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Indian

Punjabi Atte Ki Pinni

Punjabi atte ki pinni is a winter sweet made by slow-roasting whole wheat flour in ghee with gond, jaggery, nuts and warming spices.

Published and reviewed by Kitchgrow on 2 September 2026Updated

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Punjabi Atte Ki Pinni

1 hr 5 mintotal

55 min hands-on10 min hands-off

Prep 15 min · Cook 40 min

Serves
2
Difficulty
Medium
Spice
None
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Ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

The mixture needs 10-15 minutes to cool before adding jaggery, then more time to firm after shaping.

Method

  1. Heat the pure desi ghee in a heavy-bottomed wide pan (kadhai) over a medium-low flame.

  2. Add the crushed edible gum (gond) in small, controlled batches. It will immediately expand and puff up. Fry until completely crisp, remove with a slotted spoon, and set aside. (Once cooled, lightly crush it with a rolling pin for textural consistency).

  3. Into the same residual hot ghee, add the coarse whole wheat flour (atta).

  4. Roast the flour patiently on a low flame, executing continuous stirring. Roast for approximately 20-25 minutes until the flour transforms into a deep, rich golden brown and emits a deep, nutty aroma.

    20–25 min

  5. Add the finely chopped almonds, cashews, and melon seeds into the hot, roasted flour. Roast for an additional 2 minutes, allowing the nuts to toast in the residual warmth.

    2 min

  6. Turn off the heat. Blend in the crushed fried gond, cardamom powder, and dry ginger powder (saunth). Mix evenly.

  7. Let the mixture cool for 10-15 minutes until it is warm and comfortable to handle, but not completely cold.

    10–15 min

  8. Mix in the jaggery powder (or bura sugar) and mix firmly using your hands. The retained warmth of the flour will effectively bind the sugar and ghee.

  9. Remove small, even handfuls of the mixture and compress them firmly to sculpt round or slightly oblong spheres (Pinnis).

  10. Allow them to cool uninterrupted to solidify. Store the finished Pinnis in an airtight container.

How to tell it's done

The pinni should smell nutty, hold its round shape, and crumble softly with crisp bits of fried gond and toasted nuts.

Getting it right

Tip

Add jaggery only after taking the pan off the heat and cooling the flour until warm. If it goes into hot atta, the pinni can set hard.

What to serve it with

Serve atte ki pinni with warm milk during Lohri, Sankranti or cold-weather breakfasts.

Common mistakes

The pinni turns hard or tastes burnt.
Roast the atta on low heat with constant stirring, and mix in jaggery only when the mixture is warm, not hot.

Storing and reheating

Store atte ki pinni in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or refrigerate for up to 1 month.