Crushed Peanut Chikki is a classic Indian sweet made with just peanuts and jaggery, yet it delivers big flavor and a sense of nostalgia in every bite. This traditional Chikki is crunchy, nutty, perfectly sweetened, and lightly spiced with ground cardamom.
This homemade Crushed Peanut Chikki is especially popular during winter and festivals like Makar Sankranti, but it's truly perfect year-round. With just a few pantry ingredients, this Chikki is a healthier alternative to store-bought candy or brittle.
Jump to:
Crunchy and Delicious Crushed Peanut Chikki
This Crushed Peanut Chikki recipe uses roasted, skinned, and coarsely ground peanuts instead of whole peanuts. Crushed peanuts give a slightly crumbly yet crisp texture that's easier to bite into.
I love making Chikki during winter because it is healthy and nutritious, providing warmth and energy when consumed in moderation. Chikki is also made with black or white sesame seeds, roasted chana dal, nuts, or Murmura.
I like the Peanut Chikki with both whole and crushed peanuts. However, this Crushed Peanut Chikki feels lighter and more evenly coated with jaggery, without being too hard on the teeth.
The most crucial step in making peanut chikki is cooking the jaggery syrup to the correct hard-ball stage. Once you get that right, the rest of the recipe comes together very quickly. Keep everything prepared in advance, because once the syrup is ready, you need to work fast.
With just a few pantry staples and some careful timing, you can make perfectly crisp, non-sticky chikki at home that breaks cleanly and tastes fresh.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- This Crushed Peanut Chikki is made with just a few simple ingredients.
- It is perfectly sweetened with jaggery.
- The Chikki is crisp, crunchy, and full of roasted peanut flavor.
- It is a perfect homemade Indian sweet for festivals and winter.
- You can easily scale the recipe up or down.
- This Crushed Peanut Chikki stays fresh for weeks when stored properly.
Ingredients and Notes
- Peanuts: Use raw peanuts with skin on. Roasting them yourself gives the best flavor and crunch to the Crushed Peanut Chikki. Make sure they are roasted evenly and thoroughly crisp before grinding. Additionally, properly roasting the peanuts will make the skin easier to peel.
- Jaggery: Use good-quality soft or semi-hard jaggery. Chopping or grating the jaggery helps it melt evenly. Avoid jaggery with impurities.
- Water: A small amount of water is sufficient to help the jaggery melt evenly and prevent scorching at the start.
- Ghee: Ghee adds flavor and prevents the jaggery syrup from sticking to the pan. It also helps with rolling the Chikki smoothly and makes it shiny.
- Ground Cardamom: Adds a mild aroma and balances the earthy sweetness of jaggery. However, you can skip it if you prefer a pure peanut flavor.
How To Make Crushed Peanut Chikki
Roasting the Peanuts
- Heat a thick-bottomed pan and add the peanuts.
- Roast the peanuts over medium-low heat, stirring continuously to ensure uniform roasting.
- Roast the peanuts until they are crunchy and show some brown spots.
- You can also taste a couple of peanuts to make sure they are crunchy and well-roasted.
- Once roasted, turn off the heat and transfer the peanuts to a bowl or plate.
- Allow them to cool down slightly.
- Once the peanuts are cool enough to handle, rub and crush them between your palms to remove the skin.
- It will come off easily.
- After removing all the skin, grind the peanuts in a food processor or grinder to a coarse powder.
- Set it aside.
Preparations
- Grease two pieces of parchment paper with oil or ghee.
- Set them aside.
- Also, keep the rolling pin ready.
- Keep a bowl of cold water nearby while making jaggery syrup.
Making the Jaggery Syrup
- Add grated or chopped jaggery, ghee, and two tablespoons of water into the heavy-bottomed pan.
- Heat over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the jaggery has melted.
- Continue cooking the jaggery mixture, stirring continuously.
- Soon, the jaggery syrup will begin to thicken and bubble.
- The syrup will also change color, becoming darker.
- At this point, do not leave it unattended; check its consistency by adding a few drops to a bowl of cold water.
- The syrup should reach the hard-ball stage.
- When you add a couple of drops to a bowl of cold water, they should sink and solidify immediately.
- Also, it should be crispy, firm, and snap easily.
Making the Crushed Peanut Chikki
- Once the jaggery syrup reaches a hard-ball stage, quickly add crushed peanuts and ground cardamom.
- Mix in the syrup until well combined; however, do so promptly.
- Turn off the heat and transfer the mixture onto a piece of greased parchment paper.
- Place another piece of parchment paper on top, and roll the mixture into an even layer with the rolling pin.
- Remove the parchment paper and mark the lines into equal squares with a knife.
- So, it will be easier to cut them into pieces once the Chikki is set.
- Allow the Crushed Peanut Chikki to cool completely, then break into pieces.
Storing Suggestions
Store the Crushed Peanut Chikki in an airtight container at room temperature. It stays fresh for up to a month if kept in a cool and dry place.
Avoid refrigeration, as humidity can make it sticky and cause it to lose its crunch.
Helpful Tips For Crushed Peanut Chikki
Grinding the Peanuts: Do not over-process the peanuts. Coarsely ground peanuts with some texture work best. So, do not grind the peanuts into a powder.
Jaggery Syrup: Reaching the correct consistency is the most crucial step in making perfectly crunchy Crushed Peanut Chikki. The syrup must reach the hard-ball stage, which gives the Chikki its signature crisp texture. If the syrup is undercooked, the chikki will turn out soft and sticky. If it is overcooked, the chikki will become very hard and difficult to bite into.
