Bake crisp Fortune Cookies with personalised fortunes inside for a unique homemade dessert that’s fun to share after dinner or during special celebrations.
Fortune Cookies are crisp, sweet biscuits with a hidden paper fortune inside, and they’re always a fun way to end a Chinese meal.
They’re even more fitting during Chinese New Year. 新年快乐! Even though I don’t have any Chinese heritage, I live in a city with a huge Chinese community, so I always enjoy seeing the celebrations and joining in.
To mark the occasion, I decided to make Fortune Cookies. I know many people think they’re Chinese, but they were actually invented by the Japanese community living in the USA. Chinese businesses later took over their production during World War II.
Original or not, a Fortune Cookie is still the perfect way to finish a delicious meal at a Chinese restaurant. Besides, who wouldn’t enjoy opening one to read a fortune? I hope you pick a cookie with the best one. 新年快乐!
Reasons to Make Your Own Fortune Cookies
- Fun activity that brings everyone together during holidays, parties, and celebrations.
- Homemade version feels extra thoughtful and far more special than store-bought cookies.
- Compact size allows plenty of cookies to fit neatly inside jars, boxes, baskets, and party favour bags.
Key Ingredients for Fortune Cookies
Egg Whites
Egg whites provide the structure that holds the cookies together while keeping them light and crisp. Beating them until frothy helps incorporate air, producing the delicate texture Fortune Cookies are known for. For the best volume, use fresh egg whites at room temperature.
Vanilla Extract
Vanilla extract adds gentle sweetness and warmth while giving the cookies their classic bakery-style aroma. Pure vanilla extract offers the best flavour, although vanilla essence can be used if that’s what you have on hand.
Almond Extract
Gives Fortune Cookies their distinctive flavour and helps create their recognisable taste. A small amount goes a long way, so measuring it carefully keeps the flavour balanced.
All-Purpose Flour
All-purpose flour gives the cookies the structure needed to hold their shape after folding. The batter should spread easily without becoming too runny, so you may need a little extra flour depending on the humidity and the brand you use.
Cornstarch
Cornstarch helps create a lighter, crisper texture by limiting gluten development. It also gives the cookies their delicate snap once they’ve cooled.
Find the complete list with measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Fortune Cookies
Step 1: Lightly beat the egg whites, water, vanilla extract, almond extract, and vegetable oil until the mixture is frothy but not stiff.
Step 2: Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and sugar. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the egg white mixture until smooth.
Note: The batter shouldn’t be runny. It should fall easily from a wooden spoon and shouldn’t shrink when spread.
Step 3: Draw 10 cm – 4-inch circles on baking paper. Turn the paper upside down so the ink doesn’t come into contact with the food, then place it on a baking sheet.
Step 4: Spoon 1 tablespoon of batter into the centre of each circle. Spread the batter evenly to completely fill each circle.
Step 5: Bake in a preheated oven at 150°C – 300°F for about 15 minutes, or until the outer 1 cm – ½ inch of each cookie turns golden brown.
Step 6: Work quickly because the cookies will harden as they cool. Remove one hot cookie at a time with a spatula and place a paper fortune in the centre.
Step 7: Fold the cookie in half, then gently bend the folded edge over the rim of a cup to create the classic fortune cookie shape.
Step 8: Transfer the shaped cookie to a muffin tin so it’ll hold its shape while it cools. Repeat the process with the remaining cookies, shaping them one at a time.
Step 9: Let the Fortune Cookies cool completely before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Try a drizzle of dark, milk, or white chocolate, or sprinkle the cookies with toasted sesame seeds, finely chopped pistachios, shredded coconut, or colourful sprinkles before the chocolate sets.
Use the same amount of batter for each cookie and spread it evenly within a template or drawn circle. This helps the cookies bake at the same rate and makes them easier to fold consistently.
You can replace the almond extract with additional vanilla extract, or try coconut, orange, or lemon extract for a different flavour. Keep the amount small, as some extracts are more concentrated than others.
