Today, February 3, 2011, is the first day of the Chinese new year – Year of the Rabbit. And what could be more fun than making fortune cookies to bring in the Lunar New Year? These simple cookies are not only great fun, but they’re also super crispy and lightly sweet. Perfect for a special meal or party favor and especially to celebrate the beginning of the Chinese New Year! (BTW, I read over 30 recipes on fortune cookies and settled on a recipe from babycakes291, with modifications from a few of her readers)
Fortune Cookies:
3 egg whites – $.45
1/2 cup white sugar – $.50
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled – $.65
1/2 tsp vanilla extract – pantry
1 cup all-purpose flour – $.75
3 Tbsps water
20-25 preprinted fortunes (cut out and folded)COST: $2.30
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets well and re-grease between batches, if necessary. Have prepared fortunes ready to go on small strips of paper and set aside.
In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites and sugar until frothy. Stir in melted butter, vanilla extract, water and mix again. Add flour slowly and mix till batter resembles something similar to a thin pancake batter.
Next, spoon batter into 3 inch circles on the prepared baking sheets. Make sure and spread batter very thin, with back of spoon in circular motion. Leave room between cookies for spreading.
Bake for 5 minutes, or until edges begin to brown slightly. Quickly remove one cookie at a time, place a message in the center, and fold in half. Have a glass or mug available to then fold the cookie over rim to create a horse shoe shape. Place each cookie in a muffin tin to cool. This will insure they cool and maintain their shape.
NOTE: Although you don’t want to overbaked, you do need to bake them long enough that they’re golden around the edges. If under cooked, they remain soft in the middle and will not dry to a crisp. The key is to spread batter thin and only make batches of about 4 at a time. While folding each cookie, I leave the pan in the oven with door ajar. This helps keep cookies hot and malleable while I fold each one.
GRAND TOTAL: $2.30
