Chin Chin

Worth cooking

There are several reasons to learn how to make Chin Chin whether you grew up eating it or not:

• Rich in flavor! These are worth making again, that it requires a bit of discipline to stop eating them.
• Makes a great snack! Pair chin chin with some tea or a chilled drink for an afternoon snack.
• Makes a great gift! Chin Chin in a mason jar with a bow wrapped around is the perfect edible gift!

What is Chin Chin?

Chin Chin is a popular Central and West African snack eaten in countries like Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon. It is called “Les Croquettes” in French.

The ingredients for Chin Chin are pretty simple: flour, butter, sugar, eggs, milk, baking powder, salt, and some sort of flavor like nutmeg or vanilla.

Every ingredient here works together beautifully to produce perfectly crisp yet easy-to-chew Chin Chin, which is how the snack should be.

All ingredients are combined to form a dough, which is then rolled out, cut into different shapes, and then deep fried. As they cool, they turn crunchy and just satisfying.

For the full list of ingredients with measurements, check out the recipe card below.

What Does Chin Chin Taste Like?

It tastes like cake with the texture of crispy cookies. The taste might slightly vary depending on the flavors added. See flavor variation ideas below!

We add freshly grated nutmeg and some orange zest to make it insanely satisfying! So many of you have made this tasty chin chin with great success.

It is the best chin chin recipe for Christmas season and special occasions. Hope you try our recipe, whether you shape the dough into small squares, dough balls, or strips like we did here.

Please note that we used a macro camera lens, so the chin chin might appear larger than it is.

How it comes together

Here is how to make chin chin in 4 easy steps:

1. Make the dough. Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer to make the dough.
2. Roll out and cut the dough. Cut the dough into strips or squares. Use a knife, pizza cutter, or pasta machine to cut the dough.
3. Deep Fry the strips in hot oil. The oil should not be too hot so it doesn’t brown rapidly.
4. Keep frying until golden brown. Then, remove the chin chin from the oil and place it on paper towels to absorb the excess oil.

Allow Chin Chin to cool down completely before tasting it for crunchiness. When it’s still hot, it won’t be as crunchy.

Other ways

• Cinnamon Chin Chin: Add cinnamon powder to the dough.
• Coconut Chin Chin: Use coconut milk instead of evaporated milk and add coconut extract.
• Savory Chin Chin: Omit the sugar and instead add garlic and onion powder for a savory delight.

How it comes together

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Recipe FAQs

• Yield: 10 servings
• Prep: 25 minutes
• Cook: 30 minutes
• Total: 55 minutes

Ingredients

• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon orange zest, from one orange
• 1 cup evaporated milk, not sweetened
• ½ cup margarine, or softened salted butter, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• Neutral oil for frying, we used canola oil. You could use vegetable oil

Method

1. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, grated nutmeg, and orange zest. Add the evaporated milk, margarine, and eggs, then mix to form a dough, kneading by hand or with the machine.
2. Cut a small portion of the dough about the size of a golf ball then roll out to 1/8 inch thick and cut with a knife or pizza cutter into squares or thin strips. You could also use a pasta maker to cut the dough into strips. Place the cut dough on a baking sheet or tray lined with parchment paper.
3. Pour oil into a heavy bottom pot like a cast iron pot up to 4 inches. Heat the oil on high heat for about 10 minutes then reduce the heat to medium and start frying chin chin in small batches. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan so the chin chin doesn't soak up the oil or cause a lot of foam. Fry each batch until golden brown then remove and place on paper towels to drain the excess oil.
4. When chin chin cools completely, store it for up to a month in an airtight container. Enjoy as a snack with juice, milk, or your favourite drink!