Easy, step-by-step directions for how to make homemade fortune cookies from scratch. Perfect for Valentine's Day, or any time you want to give someone a little something special.
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No matter how old you are, the moment when you crack open a fortune cookie still holds a little magic, and personalized fortune cookies are a great way to say I Love You! Surprise someone special on Valentine's Day, or St. Patrick's Day, or any day you want to celebrate.
What Goes into this Recipe
Fortune Cookies are made with a simple list of common ingredients.
- Butter: If you use salted butter, you can leave out the added salt in the recipe.
- Egg whites
- Sugar
- Heavy Cream
- Flavorings & Seasonings: almond extract, vanilla & salt
This post also includes everything you need to create custom fortune cookies, including printable fortunes and an adorable, easy-to-make Takeout Box!
- Fortune Cookie recipe & step-by-step instructions
- Printable Valentine's Day fortunes
- Chinese Takeout box DIY (aka Oyster Pail)
How to Prepare the Fortunes
Personalized fortune cookies are perfect for kids, friends, family, teachers, and anyone else you want to surprise!
It is vital that you prepare the fortunes before you bake the cookies. You will not have time to do it when they come out of the oven!
Below are plenty of printable fortunes for your sweetheart, plus a page full of blanks for you to personalize!
TIP: Look to your favorite songs for fast fortune-writing.
How to Make the Fortune Cookies
Following the fortune cookie recipe below, it will take about 40 minutes to make 24 cookies. (Add about 15 minutes plus cooling time if you want to dip them in chocolate.)
IMPORTANT: No matter how crafty you are, plan on a few broken cookies. They are going to happen – accept it. It’s OK though – just dip them in chocolate and enjoy.
Before you make the first cookie:
Preheat oven to 375°F [190°C].
Gather your materials: you will need a cookie sheet, a silpat mat or parchment paper, a cutting board, a coffee mug, and a muffin tin.
Mix the batter
In a blender or mixer, combine egg whites and sugar. Beat for one minute, and then add flour and salt and beat another 30 seconds. (I do this all in my blender.)
Add melted butter, heavy cream, and vanilla and almond extracts and beat until mixed.
Bake the Cookies
Be sure to have everything ready before you put the first cookie in the oven. (I know I already said this. I’m saying it again.)
Spoon 1 tablespoon of dough onto silicone baking sheet or parchment paper. (I use a Silpat sheet.)
Spread batter with the back of a spoon into a thin 4-5 inch circle.
Start by making 2 circles at a time. (I don’t ever do more than 3 at a time.) DO NOT try to make more than 3 or 4 cookies at a time, no matter how awesome you are. It won’t work. Really.
Bake for 5-6 minutes, or until the edges are very lightly browned. Remove from the oven.
These cookies are HOT when the come out of the oven. (Can a get a “Duh”?) You can wear non-cotton gloves if you want, but I find that very cumbersome. Instead, I use my fingernail to peel the cookie off the Silpat sheet, and then handle them gingerly with the tips of my fingers. Either way, you have been warned.
Fill & Form the Cookies
Immediately take one cookie and place it on a wooden cutting board. Keep bottom (the side that was "down" while cooking) down.
Place a fortune in the middle of the cookie and fold in half.
Place the middle of the flat side over the edge of a coffee mug.
Pull the corners down to shape.
If your cookies cool too fast, 15-30 seconds back in the oven will soften them… a little.
Immediately place the formed cookie into a muffin cup and allow it to cool completely.
OPTIONAL: Dip cooled cookies in melted chocolate and decorate with festive sprinkles!
Wait until the cookies are completely cool before attempting to dip them in chocolate. This just makes sense, but some people try to rush the process. Don’t be one of them.
How to Make a Take-out Box
NOTE: One takeout box will take the seasoned crafter about 5 minutes (and those with four thumbs about 15 minutes).
Print out the Chinese Takeout Box pattern. Be sure to hit “fit for page” before you print.
Trace the pattern onto the back of a piece of heavy scrapbooking paper or cardstock.
Use scissors to cut along the SOLID BLACK lines.
Valley fold along the DOTTED BLUE lines. - In a valley fold, the crease is at the bottom and the paper is folded forward into itself. The paper should form a "V" when you unfold.
Mountain fold along the SOLID ORANGE lines. A mountain fold is the opposite of a valley fold. The paper folds to the opposite side.
Expert Tips & FAQs
Color Code your cookies!
Chocolate and sprinkles aren't just for fun! You can use them to avoid fortune-awkwardness (like giving your daughter a fortune that says "You are my Knight in Shining Armor").
Use different sprinkle combinations for your Sweetheart, kids, friends, etc. (If you choose to leave them plain, you're on your own.)
