Coconut Chin Chin (With Video)

Make African snacks like never before with the fun, interesting, and delicious Coconut Chin Chin!

The Chin Chin is a traditional African snack that originated in Nigeria. You can make it from dough that’s deep-fried until crispy, crunchy, and golden brown. It’s actually one of my family’s favorite snacks.

Have you tasted Chin Chin before? If you loved it, then you will love it more in coconut flavor. The coconut will infuse it with a subtle sweet flavor with a hint of nutty and tropical taste.

Just like the classic Chin Chin recipe, adding a nutty flavor will make it so much better. Indeed, the Coconut Chin Chin is one of the best ways of putting your fresh coconuts to good use!

How to Make Coconut Chin Chin

Don’t worry; the Coconut Chin Chin recipe is just as simple as the classic version. All you have to do is add in some coconuts to give it a wonderful flavor. In 30 minutes, you can make a fun treat for everyone.

Everyone will surely go “coconuts” over this flavor!

Ingredients

Let’s start with the ingredients for the Coconut Chin Chin!

Coconut

Give the Chin Chin a new flavor with some coconuts!

Make every bite of the snack feel like a taste of summer with nutty, sweet, and tropical coconuts. Inside the coconut is the hydrating water and creamy and yummy coconut meat!

In this recipe, you need to blend the coconut meat to make it easy to mix into the dough. Once deep-fried into the Chin Chin, you will love how fragrant and tasty it is – every bite will remind you of how good coconuts taste.

Do you love the flavor and health benefits of coconuts? Well, here are recipes you can try out:

• Coconut Cake
• Desiccated Coconuts
• Coconut Fried Rice
• Nigerian Coconut Egg Rolls
• Coconut Milk
• Nigerian Coconut Buns
• Coconut Cake
• Coconut Puff Puff

Plain flour

When you want to make Coconut Chin Chin, remember you also need plain flour. It is the main ingredient to make the dough. The flour also binds everything together for full flavors.

You can make crunchy and bite-sized pieces for easy frying using plain flour. I also use it for other puff pastry recipes like African Puff Puff, Nigerian Buns, and Fluffy Donuts!

Cane sugar

Give the Chin Chin a sweet and rich flavor with cane sugar in the dough. Aside from improving flavor, the sugar also gives the dish an appetizing golden brown color as it caramelizes.

In fact, the sugar can give the dish a better texture inside and out. You can also use it for Almond Chocolate Chip Cupcakes, Almond Loaf Cake, and Vanilla Cake!

Salted butter

Get creamy and buttery Coconut Chin Chin with salted butter in the dough. It adds a richer flavor that can make the recipe irresistibly delicious. Since it has salt, the butter can also make the Chin Chin last longer, giving you something to snack on anytime.

Instead of using salted butter, you can also use regular butter. I also love using salted butter for Plantain Bread, Mashed Potatoes, and Air Fryer Bread.

Powdered milk

Can the Coconut Chin Chin get any better? Of course, it can. Use powdered milk to improve your snacks. It gives the dish a milky and mildly sweet taste that will taste amazing with coconuts.

The powdered milk can also give the Chin Chin a golden brown crust for the best color. Did you know that you can also use it for Pizza Margherita and Braided Bread?

Egg

The egg will act as a binder for all the ingredients in this recipe. It’ll make mixing and kneading the dough easier to give you the right Chin Chin texture. There might also be a subtle flavor that you can get from the egg.

It can also be a leavening agent and a flavorful addition to the snack. Eggs can also give the snacks that extra puff. There are also egg substitutes that you can use in this recipe.

Seasoning

To season, simply use sea salt and nutmeg for a more diverse flavor. Coconuts and nutmegs are a match made in heaven, so don’t forget to add nutmeg!

Sunflower oil

Since we’re deep drying, it is best to use sunflower for its high smoke point. It helps retain the flavor of the coconut for the best-tasting Chin Chin yet.

Don’t worry; this recipe is so easy and fun that you can ask your sibling or kids to help you make it! 

Directions

Come and make Coconut Chin Chin with me!

1. Break and peel the coconut until you get the coconut meat.
2. Use a knife to slice the coconut meat into small cubes.
3. Add enough coconut water or water before blending.  
4. With a blender, puree until smooth and set aside.
5. Combine flour, cane sugar, powdered milk, nutmeg, and sea salt in a bowl.
6. Add the salted butter and mash together until crumbly. 
7. Then, add the eggs and the blended coconut in the middle.
8. Knead the ingredients until you form a dough.  
9. Lightly flour a flat surface and place the dough on top.
10. Slice the dough in half and roll it out to about ¼ inch thick.
11. You can use an oven rack as a guide to slice it into small squares.
12. Once done, use a dough scraper to transfer them onto a tray. 
13. Heat sunflower oil in a pan over medium fire.
14. Fry the dough in batches and keep stirring for even doneness.
15. Once golden brown, transfer to a lined tray or plate.
16. Let it cool for a crunchy and delicious Coconut Chin Chin!

