Chin chin
Contains egg (no meat or fish)
Small, crunchy cubes of lightly sweet, nutmeg-scented dough fried until golden. A favourite Nigerian party and Christmas snack that keeps for weeks.
Chin chin is a Nigerian sweet, ready in about 1 hour 15 minutes and made with all-purpose flour and nutmeg. It serves 12 and is rated easy to cook.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Rest
- 15 min
- Total
- 1 h 15 min
- Serves
- 12
- Level
- Easy
- Calories
- 308
Method
Step 1
Mix the flour, sugar (opens in a new tab), baking powder (opens in a new tab), nutmeg (opens in a new tab) and salt. Rub in the butter (opens in a new tab) until it looks like breadcrumbs.
- 6 min
Step 2
Beat the egg (opens in a new tab) with the milk (opens in a new tab), add to the flour and knead briefly to a firm, smooth dough. Rest, covered, for 15 minutes.
- 5 min
How it looks · Photo: Klaus Nielsen on Pexels Step 3
Roll out to about 5 mm thick and cut into small 1 cm cubes or strips.
How it looks · Photo: Katerina Holmes on Pexels Step 4
Heat the oil to 170 °C and fry in batches, stirring, until evenly golden. They crisp up further as they cool.
- 30 min
- 170°C
- medium heat
- Wok (opens in a new tab)
- Food thermometer (opens in a new tab)
Food safety: Fry in small batches so the oil doesn't bubble over, and never leave it unattended.
Step 5
Drain on kitchen paper and cool completely before storing.
About this dish
- Origin
- Nigeria · Commonly attributedMost associated with Nigeria; also made in Ghana and Cameroon.Also popular in Ghana, CameroonMore food from Nigeria
- Dish
- Snack · Sweets & confectionery · Finger food
- Cooking method
- Deep-fried
- Taste
- sweet, buttery, aromatic / warmly spiced
- Diet
- Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No nut ingredientsWith the listed swaps: Ovo-vegetarian, Dairy-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
All labels
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free - Good for
- Festive & celebration · Make-ahead · Portable / lunchbox · Child-friendly
- Cook more with
- All-purpose flour · Nutmeg · Sugar · Baking powder · Butter · Egg
- Techniques
- Deep-frying · Kneading
Allergens
- Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom butter, milk
- Contains: Eggsfrom egg
- Contains: Wheatfrom all-purpose flour, baking powder
- Contains: Glutenfrom all-purpose flour, baking powder
Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.
Nutrition
308 kcal per serving
Calculated1 serving ≈ 79 g · recipe makes 12
Where the energy comes from
- Protein 7%
- Carbohydrate 53%
- Fat 40%
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 g* |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 308 kcal | 389 kcal |
| Protein | 5.2 g | 6.6 g |
| Carbohydrate | 40.8 g | 51.5 g |
| Net carbohydrate | 39.7 g | 50.1 g |
| Sugars | 9 g | 11.3 g |
| Added sugars | 8.3 g | 10.5 g |
| Fibre | 1.1 g | 1.4 g |
| Fat | 13.8 g | 17.4 g |
| Saturated fat | 5.1 g | 6.5 g |
| Trans fat | — | — |
| Cholesterol | 34 mg | 43 mg |
| Sodium | 153 mg | 193 mg |
| Salt equivalent | 0.4 g | 0.5 g |
Vitamins & minerals per serving
- Potassium
- 67 mg
- Calcium
- 44 mg
- Iron
- 2.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 11 mg
- Vitamin A (RAE)
- 68 µg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 µg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 µg
- Folate (DFE)
- 124 µg
How these numbers were made
- Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
- *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
- “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
- Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.
Good to know
Tips
- Cut the pieces evenly so they fry at the same rate.
Common mistakes
- Over-browning — take them out when light golden, as they keep darkening off the heat.
Serve with
- Serve in bowls at parties or pack into jars as gifts.
Storage
- Keeps in an airtight container for 2–3 weeks.
Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated
Recipe DNA
How this dish is built
Baker’s notes
Customise in Bread & BakeryTimeline and readiness cues
Mix and knead · about 30 min
Mix only until no dry flour remains — overmixing makes it tough and tunnelled.
Rest · about 15 min
Covered so it doesn't dry out; relaxed dough rolls and shapes without springing back.
Bake · about 30 min
Risen and golden; a skewer in the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs; the top springs back.
Cool · about 30 min
Cool on a rack before slicing — the crumb is still setting; cutting hot bread makes it gummy.
- Start to finish: about 1 h 45 min. Times are a guide — warmth changes everything; follow the cues.
If something goes wrong
Pale crust
Likely causes
- Oven too cool
- Too little sugar or no milk/egg for browning
- Over-fermented (yeast ate the sugars)
What to do
- Check the oven with a thermometer
- Brush with egg wash or milk
- Shorten the fermentation
Burnt bottom
Likely causes
- Tray too close to the heat
- Dark tray absorbs more heat
- Too much sugar in the dough
What to do
- Bake on the middle shelf
- Double up trays or use a light-coloured one
- Lower the temperature 10–15 °C and bake a little longer
Cracked or domed top
Likely causes
- Oven too hot (crust sets before the centre rises)
- Too much leavening
- Overmixed batter
What to do
- Lower the oven 10–15 °C
- Use the exact leavening amount
- Fold just until combined
Dry or crumbly
Likely causes
- Too much flour (scooped, not weighed)
- Over-baked
- Too little fat or sugar
What to do
- Weigh flour, or spoon it into the cup and level
- Check 5 minutes early
- Don't cut fat or sugar by more than a quarter without another moisture source
Reviews & corrections
Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.
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