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Nigerian chin chin are the crunchy West African snacks you need to make ASAP! Just simple pantry ingredients, no baking needed!
Need a quick, no-bake treat that’s easy to fry and even easier to snack on?
Satisfy your munchies with one of Nigeria’s favorite snacks: chin chin.
This chin chin recipe makes golden, crunchy bites that are hard to stop eating. Just the right sweetness in every crunchy piece, which means you can also give them your own twist with various add-ins or toppings.
You’ll only need pantry staples like flour, sugar, butter, baking powder, nutmeg, milk, and eggs, and since this Nigerian dish is fried, your oven is free for other recipes!
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Curious about other African snacks you can make at home?
Make sure to try puff puff and Nigerian buns next!
Why You’ll Love This Nigerian Chin Chin Recipe
- It’s super easy to learn how to make chin chin with basic ingredients you likely already have at home. Fry until golden, and you’re done, no oven guesswork needed!
- This recipe for Nigerian chin chin is adaptable! Add aromatics, toss the West African snacks in fun coatings, or cut them into creative shapes.
- Crispy, sweet, and honestly hard to stop eating in one sitting, Nigerian chin chin works as an afternoon snack, a simple dessert, or a fun homemade gift in jars.
Ingredients
All-purpose flour – Yep, anyone can make this chin chin recipe because it only needs basic ingredients like flour!
Granulated sugar – Adds just enough sweetness to the African snacks.
Salted butter – We’ve only made this Nigerian chin chin recipe with butter, so using margarine or other fats might alter the chin chin’s texture and flavor.
Baking powder – Is baking powder necessary for chin chin? I’ve seen some recipes skip baking powder for crunchier, harder chin chin.
Can I use yeast for chin chin? To keep this Nigerian chin chin recipe authentic, stick to baking powder as your leavening agent!
Ground nutmeg – You can use other warm spices. We like the nutty undertone nutmeg adds to chin chin.
Evaporated milk – Adds richness and helps create a well-balanced texture.
Egg – Totally optional, but it keeps deep-fried snacks from getting too hard.
Sunflower oil – Feel free to use your preferred vegetable oil for frying these Nigerian snacks!
Ingredient Additions & Substitutions For Nigerian Chin Chin
Spices
Can I make chin chin without nutmeg?
Absolutely!
You can use cinnamon to introduce spicy notes to your snacks or try the recipe with spice blends like apple pie spice for more depth.
Aromatics
These African snacks taste even better with aromatics like vanilla extract or orange zest.
Coatings
Turn chin chin into a sweeter treat by coating them in caramel or a mix of powdered milk and icing sugar!
Tips For Making This Recipe
Avoid Oily Chin Chin
Make sure your oil is hot enough before frying. You can test it with a piece of chin chin; the oil is ready when the chin chin rises right away. Additionally, fry in batches to keep the oil hot.
Check Your Dough
If the dough feels too wet, add a little more flour. It should be easy to handle, not sticky!
Get Golden Brown Chin Chin
Turn the chin chin from time to time while frying to ensure they brown evenly on all sides. They should be ready in about 3 minutes.
Chin Chin Recipe FAQs
What is chin chin from Nigeria?
Chin chin are lightly sweet, bite-sized Nigerian treats made from flour, sugar, butter, milk, spices, baking powder, and eggs. The dough is cut into small pieces and fried until golden and crunchy. They’re like a cross between a cookie and a cracker!
What makes chin chin hard and crunchy in Nigeria?
Why is my chin chin hard? These West African flour snacks will become too hard if fried at a very high heat! Omitting ingredients like eggs can also make chin chin hard.
How long can chin chin last without preservative?
You can cool, then store your homemade chin chin in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for 2 to 3 months.
Can I use baking soda for chin chin?
We have only tested this chin chin recipe with baking powder to ensure the snacks fry up nice and crunchy. We can’t say how the texture will turn out with baking soda.
How do I stop the oil from foaming when frying chin chin?
To prevent oil from foaming when frying chin chin, avoid dusting the dough pieces with too much flour, and don’t overcrowd the pan!
More Delicious Nigerian Recipes
I found this recipe for Nigerian Butter Biscuits that I HAVE to try!
Yay! You have made it this far, and I am so glad! Hey – If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a quick review & star rating ★ below.
Nigerian Chin Chin
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp salted butter
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 cup evaporated milk
- 1 large egg
- Sunflower oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, nutmeg, and baking powder.
- Add the butter to the dry ingredients. Rub it in with your fingers until the mixture looks like fine, slightly oily crumbs.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and evaporated milk until well combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until a dough forms.
- Knead the dough lightly with your hands until smooth. Wrap it in cling film and let it rest in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. If the dough feels too sticky, add a little flour. If it feels too stiff, add a small splash of milk or water.
- Roll out the dough to about 1.5 to 2 cm thick. Then, cut it into long strips.
- Cut the strips into small squares. Lightly dust them with flour and keep them on a tray or in a bowl to prevent sticking. Avoid using too much flour, as it can cause the oil to foam during frying!
- Heat oil to 350°F and deep-fry the pieces in batches for 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Transfer to a tray lined with paper towels to drain excess oil. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure your oil is hot enough before frying. You can test it with a piece of chin chin; the oil is ready when the chin chin rises right away. Additionally, fry in batches to keep the oil hot.
- If the dough feels too wet, add a little more flour. It should be easy to handle, not sticky!
- Turn the chin chin from time to time while frying to ensure they brown evenly on all sides. They should be ready in about 3 minutes.
Nutrition
PIN FOR LATER!
In your post you keep saying evaporated milk, but in the recipe it says condensed milk, so which one is it? because they are both completely different
Hi Lynda, thanks for catching that. I just updated the recipe to make it clear that either can be used.