Homemade Fortune Cookies Provide Opportunity For Fun and Laughter

If your family enjoys playing practical jokes or sending little love notes to one another, why not seal them inside a few homemade fortune cookies. It is important that the fortunes be written up prior to the baking session. Making the fortunes ahead of time will allow for creative thinking and a more personalized note in each cookie. If you are going to put comedy style fortunes in the cookies, allow yourself plenty of creative time to get them done. The fortunes should be written on paper that is 3 to 3-1/2 inches long and no more than ½ inch wide. There are quite a few tricks to making homemade fortune cookies but once you get the hang of it, the process picks up speed. It is important to use cold baking sheets, make sure that it is greased or lined with parchment paper. If necessary, use more than one baking sheet, alternating so that one is always cooled down enough to use. There are only about 20 seconds to work with the cookie when it comes out of the oven before it becomes too stiff to shape. It is best to wear cotton gloves when shaping the cookies because they must be worked with while they are still extremely hot and will most likely burn your fingers. Folding the cookie takes practice; you will want to lay it in the palm of your hand, placing the fortune in the middle of the cookie. It is at this point that you will want to quickly fold the cookie in half. While still holding the cookie between your two hands, with your thumb and your index finger, fold the cookie over the rim of a glass or the handle of a wooden spoon. The cookie will be hardening while you are working.