This recipe for homemade fortune cookies takes a little patience but is less difficult than you think. Who doesn’t love a custom fortune?
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Homemade fortune cookies has been on my bucket list for a long time. And now that I started making them, all I can think about are occasions to make them again.
They’d be great for a classroom Valentine’s Day party. What about a baby shower or gender reveal party? A milestone birthday? Mister Man wants me to make them with Star Wars inspired fortunes for his birthday party.
And you know what? I can’t wait!
If you choose to make these classic fortune cookies for Chinese New Year, make sure you pick up traditional red envelopes to give fun cash gifts to further honor the holiday. Red envelope gifts are considered good luck, and who doesn’t love a surprise gift?
Need some fortune paper strips? This free fortune cookie sayings printable has enough fortunes for this entire batch of golden brown fortune cookies.
Make sure to look recipes to pair with these crispy cookies at the bottom of this article.
Homemade Fortune Cookies: Tips and Tricks
I was a little daunted by the idea of making fortune cookies because I’d heard they can be tricky to handle. And really hot.
The trickiest part is getting the fortune cookie shape right, but as long as you work fast and follow my tips, you can do this.
If you’re worried that the cookies will be too hot for you to handle, pick up a pair of heat safe kitchen gloves to wear. I have what my husband calls asbestos hands, so when I work quickly, I have no issues.
How to shape the fortune cookie batter
Even in my first batch, I only “ruined” two, and darn, I had to eat the evidence – that still tasted great, by the way. I quickly learned that although conventional wisdom says to use an offset spatula to spread them, those methods don’t work well for me.
I tried that and it didn’t come out round. Not even close. I tried the turning the pan so it naturally spread. Nope. I tried the plastic lid cutout. Nope.
The only thing that worked for me was gently using the back of my tablespoon measure to swirl it out like I would pizza sauce from the center to the edges. I was able to make a perfect circle with that method without creating uneven layers.
Since each cookie uses just one tablespoon of batter, I don’t have to dirty anything extra, and the spoon is already in my hand.
Is it the “right” way to do it? Who knows, but it works for me, and is was a cinch, so go for it!
Set your tools up for success
I also figured out – fortunately before my first batch went in the oven – that I should turn my baking sheet upside down and place the my silpat on the “bottom” of it. This gave me a great angle to get the cookie off the sheet and keep my spatula flat to avoid ripping the cookie.
Speaking of getting the cookies off the baking sheet. I did not want to grease my baking sheet. I’d heard that parchment paper isn’t the greatest, but that silpats aren’t ideal either.
For me? My silpat worked just fine. Using an offset spatula to slide under a corner then work through the whole cookie, keeping the spatula firmly pressed into the silpat at all times worked like a charm. Every cookie came off, and not a one ripped.
Really. Not a one ripped. Or wrinkled into a horrible mess like those chocolate chip cookies you purposely underbaked and tried to remove from the cookie sheet before they cooled sufficiently.
As delicate as homemade fortune cookies are, I had zero problems with them ripping or tearing. Don’t be afraid to ruin them as you remove them from the baking sheet.
Make sure you remember that you are working with hot cookies and hot pans. Use a pot holder in your non cookie hand to keep your baking sheet from moving as you remove the golden brown cookie.
How To Make The Classic Fortune Cookie Shape
There is zero reason to ever put the cookie down once you remove it from the sheet. Honestly. They aren’t that hot, though obviously you want to be careful to not burn yourself.
Flip it upside down in your hand, put the fortune in, and start folding in your hand. That saves you time and prevents the fortune cookie from hardening before you can get it shaped.
All those experts who tell you to put it on a cutting board, add the fortune, then fold it? Hogwash, I say!
Have everything ready to go when your homemade fortune cookies come out of the oven. I started out having my fortunes in a pile and couldn’t grasp a fortune quickly enough.
I got smart by the third batch and had all my fortune strips ready, propped on the edge of my stove. As I flipped the homemade fortune cookie into my hand, I could easily grab a fortune with my other hand and not miss a beat.
You want to use your hand to create the wider round at the bottom of the cookie, while you bring the top together for the narrow end. Take advantage of a glass to create the traditional fortune cookie shape where the far sides touch.
Working quickly is your key, as the cookies become hard and crisp as soon as they cool. You won’t be able to shape them at that point.
Bake Your Cookies In Batches – Small Batches
Patience is key. Could I fit six cookies onto a sheet at a time? Absolutely.
Can I remove and form six fortune cookies before they harden? Nope.
I can do four without a problem. Five is pushing it, but I can do it, especially when it’s warmer and my house isn’t 61 degrees in the daytime. When I started I did two at a time, then three.
