Fortune Cookies
Delicate, crispy wafer cookies folded into iconic fortune-holding shapes while still warm. Impressive-looking treats that are surprisingly simple to make at home with just egg whites and butter.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Servings
- 12
- Calories
- 142
- Protein
- 2g
Ingredients
- 2 count large egg whites, room temperature
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Have ready 12 fortunes written on small slips of paper (about 2 inches long and 0.5 inches wide) — these will go inside the cookies while they're warm.
- 2
Make sure your 2 large egg whites are at room temperature — this helps them whip to the right volume. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 0.5 cup all-purpose flour and 0.125 teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside.
- 3
In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the 2 room-temperature egg whites with 0.5 cup granulated sugar. Whisk vigorously by hand for 2–3 minutes until the mixture is pale, thick, and foamy — you're not making meringue, just incorporating air and dissolving the sugar slightly.
- 4
Pour in 4 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter and 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract. Whisk until fully combined and smooth.
- 5
Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and whisk gently until just combined — the batter should be thin, smooth, and look like crepe batter. Do not overmix. Let it rest for 2 minutes so the flour fully hydrates.
- 6
Spoon 1 tablespoon of batter onto one corner of your prepared baking sheet, then use an offset spatula to spread it into a very thin, 4-inch circle — the thinner the better, as it makes folding easier. Space circles at least 3 inches apart; you can fit only 4–5 per sheet.
- 7
Bake on the middle oven rack for 6–7 minutes, until the edges are golden brown but the center is still pale — watch carefully, as these cookies brown quickly. The entire cookie should be just set and slightly flexible, not crispy yet.
- 8
Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Working very quickly while the cookies are still warm and pliable, use a thin spatula to lift one cookie and fold it in half — use a gentle, quick motion. Before it cools completely (about 3 seconds), immediately fold the cookie in half again to create the classic fortune cookie fortune-holder shape. If the cookie hardens before you fold, return the sheet to the oven for 15 seconds to soften it again.
- 9
Once folded, quickly slip one of your prepared fortune slips into the open pocket while the cookie is still warm and slightly pliable. Set it on a clean rack to cool and crisp up, about 2 minutes.
- 10
Repeat the batter-spreading, baking, and folding process with the remaining batter. You should make about 12 fortune cookies total, baking in 4–5 batches. As you become more practiced, you'll work faster and develop a rhythm.
- 11
Once all cookies are completely cool and crisp, about 15 minutes, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They keep for up to 5 days but are best enjoyed within 2 days while they retain their delicate crispness.
Tools you’ll need
- large baking sheet
- parchment paper
- medium mixing bowl
- large mixing bowl
- whisk
- offset spatula
- thin spatula
- cooling rack
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