Once the cookies have cooled, you can dip them in melted chocolate, drizzle them with icing, or decorate them with sprinkles, chopped nuts, or toasted sesame seeds for extra flavour and presentation.
Mix a few drops of gel food colouring into the batter until the colour is evenly distributed. Gel colouring works best because it adds vibrant colour without thinning the batter.
Extra Help from the Kitchen
Bring the Egg Whites to Room Temperature – Leave the egg whites at room temperature for about 20 minutes before mixing so they combine more smoothly with the oil and water.
Position the Oven Rack Centrally – Place the rack in the centre of the oven to help the thin cookies bake evenly without browning too quickly on the top or bottom.
Cool the Baking Tray Between Batches – Let the tray return to room temperature before spreading the next batch, as residual heat can begin setting the batter before it reaches the oven.
Stir the Batter Between Batches – Give the batter a gentle stir before portioning each new batch to redistribute any oil that may have settled while it was standing.
Choose a Light-Coloured Baking Tray – Use a light-coloured metal tray when possible, as dark trays absorb more heat and may brown the delicate cookie edges too quickly.
Variations and Twists
Infuse with Cardamom – Sift a small pinch of ground cardamom with the dry ingredients for a gentle, warm spice that complements the vanilla and almond flavours. Mixing it with the flour ensures it’s evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Season with Chinese Five-Spice – Stir a little Chinese five-spice into the dry ingredients to give the cookies a fragrant, lightly spiced flavour. Sifting it with the flour helps prevent concentrated pockets of spice.
Colour with Matcha – Mix culinary-grade matcha into the dry ingredients for a delicate green tea flavour and natural green colour. As matcha absorbs moisture, you may not need the extra flour mentioned in the original recipe.
Dip in Chocolate – Dip the completely cooled cookies in melted dark, milk, or white chocolate, then leave them to set on baking paper. Waiting until the cookies are fully cooled helps keep them crisp.
Finish with Sesame Seeds – Sprinkle toasted black or white sesame seeds over the batter before baking and gently press them down so they adhere well. They add a subtle nutty flavour and a little extra crunch.
Storage and Shelf Life
Store completely cooled Fortune Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, although they’re at their crispiest within the first 3–5 days.
For longer storage, freeze them in a freezer-safe airtight container with baking paper between the layers for up to 2 months. Thaw them at room temperature in the sealed container to help prevent condensation from softening the cookies.
If they’ve lost some of their crispness, warm them in a preheated oven at 150°C – 300°F for 2–3 minutes, then allow them to cool completely before serving.
More Chinese-Inspired Recipes to Try
Fortune Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 egg whites
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 8 tbsp all-purpose flour – add an extra 2 tbsp if needed for consistency
- 1 ½ tsp cornstarch
- ¼ tsp salt
- 8 tbsp granulated sugar
- 3 tsp water
Instructions
- Lightly beat the egg whites, water, vanilla extract, almond extract, and vegetable oil until the mixture is frothy but not stiff.
- Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and sugar. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the egg white mixture until smooth. Note: The batter shouldn’t be runny. It should fall easily from a wooden spoon and shouldn’t shrink when spread.
- Draw 10 cm – 4-inch circles on baking paper. Turn the paper upside down so the ink doesn’t come into contact with the food, then place it on a baking sheet.
- Spoon 1 tablespoon of batter into the centre of each circle. Spread the batter evenly to completely fill each circle.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 150°C – 300°F for about 15 minutes, or until the outer 1 cm – ½ inch of each cookie turns golden brown.
- Work quickly because the cookies will harden as they cool. Remove one hot cookie at a time with a spatula and place a paper fortune in the centre.
- Fold the cookie in half, then gently bend the folded edge over the rim of a cup to create the classic fortune cookie shape.
- Transfer the shaped cookie to a muffin tin so it’ll hold its shape while it cools. Repeat the process with the remaining cookies, shaping them one at a time.
- Let the Fortune Cookies cool completely before serving.
THAT is skill!
Manu they look perfect.
Loved the New Year snapshots!