Light and crispy wafer-like fortune cookies with a special note. A classic after a meal of Chinese, and the perfect treat for lunar new year or a special event!
Fortune cookies were a childhood favourite. Growing up in Australia I was surrounded by a lot of westernised Chinese restaurants, and fortune cookies were a must-have after a meal! As I grew up I saw them less and less, but nonetheless, they are fun cookie that I think of from time to time.
The typical fortune cookies, in all honesty, taste like cardboard. Who actually enjoys the cookies? On the other hand, homemade fortune cookies are absolutely delicious! Sweet, crunchy wafer-like cookies with a hint of vanilla, and paired with a homemade fortune?! The best little treat for a fun or special event!
What are fortune cookies?
Fortune cookies are thin wafer-like cookies folded into a butterfly shape. When cracked open they reveal a slip of paper with a fortune and list of numbers, which are sometimes used as lottery numbers.
While fortune cookies are typically associated with Chinese cuisine, they aren’t of Chinese origin. Instead, they were popularised in America, served as sweet treat after American-Chinese cuisine.
Tips for the perfect fortune cookie
The batter for these cookies is super simple, however, the hard part is the shaping of the cookie. As the cookies are so thin they need to be shaped as quickly as possible otherwise they will firm up and crack. Here are a couple tips for you to make perfect looking cookies:
Make three at a time
Only bake three cookies at a time. If you bake too many cookies at a time the final cookie will have firmed up before you even shape it. I find three to be the perfect number, that way the final cookie is still pliable enough to shape without cracking. If you are a complete beginner I would recommend even baking two at a time. The process may be more time-consuming, however, this ensures that each fortune cookie is shaped well.
Wear gloves
Unless you are incredibly good at handling hot things, wearing gloves will make the shaping process so much easier. The best combination is a pair of cotton gloves topped with a pair of food-safe gloves. This allows you to hold the cookies straight out of the oven without the possibility of burning your fingers. Otherwise, any kind of gloves will help prevent your fingers from burning.
Have everything prepared
Preparation is key when making things that require timing. Make sure you have your workspace set up with a glass to fold the fortune cookies on, a cupcake tin to hold the shape of the cookies, and a pair of gloves to handle the cookies. That way, when the cookies come out of the oven you can shape them immediately.
How to shape the fortune cookie
Once you have everything prepared, shaping the fortune cookies is super easy! Once the cookies come out of the oven:
- Flip the cookie so the flat surface faces up
- Place the fortune along the centre
- Gently fold the cookie in half
- Hold the cookie above the lip of a glass and pull down the two corners
- Place in the cavity of a cupcake tray to set
Customising your fortune cookies
There are so many fun ways to customize your cookies, whether that be adding flavours to the batter or coating them in chocolate.
To flavour your cookie:
- Matcha cookies: substitute 1 tsp flour with matcha powder
- Chocolate cookies: substitute 1 tbsp flour with cocoa powder
- Almond: replace the vanilla extract with equal amounts of almond extract
To decorate:
- Sprinkle the cookies with sesame seeds/crushed nuts before baking
- Dip the cookies in melted chocolate/candy melts
Frequently Asked Questions
My fortune cookies keep cracking when I fold them
If your cookies are cracking when you fold them they’ve cooled too much before you started shaping them. Either make fewer cookies in a batch, so you can get to folding them all in time, or just work faster!
Why are my cookies soft?
If you spread the cookie batter too thick the cookies will take longer to bake, and the edges will brown quicker. The centre of the cookie will be soft, while the edges are crunchy. The solution is to spread the batter thinner!
My fortune cookies getting soggy after I make them, how can I prevent this?
These cookies will get soggy if they aren’t stored properly. Make sure you store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They will last 2-3 days stored like this.
If you want them to last even longer you can bake the shaped cookies in the oven at 120C/250F for 6-7 minutes. This will draw out any remaining moisture in the cookies, keeping them crisp for longer.
Why isn’t my chocolate setting?
It is important to use compound chocolate or tempered chocolate when decorating. Compound chocolate is made with vegetable oils instead of cocoa butter, and will set solid when left at room temperature. If you know how to temper chocolate then feel free to use good quality chocolate. If you dip the cookies in regular chocolate without it being tempered it won’t set, keep that in mind!
Let’s Get Cooking
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Fortune Cookies
Light and crispy wafer-like cookies with a special note. A classic after a meal of Chinese, and the perfect treat for lunar new year or a special event!
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 18 cookies 1x
- Category: Cookie
- Method: Easy
- Cuisine: Asian Fusion
Ingredients
- 2 Egg whites
- 80 g Plain flour (2/3 cup)
- 100g White sugar (1/2 cup)
- 80g Unsalted butter, melted (1/3 cup)
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp Water
- Compound chocolate or candy melts, melted for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/355F
- Place the egg whites and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until frothy
- Add the melted butter, vanilla extract and water, and mix until well combined
- Add the flour and mix until just combined
- Line a baking tray with baking paper and spoon the batter onto the surface, smoothening it out into a thin and round 7cm / 3-inch circle (Don’t make more than 3 or 4 at a time, this will give you time to shape the cookies before they firm up)
- Bake for 7 minutes or until lightly golden brown
- Working quickly, remove the tray from the oven, flip the cookies, place your desired fortune along the centre line and fold in half
- Place the gently folded cookie on the edge of a cup and pull the two corners down to form the shape
- Place the cookie in a cupcake tin to cool
- Repeat with the remaining cookies
- Melt the compound chocolate or candy melts and dip one side of the fortune cookies to coat
- Place on a sheet of baking paper to set and enjoy!
