Homemade fortune cookie recipe

Ingredients

• 2 egg whites (about 60 g)
• 1/2 cup sugar (100 g)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (65 g)
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 pinch salt
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)
• 1 tbsp water
• 14 paper slips, about 2.4 × 0.6 in, with your fortunes

You'll also need a thin spatula, a glass to shape them and a muffin tin. Thin cotton gloves help you fold them without burning your fingers.

Step by step

1. Prepare the slips. Write or print your fortunes on strips about 2.4 × 0.6 inches and keep them within reach before you start.
2. Preheat. Heat the oven to 320 °F (160 °C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
3. Whisk the whites. Whisk the egg whites with the sugar just until frothy. Don't beat them to stiff peaks.
4. Make the batter. Stir in the oil, vanilla, almond extract and water. Add the flour, cornstarch and salt and mix until smooth and pourable, like thick cream.
5. Spread the circles. Drop 1 tablespoon of batter per cookie and spread it with the back of a spoon into a thin 3-inch circle. Bake only 2 or 3 at a time.
6. Bake. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes, until the outer edge is golden (about 1/2 inch) and the center is still pale.
7. Fold while hot. Lift one cookie with a spatula, place a slip in the middle and fold it in half. Rest the center of the fold on the rim of a glass and bend the corners down.
8. Let them set. Put each cookie in a muffin tin so it keeps its shape while it cools and hardens, about 5 minutes.

The trick: you have about 15 seconds

A fortune cookie can only be folded while it's hot. Once it cools it turns crisp and snaps. That's why you bake just a few at a time and have the slips ready in advance. If a cookie hardens before you fold it, put it back in the oven for 30 seconds and it will bend again.

Troubleshooting

They crack when folded

They've cooled too much or are overbaked. Take them out a minute earlier or fold one at a time.

They're soft the next day

They needed more time in the oven or absorbed moisture. Bake until the edges are clearly golden and store them in an airtight jar as soon as they cool.

The circles come out thick

The batter should be spread very thin, almost see-through. If it's too stiff, add a teaspoon of water.

Variations

• Chocolate dipped: once cool, dip one end in melted chocolate and add sprinkles.
• Colored: add a few drops of food coloring to the batter. Red and gold are classics for Lunar New Year.
• Matcha or cocoa: replace a tablespoon of flour with matcha or cocoa powder.

Need fortunes for the slips? There are 96 on our fortune cookie sayings page, plus a printable slip maker on custom fortune cookies.

Common questions