Figuring out your comfort zone and getting into the rhythm of forming your homemade fortune cookies is critical. Don’t make too many at once.
How do I keep my fortune cookies crispy?
If you find that your cookies are chewy instead of crispy, there can be a few reasons for that – and all of them are fixable.
If you find that your first couple cookies are chewy, you know your batter is too thick. Add just a little bit of water for the next batch of cookies, and see if that makes it better.
Alternatively, if you mix your batter too much, this creates gluten strands and a more chewy cookie. Make sure you mix your batter gently and just until the flour combines, then stop.
If you don’t store your cookies properly, that also leads to chewy cookies after a couple days. Make sure to let them cool thoroughly, then store them in an airtight container.
If you find that after a few days, they are softer than you want, you can crisp them in the oven. Turn it to 250 degrees, then bake them for about six minutes.
This helps crisp them up without browning them further. It’s the perfect way to save your cookies, though obviously this doesn’t work if you dip your fortune cookies in chocolate!
How to Make Homemade Fortune Cookies
The batter itself comes together quickly. I’m of the mindset that if I’m going to take the time to make homemade fortune cookies, I’m not going to make 6. Or 10.
I want to make homemade fortune cookies. This recipe makes about 36 cookies using a one tablespoon measure for each cookie, just the right amount for a party. You can adjust it to make fewer cookies, as well.
To start, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, add the egg whites, almond extract, vanilla extract, and water.
(Save your egg yolks for something delicious like homemade lemon curd.)
Mix until fluffy but not whipped. Add the flour, granulated sugar, and salt and mix gently until just combined.
It should be a smooth batter, fairly thin and runny, more so than cupcake batter. If it is too thick, add another teaspoon of water and mix again until you get the right consistency.
Turn your baking sheet upside down and place a silicone mat or piece of parchment paper over it. Drop one tablespoon of batter onto your silicone mat.
With the back of the measuring spoon, gently swirl it from the center, pushing out to the edges to create a 4 inch circle. Repeat up to four total times per sheet, but start with two at a time.
Bake in your 375 degree oven for 9 minutes, until the edges of the cookie are turning golden brown.
Remove from the oven and place the next batch in. Immediately use your offset spatula to run under the cookie to release it just one at a time.
Flip the cookie upside down into your hand and add the fortune strip to the middle. Fold it into a semi circle with the center edges coming together almost like a taco.
Place the bottom that was in your palm onto the rim of a glass and gently slide your fingers along the seam starting at the center where you brought everything together so that it folds down over the edge of the glass.
Remove from the glass and place into a muffin tin, which will help the cookie retain its shape until it has fully cooled.
Repeat with the remaining cookies as quickly as possible. They will be completely hardened in under a minute.
Continue baking and folding until all the batter is depleted. If you choose, melt chocolate and dip the ends in to make them even fancier – pink chocolate for a classroom Valentine’s Day party would be gorgeous!
Store in an airtight container for 4-5 days a most.
Homemade Fortune Cookies
Making homemade fortune cookies is easier than you thought and can be a lot of fun, too. It takes a little patience, but it is well worth the effort!
Ingredients
- 5 egg whites
- 4 tablespoons water
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Mix together egg whites, water, vanilla, and almond extract until fluffy but not whipped. Add salt, sugar, and flour and stir until incorporated.
- Prepare a baking sheet by turning it upside down and placing a sil pat or piece of parchment paper atop the "bottom" of the sheet. Pour 1 tablespoon of batter onto the baking sheet and gently use the back of the measuring spoon to swirl from the center and push outward to form a 4 inch circle. Add up to 4 total cookies per batch.
- Bake for 9 minutes at 375 degrees until the edges of the cookies are just turning golden.
- Remove from the oven and add the next batch. Immediately slide an offset spatula under a cookie to release it. Flip it upside down in your hand and add the fortune to the center. Bring the edges together like a taco shell.
- Place the rounded bottom onto the edge of a glass. Gently use your fingers along the seam you created to push down and fold the fortune cookie over the glass rim to shape it. Please into a muffin tin to retain the shape until the cookie cools.
- Repeat with the remaining baked cookies. All will harden in under a minute.
- Store in an airtight container on the counter for 4-5 days, max.
Notes
- Work fast, and don't hesitate as you form the traditional fortune cookie shape. These cookies harden quickly.
- For more tips and tricks, be sure to read the full article.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 36 Serving Size: 1 cookieAmount Per Serving: Calories: 37Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 24mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 0gSugar: 6gProtein: 1g
This site uses an outside source to provide nutrition. If you need exact details, please calculate yourself.
Have you ever made homemade fortune cookies? What are your tips and tricks?
Ideas for recipes to pair with your homemade fortune cookies
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These look awesome! I will definitely be making these soon 🙂
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