Chikki — peanut-jaggery brittle (Indian-style)
Chikki is the classic Indian peanut brittle — roasted peanuts set in caramelised jaggery (raw cane sugar) into a brittle slab, broken into pieces. The Maharashtrian Lonavla version is famously addictive. (Filed under North American here as a cuisine-bridging fixture in many American Indian-diaspora kitchens.)
i. Origin & history
Chikki has been made in India since at least the 19th century, particularly associated with the hill station of Lonavla in Maharashtra where it became a tourist specialty. The Maganlal Chikki shop in Lonavla still makes the canonical version.
ii. Ingredients
Makes 24 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust
- 300 g raw peanuts
- 200 g jaggery, grated
- 30 g unsalted butter
- Pinch salt
- 1 tsp cardamom
iii. Method
- Toast peanuts in a dry pan over medium heat until skins crack and the nuts are deep golden — 6 min. Cool slightly; rub off skins.
- Melt jaggery with butter and salt over low heat; cook 4-5 min until smooth and just-darkened.
- Stir in peanuts and cardamom; coat quickly.
- Tip onto an oiled surface; press flat with an oiled rolling pin or another sheet of parchment.
- Cool 10 min; cut or break into pieces.
iv. Tips & common mistakes
- Use the freshest ingredients you can. The recipe relies on them.
- Read the method through first. Several steps must be ready in advance.
- Season patiently. Sweetness and salt are tuned at the end, not the start.
v. Variations
Til chikki uses sesame instead of peanuts. Coconut chikki uses desiccated coconut. Mixed-nut chikki uses various nuts.
vi. Common questions
What is chikki?
Chikki is peanut-jaggery brittle (indian-style), from north american cuisine. The Maharashtrian Lonavla version is famously addictive
Where is chikki from?
Chikki is from the north american dessert tradition; the recipe and history are detailed above.
How long does chikki keep?
See the storage note in the Quick facts panel: 3 weeks airtight.