Homemade Fortune Cookies: the delicious recipe for a crispy, sugary cookie

If you're looking for a fun, delicious baked recipe to try, you'll love this wonderful homemade fortune cookie recipe. These tasty cookies are a perfect double for the classic crispy, sugary cookies you get when you order Chinese food.

Although this recipe can be a little tricky to make, it's so worth the effort. You can even customize the flavor of your homemade fortune cookies! You can slip a note into the center of each of your fortune cookies and give them to friends and family who will be delighted to discover it when they break the cookie in half.

Fortune cookies are a fun baking project and they make great gifts to hand out to loved ones.

What Are Fortune Cookies?

Although we associate fortune cookies with Chinese restaurants, the recipe isn't a traditional Chinese recipe. It's believed the first fortune cookies were created by Japanese immigrants in California in the late 19th or early 20th century. The cookie is based on a similar cookie sold in Japan.

These tasty cookies became a staple in Chinese restaurants after World War II. They come in a variety of flavors, but the classic version is flavored with vanilla extract and sesame oil.

How to Make Fortune Cookies

To make homemade fortune cookies, start by lining a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheating your oven to 375F. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat the egg whites and sugar until the mixture becomes light and frothy. Whisk in the butter, vanilla, and almond extracts, and water. Finally, beat in the flour until just combined – don't overmix the batter!

Spoon out one tablespoon of batter onto the baking sheet. Spread it into a 3-inch circle. Do this two more times. The secret to making delicious, beautiful fortune cookies is to work quickly when shaping the cookies, so you don't want to have too many cookies to shape. Work in batches.

Bake the cookies for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the edges begin to lightly brown. Take the tray out of the oven and quickly fold the cookies into half circles. Slip the fortune into the cookie then fold the cookie over the side of a cup and fold down the ends. Repeat with the other two cookies.

Put the fortune cookie in the well of a muffin pan to cool. This will help them hold their shape. Repeat with the remaining batter until all the cookies have been baked and shaped.

Fortune Cookie Flavor Options

There are loads of delicious flavors you can add to your fortune cookies. Some favorites include chocolate, strawberry, lemon, orange, coffee, sesame, and mint.

You can use any of your favorite flavored extracts when you're making fortune cookies.

Tips for the Best Fortune Cookies

You need to work quickly when making fortune cookies because they set quickly once out of the oven. Only make 2 to 3 at a time. This should give you enough time to shape the cookies.

Place the fortunes in the cookies after you've folded them into semicircles.

Don't underbake the cookies – they'll break instead of holding their shape.

If you overbake the cookies, they'll snap in half when you try to shape them.

To make gluten-free fortune cookies, use gluten-free flour instead of all-purpose flour.

To make keto-friendly fortune cookies, use almond flour instead of all-purpose flour.

You can make vegan fortune cookies by swapping out the egg whites for aquafaba and using plant-based butter or margarine instead of regular butter.

You don't need an oven to make fortune cookies. You can cook the batter on a griddle then shape and form the cookies as outlined in the recipe.

How to Store Homemade Fortune Cookies

Store your fortune cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Beat the egg whites and sugar with an electric handheld mixer until light and frothy.

Beat in the butter, vanilla and almond extracts, and water. Beat in the flour until just combined.

Scoop out 1 tablespoon of batter onto the baking sheet. Spread it into a 3-inch circle. Repeat twice.

Bake the cookies for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the edges begin to lightly brown.

Take the cookies out of the oven and quickly fold them into half circles. Slip the fortune into the cookie.

Fold the cookie over the side of a cup then fold down the ends.

Put the cookie in the well of a muffin pan to cool.

Repeat with the remaining batter.

Notes

Use room-temperature ingredients when making your fortune cookies.