Pinni Recipe (Punjabi Atta Pinni with Ghee and Nuts)

Quick answer: Atta pinni is a Punjabi sweet of whole-wheat flour slow-roasted in ghee, mixed with powdered jaggery or sugar and chopped nuts, and pressed into firm rounds. It is traditionally made in winter and given and eaten around Lohri. It takes about 15 minutes to prepare and 35 to 45 minutes to cook, and makes about 16.

Kitchen note: This recipe is not yet kitchen-tested by a HinduTone cook. The quantities and timings follow common home methods; judge doneness by look and texture, and adjust for your stove and ingredients.

What is pinni and when is it made?

Pinni is a round Punjabi sweet pressed by hand. The most familiar kind at home is atta pinni, made from whole-wheat flour; Ludhiana sweet makers told The Tribune that flaxseed (alsi) and nut pinnis are their buyers' favourites, with date and fenugreek versions made on request. Punjabi families make pinni in large batches when the cold weather starts and keep a tin of it through the winter.

Around Lohri, the Punjabi bonfire festival kept by Hindus and Sikhs alike, pinni joins the festival's sweets. The Tribune's January 2025 report from Ludhiana lists pinnie with til and gur, peanuts, rewri, gajak and bhugga among the Lohri delicacies, and describes Lohri gift baskets of pinni and panjiri prepared by local cooks.

You will often hear that pinni "keeps you warm" in winter. That is a popular explanation, not a health fact; we simply note that it is traditionally made in winter.

Ingredients

Use powdered jaggery or a fine sugar. Granulated sugar stays gritty and does not bind.

How to make atta pinni on the stovetop

1. Fry the nuts and gum. Warm 2 tablespoons of the ghee in a heavy kadai or wide pan on low heat. Fry the chopped almonds and cashews for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly golden, and lift them out. If using gond, fry it a few pieces at a time in the same ghee until it puffs up and turns white, lift it out, and crush it lightly once cool.
2. Roast the flour. Add the rest of the ghee to the pan and the flour. Stir continuously on low heat. At first it will look dry and lumpy; after 10 minutes it loosens and turns smooth.
3. Keep roasting and stirring for 25 to 35 minutes in all, scraping the base and corners. The flour is ready when it is an even golden-brown, smells deeply nutty, and has turned from a stiff mass into a loose, flowing mixture. Do not rush this on high heat.
4. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the cardamom, nuts, gond and seeds.
5. Let it cool until warm. Spread it out on a plate for 10 to 15 minutes. If you add the jaggery or sugar while the flour is very hot, it melts and turns the mixture sticky.
6. Add the jaggery or sugar powder and mix thoroughly with a spoon, then with your hands, rubbing out any lumps.
7. Shape while still warm. Take 2 to 3 tablespoons (about 40 g) and press firmly between your palms into a ball or a slightly flattened round. If it will not hold, add a tablespoon of melted ghee and mix again.
8. Set the pinnis on a plate to firm up for an hour before storing.

There is no pressure cooker, Instant Pot or rice cooker version: the flour must be roasted in an open pan.

Why roasting matters for food safety

The US Food and Drug Administration warns that flour is a raw food that can carry harmful bacteria, and that it should not be eaten raw. In pinni the long roasting in ghee is the cooking step. Roast the flour fully, until evenly golden-brown and aromatic, and do not taste the mixture before it is roasted.

Naivedyam notes

Pinni is a sweet for the home and for gifting rather than a fixed puja offering. On Lohri the offerings to the bonfire are loose dry sweets and snacks; The Tribune's Jalandhar report describes groundnut, gajak and rewri. If your family places sweets before its home shrine, gurdwara or temple, follow its own practice; use a clean pan and keep a portion aside before anyone tastes.

Substitutions abroad

Icing sugar in some countries contains a little cornflour; that is fine for pinni. If you cannot find gond, leave it out.

Vegan option

Ghee is the heart of pinni, and plant fats change the flavour and how it sets. Coconut oil works best of the plant fats, because it firms up when cool; use refined coconut oil if you do not want a coconut taste. Shape while warm and store in a cool place.

Common mistakes

• High heat: the flour browns outside and stays raw inside, or burns and turns bitter. Low heat and patience.
• Stopping too early: pale flour tastes raw and pasty. Roast until golden-brown and nutty.
• Adding sugar to hot flour: it melts and turns sticky. Let the flour cool to warm.
• Shaping cold mixture: it will not bind. Shape while warm, or rewarm gently with a spoon of melted ghee.
• Granulated sugar: gritty. Powder it first.

Storage

Store in an airtight tin in a cool, dry place. In a cool winter kitchen home-made pinni usually keeps for two to three weeks; in a warm, humid kitchen keep it in the fridge and use it sooner. Bring to room temperature before eating, as ghee sets hard in the cold. Throw it out if it smells rancid.

Allergens

Contains gluten (wheat), milk (ghee) and tree nuts (almonds, cashews). Leave out the nuts for a nut-free pinni, and check that the gum and other add-ins were packed without nuts. There is no simple gluten-free version: wheat flour is the base.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use jaggery instead of sugar in pinni?

Yes. Many Punjabi families prefer powdered jaggery, which gives a darker, caramel-flavoured pinni. Use soft jaggery that powders easily, and add it only when the flour has cooled to warm.

Why are my pinnis not holding shape?

The mixture is too cool, too dry, or the sugar was too coarse. Add a spoon of warm melted ghee, mix well, and press firmly while it is still warm.

What is gond and do I need it?

Gond is an edible plant gum sold in Indian grocers. Fried in ghee it puffs up and adds crunch. It is optional; pinni is still pinni without it.

Is pinni the same as panjiri?

No. Both use roasted wheat flour, ghee, sugar and nuts, but panjiri is left loose and crumbly, while pinni is pressed into rounds.

How long does pinni last?

Usually two to three weeks in an airtight tin in a cool kitchen. In warm weather keep it in the fridge.

When should I make pinni for Lohri?

A few days ahead is fine, as it keeps well. In 2027 Lohri is Thursday 14 January in India per the panchang. Abroad, confirm the date with your local panchang, gurdwara or temple.

Sources

• The Tribune, "Some things never change: Lohri may be celebrated with a modern twist, but cravings for mungphali, reori, gajjak, bhugga remain the same", Shivani Bhakoo, 12 January 2025: https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/entertainment/some-things-never-change-lohri-may-be-celebrated-with-a-modern-twist-but-cravings-for-mungphali-reori-gajjak-bhugga-remain-the-same/ (accessed 12 November 2026)
• The Tribune, "Bonfire of warmth, love" (Jalandhar), 14 January 2023: https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/jalandhar/bonfire-of-warmth-love-470323 (accessed 12 November 2026)
• Drik Panchang, Lohri 2027, New Delhi (via HinduTone's 2027 date sheet, verified October 2026)
• US Food and Drug Administration, "Handling Flour Safely: What You Need to Know": https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/handling-flour-safely-what-you-need-know (accessed 12 November 2026)
• US Food and Drug Administration, "Food Allergies": https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-food-labeling-and-critical-foods/food-allergies (accessed 12 November 2026)
• Food Standards Agency (UK), "Food allergy and intolerance advice for consumers": https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/food-allergy-and-intolerance-advice-for-consumers (accessed 12 November 2026)

Last reviewed: 12 November 2026.

Related guides

• Lohri festival guide
• Sarson da saag and makki di roti recipe
• Tilkut recipe
• Harvest festivals compared: Lohri, Sankranti, Pongal, Uttarayan and Bihu
• Makar Sankranti 2027 guide
• All recipes