With this recipe, you get the nutrients, the crunch, the texture, and the flavors; what more could we possibly ask for, right? Chin chin’s not just a snack; it’s also an enjoyable recipe for the entire family! 

Tips

Coconuts

Buying coconuts

• Go for ones without molds or cracks, especially around the eyes.
• You should hear and feel sloshing sounds from the inside.
• If the sloshing sound is strong, then it means that it contains more coconut water than meat.

Storing coconuts

• Unopened coconuts can last up to four months at room temperature.
• Meanwhile, opened coconuts can be stored in plastic bags in the fridge.
• Shredded coconuts can be refrigerated for up to five days.
• Once shredded, use it within two days. 
• Store coconut water in an airtight bottle and refrigerate for two days.
• Alternatively, freeze it in ice cube trays, and once frozen solid, store it in freezer bags to last up to several weeks.

Preparation

1. Locate the soft eye and use a screwdriver or knife to make a hole.
2. Leave the screwdriver inside and tap it inside the coconut using a hammer until you reach the center. 
3. Turn the coconut over onto a bowl or glass to extract the coconut water.
4. You can even drink it directly from the coconut.
5. To expose the coconut meat, pound it with the hammer while rotating the fruit. 
6. Use a peeler to remove the excess skin on the coconut meat.
7. Rinse it with water and slice as you prefer! 

How to Blend Coconut Without a Blender

If you don’t have a blender, then you can grate the coconut meat and combine it with coconut water in a nut milk bag. You may also use a mortar, pestle, or hand mixer to puree the coconut. 

Chin Chin Dough

• Always start with the dry ingredients.
• You can use your hands to manually work on the dough if you don’t have a mixer or kneading attachment.
• It takes about 10 to 12 minutes to knead the dough. 
• Moreover, do not forget to flour the surface and the dough.
• If the dough is sticky, then knead more flour to absorb the moisture. 
• You can use a dough cutter or a knife to cut the dough.
• The sliced dough can be refrigerated for up to two days in an airtight container, but let it thaw before frying.

Coconut Chin Chin Variations

There are many ways to make the Coconut Chin Chin better suited for your taste and needs.

This recipe is not vegan, gluten-free, or dairy-free, but you can use substitutes that go with your diet. For example, you can use gluten-free flour, butter, or sugar. You may also use non-dairy powdered milk for a creamy quality.

If you don’t prefer the coconut flavor, then you can cook Chin Chin in different flavors such as chocolate, coffee, cinnamon, peanut butter, or spicy. Just add dry ingredients for seasoning. 

To try flavored ones, you can make Beetroot Chin Chin or Milo Chin Chin, too!

Alternative Ways to Cook Chin Chin

Aside from deep-frying, you can also use an oven or an air fryer. 

Oven

1. Arrange the sliced Chin Chin dough on a lined oven rack.
2. Then, place them in the preheated oven.
3. Let it bake for up to 15 minutes or until brown.
4. Once golden brown on the other side, flip them over for even baking.

Air Fryer

1. Distribute a single layer of the sliced dough in the air fryer basket.
2. Then, let this cook for 15 minutes.
3. Shake the air fryer basket every 5 minutes for even browning. 

Recommended Tools

• Frying pan: Use a deep frying pan to cook the Coconut Chin Chin.
• Glass bowl: Combine and knead the ingredients in a bowl.
• Spatula: Mix the condiments using a spatula. 
• Dough cutter: Slice the dough using a pizza cutter.
• Knife: This can also be used to cut the dough.
• Glass: Transfer the coconut water into a glass.
• Peeler: Remove as much skin as you can from the coconut meat. 
• Skimmer spoon: Take out the Chin Chin from heat using a skimmer to drain oil.

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How to Serve Coconut Chin Chin

Is everyone excited to try the Coconut Chin Chin?

Chin chin is usually eaten as a snack but can also work as an appetizer in lunches or picnics. If you run out of cereal, then mix it with almond milk for a crunchy and creamy combination. 

You can even sell these as a business! Simply put them in bowls, plastic bags, or plastic cups for easy eating. You can also enjoy Coconut Chin Chin with:

• Banana Strawberry Milkshake Popsicle
• Pancakes
• Plantain Porridge
• Granola

Storage Tips

• At room temperature: Store the Coconut Chin Chin in a plastic bag or container to last up to several weeks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Chin Chin a healthy snack? 

Yes, chin chin is healthy because it doesn’t contain preservatives and additives that are usually found in snacks or junk food. 

With the combined nutrients of coconuts, milk, nutmeg, and other ingredients, you can ensure that you won’t feel guilty for snacking on this! 

What is Chin Chin known for?

Coconut Chin Chin is a West African snack made from homemade dough. Adding a coconut flavor enriches the overall quality of this dish.

What is another name for chin chin?

Chin Chin is also called atchomon, achomo, or croquette, depending on the country you’re in. Each country may also cook it differently but most of them are still made of dough and deep fried.

How long can chin chin last?

You can keep Chin Chin at room temperature, in the fridge, or even in the freezer. Since they are deep-fried dough, you can treat them as chips or snacks that you can easily store.