Check the Consistency: To check the syrup consistency, keep a small bowl of cold water nearby and drop a few drops of the syrup into it. The syrup should sink immediately, solidify, and snap easily when pressed between fingers. Alternatively, you can use a candy thermometer; the syrup temperature should be between 250°F and 265°F.
Work Quickly: Once peanuts are added to the jaggery syrup, everything sets very fast. Keep parchment paper and the rolling pin ready before you start.
Rolling the Chikki: Once the peanut and jaggery mixture is ready, transfer it immediately onto a greased piece of parchment paper and roll it out while the mixture is still hot. Working quickly is essential, as the chikki sets almost immediately. Roll it into an even layer of the desired thickness.
FAQ
Chikki usually turns soft and sticky when the jaggery syrup is undercooked. The syrup must reach the hard-ball stage; otherwise, it will not set properly. Humidity can also affect the chikki, so avoid making it on very humid or rainy days.
If the jaggery syrup is overcooked, the chikki can become very hard and difficult to bite into. Once the syrup reaches the right consistency, immediately add the peanuts and proceed quickly.
Yes, you can use white or brown sugar instead of jaggery. Cook the sugar syrup until it reaches the hard-ball stage. The texture will be similar, but the flavor will differ from that of jaggery syrup.
More Peanut Recipes
Crushed Peanut Chikki
Ingredients
- 2 cups (320g) raw peanuts
- 2 cups (320g) chopped or grated jaggery
- 2 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon ghee
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
Instructions
Rosting the Peanuts
- Heat a thick-bottomed pan and add peanuts to it. Roast the peanuts over medium-low heat, stirring continuously to ensure uniform roasting.
- Roast the peanuts until they are crunchy and show some brown spots. You can also taste a couple of peanuts to make sure they are crunchy and well-roasted.
- Once roasted, turn off the heat and transfer the peanuts to a bowl or plate. Allow them to cool down slightly.
- Once the peanuts are cool enough to handle, rub and crush them between your palms to remove the skin. It will come off easily.
- Then, remove all the skin and grind the peanuts in a food processor or a grinder into a coarse powder. Set it aside.
Preparations
- Grease two pieces of parchment paper with oil or ghee. Set them aside. Also, keep the rolling pin ready.
- Keep a bowl of cold water nearby while making jaggery syrup.
Making the Jaggery Syrup
- Add grated or chopped jaggery, ghee, and two tablespoons of water into the heavy-bottomed pan.
- Heat on medium-low, stirring frequently, until the jaggery has melted. Continue cooking the jaggery mixture, stirring continuously. Soon, the jaggery syrup will start to thicken and begin to bubble.
- The syrup will also change color, becoming darker. At this point, do not leave it unattended; check its consistency by adding a few drops to a bowl of cold water.
- The syrup should reach the hard-ball stage. When you add a couple of drops to a bowl of cold water, they should sink and immediately solidify. Also, it should be crispy, firm, and snap easily.
Making the Peanut Chikki
- So, once the jaggery syrup reaches a hard ball stage, quickly add crushed peanuts and ground cardamom. Mix in the syrup until well combined; however, do so promptly.
- Turn off the heat and transfer the mixture onto a piece of greased parchment paper. Place another piece of parchment paper on top, and roll the mixture into an even layer with the rolling pin.
- Remove the parchment paper and mark the lines into equal squares with a knife. So, it will be easier to cut them into pieces once the Chikki is set.
- Allow the Chikki to cool completely, then break into pieces.
Storing Suggestions
- Store the Crushed Peanut Chikki in an airtight container at room temperature. It stays fresh for up to a month if kept in a cool and dry place.
- Avoid refrigeration, as humidity can make it sticky and cause it to lose its crunch.
Notes
- Roasting the Peanuts: Roast the peanuts on medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Properly roasted peanuts should be crunchy all the way through. Any moisture will affect the final texture of the chikki. It is also essential to remove the peanut skin entirely.
- Grinding the Peanuts: Do not over-process the peanuts. Coarsely ground peanuts with some texture work best. So, do not grind the peanuts into a powder.
- Jaggery Syrup: Reaching the correct consistency is the most crucial step in making perfectly crunchy Crushed Peanut Chikki. The syrup must reach the hard-ball stage, which gives the chikki its signature crisp texture. If the syrup is undercooked, the chikki will turn out soft and sticky. If it is overcooked, the chikki will become very hard and difficult to bite into.
- Check the Consistency: To check the syrup consistency, keep a small bowl of cold water nearby and drop a few drops of the syrup into it. The syrup should sink immediately, solidify, and snap easily when pressed between fingers. Alternatively, you can use a candy thermometer; the syrup temperature should be between 250°F and 265°F.
- Work Quickly: Once peanuts are added to the jaggery syrup, everything sets very fast. Keep parchment paper and the rolling pin ready before you start.
- Rolling the Chikki: Once the peanut and jaggery mixture is ready, transfer it immediately onto a greased piece of parchment paper and roll it out while the mixture is still hot. Working quickly is essential, as the chikki sets almost immediately. Roll it into an even layer of the desired thickness.
- Cutting: After rolling the chikki, use a greased knife to score deep lines into squares or rectangles when it’s still warm. This makes it much easier to break or cut the chikki neatly once it has completely cooled and set. If the mixture cools down before marking, it won’t be easy to slice the chikki evenly.
Thanks for coming! Let me know what you think.