Paper Fortune Cookies

With Chinese New Year coming up this weekend, I thought it would be fun to make some fortune cookies. I know you can buy them at our local Chinese supermarket, but there’s so much plastic packaging involved and I can’t eat them anyway as they are full of wheat. So instead, we’ve made some out of paper and written out our own fortunes!

We’re having a dinner party with friends at the weekend, to celebrate Burns Night which falls on the same day as Chinese New Year this year, so we are going to bring the fortune cookies along to that. Cultural fusion at it’s best.

I recorded a short video to show you how to make the fortune cookies. It’s easier to show how it’s done, than to try to explain in photos. But if you prefer photos to video, just scroll down for step-by-step instructions. Here’s the video:

Step-by-Step Instructions

You will need:

  • Coloured paper
  • White paper
  • Scissors
  • A pen
  • Glue (in the photo I have a glue stick, but then I found some spare glue dots which actually worked even better)

Also, something round to draw around that’s about 8cm – 10cm across, like a lid or a glass.

Step 1: Cut the coloured paper in to circles approx. 8cm to 10cm in diameter. I used a lid to draw round.

Step 2: Cut the white paper in to little strips approx. 1cm wide and just a little longer than your coloured circles, so since our circles were 8cm we made our fortune strips 8.5cm. Then write out a fortune on to each strip of paper (see our suggestions at the end of this post).

Step 3: Take a paper circle and fold it in half, pressing down only in the middle of the fold.

Step 4: Unfold the circle again, and add some glue – either a glue dot or a dab of other strong glue – alongside the crease you just made.

Step 5: Roll the circle back to make a little ‘tube’, with the glue side pointing outwards, and insert a fortune strip. On the back, the sides of the circle should be overlapping like so…

And the front should look like this…

Step 6: Gently nudge the rolled up circle inwards, where the crease you made is. The two ends should start to fold towards the middle.

When they meet, the glue will hold them in place. Depending on what kind of glue you used, you might have to hold it for a moment while the glue dries. With the glue dots, you can pretty much let go immediately.

Now make more fortune cookies until you have enough for everyone!

Here are 20 ideas for the fortunes, that are short enough to fit on a small strip of paper:

  • You can create your own happiness.
  • All things are difficult before they are easy.
  • When one door closes, another opens.
  • Everyone agrees. You are the best.
  • Now is the time to try something new.
  • Sometimes you just need to lay on the floor.
  • The greatest risk is not taking one.
  • Stop wishing. Start doing.
  • You are very talented in many ways.
  • You must try, or hate yourself for not trying.
  • It’s better to be alone sometimes.
  • A thrilling time is in your immediate future.
  • Laugh long, loud and often.
  • You will bring sunshine into someone’s life.
  • Sun always shines after a downpour
  • Good things take time.
  • Just be yourself. You are wonderful.
  • When nothing goes right, go left.
  • Good things take time.
  • Something wonderful is about to happen.

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Comments: 13

  • reply
    21 January 2020

    Ah what a lovely idea for an activity and to use afterwards for a special time. I also like the fact that no biscuit to open! My daughter eats them all!!

  • reply
    21 January 2020

    What a cute idea! These would be lovely additions to a dinner party and fun for children to make as well :)

  • reply

    Jon

    21 January 2020

    These are so simple to make but they look so great. Think I will have a go at this during the weekend!

  • reply
    21 January 2020

    Such a lovely idea for Chinese New Year. these are cute, colourful and would be a fun craft for the kids to try.

  • reply
    21 January 2020

    These are so lovely. The video really highlighted how easy they are to make.

    Enjoy your Chinese burns night!

  • reply
    21 January 2020

    Erin loves real fortune cookies. These are a fun idea for children!

  • reply
    22 January 2020

    Awww this craft is absolutely cute, we were just talking about doing paper fortune cookies, what a lovely idea.

  • reply

    Melanie williams

    22 January 2020

    Ooo how clever is this. Very cute and a lovely craft for sure – fab idea x

  • reply
    22 January 2020

    What a lovely simple make to do with the little ones. Love that you can have much more personalised fortunes

  • reply
    23 January 2020

    Great idea, I bet your guests will love having these. Have a fun time.

  • reply
    23 January 2020

    Love this idea, might make some for Eliza’s party at the weekend

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