Top photo courtesy National Honey Board, bottom photo by Claire Freierman | THE NIBBLE.

The Chinese New Year, also called the Lunar New Year, begins on February 7th this year (it changes each year, based on the lunar calendar). You can ring in the Year of the Rat with homemade honey fortune cookies—delicious and easy to make with this recipe from the National Honey Board. The substitution of honey for white sugar gives the cookies a big boost in flavor.

Personalize the cookies with creative fortunes for your family and friends (start with “You will discover amazing foods on TheNibble.com”).

You can also decorate them by dipping in chocolate, drizzling with icing, or both.

If you want to give them as a gift, red is a good luck color in China, hence the red cartons in the photo.
 
 
RECIPE: CHINESE FORTUNE COOKIES

Ingredients For 16 Cookies

Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F.

2. COMBINE the flour, cornstarch, and salt in a small bowl and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg whites, honey, and orange oil until slightly frothy. Add the flour mixture and whisk until smooth.

3. LINE a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat. Using a measuring spoon, place 4 one-tablespoon portions of the mixture on baking sheet, evenly spaced. Using a small spatula or the back of a spoon, shape each portion into a 3-1/2 to 4-inch round.

4. BAKE for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned, and remove from oven. Working quickly, use a small spatula to loosen the cookies from the parchment. Place a proverb or fortune on one side of each cookie, fold in half and then fold the points toward each other.

5. PLACE the cookies in a muffin pan or other device to hold the shapes until they have cooled. Repeat with the remaining batter. Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

6. SERVE with jasmine tea and/or vanilla, chocolate or ginger ice cream.
 
THE HISTORY OF FORTUNE COOKIES.

They were, to quote Bruce Springsteen, born in the U.S.A.