Cookie, fortune
Common food
Photo: Wikipedia
A crisp, buttery, and often spiced shortbread-style cookie with a hollow center designed to hold a slip of paper. Its texture is delightfully crumbly and dry, offering a satisfying snap before yielding to a sweet, sometimes slightly salty, and subtly vanilla or almond-flavored interior. Nutritionally, it's a concentrated source of refined carbohydrates and sugar, providing a quick energy burst with minimal protein or fiber.
Calorie split: 4% protein · 89% carbs · 6% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People adore the interactive ritual of cracking it open to reveal a personalized fortune, making it an engaging and memorable end to a meal. Its light, crisp texture and balanced sweetness make it a satisfying, not-too-heavy treat that pairs perfectly with tea or coffee.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
The high sugar (45g per 100g) and refined carb content can lead to rapid blood sugar spikes, offering little satiety. Those monitoring sugar intake or with gluten sensitivities should exercise caution. To mitigate, pair it with a source of protein or fat (like nuts or cheese) and practice strict portion control by sticking to a single cookie.
Key benefits
- Quick source of energy from carbohydrates
- Low in fat compared to many other cookies
- Provides a moment of cultural connection and fun
- Often portion-controlled by design
- A simple, nostalgic treat
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
Despite its strong association with Chinese cuisine, the fortune cookie is widely believed to have been inspired by a Japanese cracker called 'tsujiura senbei' and was first mass-produced in California by Japanese immigrants in the late 19th or early 20th century.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 8.0 g |
| Energy | 378 kcal |
| Protein | 4.2 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 2.7 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 84.0 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 1.6 g |
| Total Sugars | 45.4 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 12.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 1.4 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 7.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 35.0 mg |
| Potassium, K | 41.0 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 31.0 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.17 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.06 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 2.9 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 0.00 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.18 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.13 mg |
| Niacin | 1.8 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.01 mg |
| Folate, total | 66.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 56.0 ug |
| Folate, food | 10.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 105 ug |
| Choline, total | 6.0 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.01 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 1.0 ug |
| Retinol | 1.0 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 0.00 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 3.0 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.03 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 1.1 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.67 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.38 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.28 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 1.3 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.01 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 1.3 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.47 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.44 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.02 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 2.0 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
Estimated from Pie Crust, Cookie-type, Chocolate, Ready Crust — USDA does not publish this profile for Cookie.
| Tryptophan | 0.08 g |
| Threonine | 0.20 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.23 g |
| Leucine | 0.38 g |
| Lysine | 0.24 g |
| Methionine | 0.07 g |
| Cystine | 0.11 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.28 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.16 g |
| Valine | 0.32 g |
| Arginine | 0.29 g |
| Histidine | 0.11 g |
| Alanine | 0.24 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.45 g |
| Glutamic acid | 1.3 g |
| Glycine | 0.24 g |
| Proline | 0.42 g |
| Serine | 0.26 g |
FAQ
Are fortune cookies actually Chinese?
No, they are not a traditional Chinese food. They are a Japanese-American invention that became a staple in Chinese-American restaurants, particularly on the West Coast of the United States.
Why are they served at the end of a Chinese meal in the US?
The tradition started in early 20th-century California. It was likely adopted by Chinese restaurant owners as a novelty to appeal to American diners, and the practice became a widespread cultural expectation.
What are the fortunes made of?
The paper slips are typically made of food-grade paper. The fortunes themselves are often generic proverbs, lucky numbers, or lighthearted phrases, not actual predictions.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 3.78 kcal/g · 4% calories from protein · 1.6 g fiber · 45.4 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 0.76 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.