Fortune cookie sayings are usually words of wisdom or a vague prophecy. Fortune cookies are crisp, sweet crackers, made from flour, sugar, vanilla, and oil; the "fortune" is written on a piece of paper inside. In the Western world the cookies are often served in Chinese restaurants as a dessert. Curiously, fortune cookies are largely unknown in China - they were popularized by Chinese immigrants in California in the early 20th century, who based their recipe on a traditional Japanese cracker.