in Nigeria- Crispy Crunchy and Addictive.
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.
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.
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.
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!!
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.
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
Watch How to Make It
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Chin Chin
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
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:
- For this recipe , I used a standard measuring cup( leveled ). I also used standard measuring spoons.
- 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
Nutrition Information:
Olivia says
Good evening dear. Pls why didn’t you add milk flavour and vanilla flavour?
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Olivia. I have never tried these before. But I am sure they would work well in chin chin. Do let me know how it turns out for you.
Abosede says
You have very good recipes well done Ma
ImmaculateBites says
Thank you 🙂 !
Jori says
I made this the other day, and it was amazing. I did not have the zest, but added different spices, and it came out delicious. 10/10 recommend for even the worst cooks (like myself hah).
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Jori! I love chin chin! I could snack on it all day 🙂 ! I am glad you loved it. Thanks for stopping by.
Flora passion says
Thanks imma been following your recieps. Good. But I have a bigger family and I wanted to make like 2kg flour please go many eggs and butter can I puteciz I feel multiplying would give me like 5 eggs isn’t too much. Please advise.
Imma Adamu says
To do twice the quantity, go ahead and double recipe ingredients, however, you can cut back on the eggs if you feel it is too much. Growing up I will tell you that i have seen some bakers use a dozen eggs in their chin chin, rich, very rich but very tasty too. Its a matter of preference. Hope this helps
Ola says
Thank you so much for this recipe. I tried it first with butter, and the second time with margarine. Both came out great, but I prefer the taste of the one with butter. Also, please how many batches of this recipe will make a foil pan? Thanks!!
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks Ola. It’s about 2- 3 batches .
Sedode says
Merci tata pour cette recette, j’ai essayé avec le lait peak et 500g de farine mais ce n’était pas croustillant pas du tout .
C’est à cause du lait ?
Quel ingrédient je dois diminuer pour que ce soit dur?
S’il vous plaît aidez-moi. J’ai essayé tellement de fois
Imma Adamu says
Je ne peux pas dire directement à partir de cette explication, mais cela pourrait être une combinaison de choses
a) Il se peut que vos mesures ne soient pas correctes car mes ingrédients sont fournis en onces. Notez que 2 oz est d’environ 57 grammes.
b) Il pourrait s’agir des paramètres de votre four.
c) Ce pourrait être la farine que vous avez utilisée. Vous avez besoin de farine de haute qualité pour obtenir ce goût croustillant.
Mais dans tout cela, essayez-le plusieurs fois et ajustez-le au fur et à mesure.
Errol Millwood says
Hi,
THANK YOU so-so much for all of your recipes, been one the main inspirations to my cooking and also inspired me to start my own lil cookery blogging!
Warmest regards,
Errol.
ImmaculateBites says
Hello Errol,
Wishing you all the best with cooking blog.
Victoria says
Hi imma, If i want to make a large batch of chinchin, can I still follow this recipe
ImmaculateBites says
Yes you can. However, you might have to add extra flour to it , if dough is too sticky.
Ifunanya says
Please, I’ve tried chin chin so many times but I’ve never achieved a crunchy outside, but soft inside chin chin. Please what am I not doing right. Please I need your response urgently.
Thank you so much.
Imma says
Hi, are you using the recipe from the blog? If you are, fry on low, decrease the heat. Don’t overcrowd the pan with the chin chin. Please let me ino0w if these tips help you!
Dorcas Adikeh says
please what’s the use of lemon. zest in this recipe? I have some measuring cups but not sure which one suits this measuring. scale here
ImmaculateBites says
Lemon Zest adds flavor to it to chin chin.
Moshood says
Great Job ma’am. I have a question bothering me ever since. After frying my chinchin it’s very light in weight. Please is there a way to increase the weight???
ImmaculateBites says
Are you using this recipe or another recipe ?
tdesm says
Hello
Greetings
I was searching for clue and came across your recipe, all great and exceptional, I’ll like to ask, what makes chin chin to be soft and crunchy? Is it more butter or less? Thank you very much
ImmaculateBites says
Hello,
What makes chin chin soft and crunchy is butter . You have to have the right balance of butter , in your chin mixture . If it’s too soft reduce the butter , too hard add a little more.
Damilola says
Good evening ma, am a new follower to your blog.please what preservation would I use to make the chinchin for at least a year?
imma africanbites says
Hi. I have only stored chin chin in an airtight container for up to a month.
Kari says
I use the freezer, but I don’t know for how long it is possible for the chin chin to be frozen. But atleast 6 months.
Elsie says
Hi Emma,
Thank you for this amazing recipe.
Can the dough be baked instead of trying?
Thanks.
ImmaculateBites says
HI Elsie,
For best results , this dough is best fried not baked.
Munerh says
Can we add baking powder
ImmaculateBites says
Yes you can. About 1/2 teaspoon.
stella okeke says
Pls fr a perfect soft crunchy chin chin of l paint n half paint of flour how many satchet of butter n cups of sugar will be perfect fr it or if l want to do fr 4cups of flour
Immaculate says
Hi name sake, I Luv this recipe. Although am not sweet toothed, I Luv chin chin. If I reduce d sugar quantity will it still come out beautiful? Also can one use whole wheat to make it?
ImmaculateBites says
Hello Name sake!!! Yes to both of your questions. However, Keep in mind that the taste might not be the same, because of the use of whole wheat flour.
Angie says
Hi…am one of your followers on IG..recently I started making chinchin for sell but some of my customers are complaining it’s not crunchy enough so I hope this recipe will work for mi..secondly my oil get foaming after one or two fries don’t wots the cause.thank you
ImmaculateBites says
Hello,
Your chin chin might be too rich. Start by cutting back on the butter, it’s usually the culprit.
Oluwaranti Adebisi says
Thanks for the receipe I really appreciate…. Am your fan on all your cooking skills and ll like to learn one ot two things from you….. Training
ImmaculateBites says
Thank you, Adebisi! I do not offer training for now, but I will be sure to let you know if that becomes available. 🙂