Fortune Cookie

dessert · mystery · Asian-American history

Crispy sweet treat. Fortune cookies are made from flour, sugar, vanilla, and sesame seed oil mixed into a thin wafer that gets folded while it's still warm and flexible.

Message inside. Each fortune cookie contains a small piece of paper with a saying, funny quote, lucky numbers, or even a Chinese phrase with its translation.

California invention. Despite their name, fortune cookies didn't come from China. They were most likely created by Japanese immigrants in California in the late 1800s or early 1900s.

American favorite. Fortune cookies became popular as a dessert in Chinese restaurants across the United States, Canada, Australia, and other countries, even though they're not actually a traditional Chinese food.

Japanese tea tradition. The original Japanese version of fortune cookies was simpler and didn't include the lucky numbers, but was enjoyed as a companion to tea.