Make the fortunes before you start the cookies.
This bears repeating: It is vital that you prepare the fortunes before you bake the cookies. You will not have time to do it when they come out of the oven.
Fortune cookies as we know them originated in somewhere California, most likely introduced by Japanese immigrants to the United States in the late 19th or early 20th century.
(For more about the background of these unique treats, check out The History of Fortune Cookies.)
Related Recipes
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Homemade Fortune Cookie Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Cookie Sheet
- 1 Silpat Mat or parchment paper
- 1 Standard Muffin Tin
Instructions
Before you make the first cookie:
- Be sure to prepare the fortunes before you bake the cookies. You will not have time to do it when they come out of the oven!
- Gather your tools: you will need a cookie sheet, a Silpat mat or parchment paper, a coffee mug, and a muffin tin.
- Print out and cut fortunes. Be sure to do this before you bake the cookies. You will not have time to do it when they come out of the oven!
Mixing the batter:
- In a blender or mixer, combine egg whites and sugar. Beat for about a minute, and then add flour and salt and beat another 30 seconds. (I do this all in my blender.)
- Add melted butter, heavy cream, and vanilla and almond extracts and beat until mixed.
Making the cookies:
- Spoon 1 tablespoon of dough onto silicone baking sheet or parchment paper. (I use a Silpat sheet.) Spread batter with the back of a spoon into a thin 4-5 inch circle. Start by making 2 circles at a time. (I don’t ever do more than 3 at a time.)
- Bake for 5-6 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned.
- Remove from the oven.Immediately take one cookie and place it on a wooden cutting board. Keep bottom (the side that was "down" while cooking) down.
- Immediately place the formed cookie into a muffin cup and allow it to cool completely.
- Repeat process until all the batter has been used.
Notes
- No matter how crafty you are, plan on a few broken cookies. They are going to happen – accept it. It’s OK though – just dip them in chocolate and enjoy.
- Be sure to have everything ready before you put the first cookie in the oven. I know I already said this. I’m saying it again.
- Cookies are HOT when the come out of the oven. (Can a get a “Duh”?) You can wear non-cotton gloves if you want, but I find that very cumbersome. Instead, I use my fingernail to peel the cookie off the Silpat sheet, and then handle them gingerly with the tips of my fingers. Either way, you have been warned.
- DO NOT try to make more than 3 or 4 cookies at a time, no matter how awesome you are. It won’t work. Really.
- If your cookies cool too fast, 15-30 seconds back in the oven will soften them… a little.
- Wait until the cookies are completely cool before attempting to dip them. This just makes sense, but some people try to rush the process. Don’t be one of them.
Shayla says
This is such a special idea for Valentines Day, I would love to do this! I love the note idea's you've put here. They are truly sweet!
Marta says
I love that you've also included the takeout box! This is so adorable!
Chelsea says
Love this! I like to make my own homemade Chinese food once a month and we always miss the fortune cookies!
Amber Myers says
What a great idea! I just love fortune cookies. I've never tried to make them on my own.
Heather says
This is such a fun idea! I would love to try this with my girls!
jenni says
When I was younger I made fortune cookies for all of my friends for Valentine's Day. I haven't been able to find the recipe since then! So glad you shared this one. They were a hit then and I think they'd be even more of a hit now!
Kristina says
such a fun project - I want to make some!
Marlynn [UrbanBlissLife] says
Adorable! Yours look SO much better than the last batch of homemade fortune cookies I made, Renee. I made them for teacher's gifts, and I think out of 20, I had just enough for the teachers 😉 I'll have to try your recipe!
Renée ♥ says
I really like this recipe, Marlynn. I did some tweaking to the one I had, and I think it results in a much more successful cookie-making experience. I only lost one cookie to breakage when I made this batch, and that was due to taking time for pictures. I attribute it to the lower baking temp (most recipes call for 400°) and less sugar, but it could just be that the planets aligned for me. Either way, I'm calling it a total win.
Melinda says
These are adorable! My kids love fortune cookies, so we'll definitely be making these
Holly says
This is a very cute idea. Mine would probably all end up broken haha. I would love to make these, put a weird fortune inside and then give them to my friends when we order take out so they get creeped out thinking it was a random fortune.
kelsey says
oh my goodness! these look delish and fun to make!
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Caitlin says
Too cute!! I love this and you make it look so much easier than I would have thought. Maybe I'll have to make these as a Valentine's treat for some of my friends 🙂
Allie says
Cute idea!
Miranda @ Cookie Dough & Oven Mitt says
These are adorable! I loveeee fortune cookies. I think I enjoy eating them more than getting the fortune. Maybe it's because my fortunes are always duds, I don't know. The addition of chocolate and sprinkles are perfect!