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Fortune Cookie

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description Fortune Cookie Overview

Fortune cookies, traditionally served after American Chinese meals, are crisp, golden-brown biscuits containing a small folded paper with a pre-written fortune inside – a custom dating back to the early 20th century.

help Fortune Cookie FAQ

Are fortune cookies actually Chinese?

Modern American fortune cookies are generally described as an American creation with Japanese roots rather than a traditional Chinese dessert. The Smithsonian connects their US history to Japanese confectioners and the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco.

Who was Makoto Hagiwara in fortune-cookie history?

Makoto Hagiwara ran the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park and is widely credited with serving an early American version of the cookie. San Francisco confectioner Benkyodo supplied cookies to the garden.

How does the paper fortune get inside the cookie?

The paper is placed into the thin cookie while it is still warm and flexible, then the cookie is folded into its familiar curved shape. The finished biscuit hardens around the pre-written slip as it cools.

Why are fortune cookies served after Chinese-American meals?

By the 1930s, fortune cookies had become a common free dessert in Chinese restaurants across the United States. During World War II, Chinese-American businesses expanded production after Japanese-American bakers were forced into internment camps.

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