Even though my family members have never been ones to turn down any kind of dessert, there’s one treat that we make sure we have made for every holiday and get-together: Criss-Cross Cookies. Christmas, New Year’s Day, Easter, birthdays… You name a special event, we probably have at least one batch of these buttery cookies on hand.
Even then, it’s still my Aunt’s special responsibility to make a batch for the holidays, even if other family members are too. In fact, every year, my Aunt Nancy gives my dad a whole tin full of Criss-Cross Cookies as a Christmas gift. Nobody else in my immediate family gets to try one, partially because it was given specifically to him but mostly because the cookies disappear before any of us have a chance to sneak a few.
I really hope you enjoy these cookies as much as I do. Feel free to leave a comment at the end of the post telling me about your experience with these cookies!
Criss-Cross Cookies
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Baking Time: 20-25 minutes
Yield: About 3 dozen cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 5 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix all ingredients together with hands until soft. Then, form the dough into one big ball.
What’s your family’s favorite cookie recipe?
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I have been looking for this recipe for a long time! My Mom made these cookies and never told anyone about them. They were always good and I have tried to recreate them and never quite got it right. But this year, my family will think I found the recipe from my Mom, who by the way has been in heaven for some time now. Maybe she put the thought into your head so that I would find it here. Thank you so much. We will have an old fashioned Christmas!
I’m so happy that I could help you rediscover these cookies (and I’m excited to hear that they were one of your family’s favorite cookies as well)! I hope they taste just like you remember. Have a wonderful Christmas!
These cookies look perfect. Any family favorite that’s been loved for so long HAS to be super. I will be trying these soon. I always love a short ingredient list. So glad I found this.
Is that all purpose or self rising flour? Thanks
Hi Dot,
My family and I just use regular, all-purpose flour for these cookies. I hope that helps. Happy baking!
These cookies remind me so much of “spritz” cookies my big Italian family makes every single year. I cannot wait to try this new recipe and see the similarities and differences. One of my favorite things about these types of cookies is how creative you can be with the sprinkles and candies chosen to put on top. Depending on the season or if there are any holidays coming up, one can switch it up and let the cookies look a little bit different and festive! Great recipe!
These are similar to my Mother’s parker house cookies, only she didn’t mix the dough by hand, she used a mixer but it did take quite a lot of time to get the dough to form together. They are delicious and just begging to be decorated, kids especially like to add choc chips or chopped cherries or just sprinkles.
These sound absolutely divine! The recipe is almost identical to one my grandmother used to make and I’ve been looking for that for years. Thanks so much for sharing, I can’t wait to try it. Here’s an idea, instead of doing the criss crosses, use shortbread stamps to make patterns on them. That’s what I’m going to do, and I think they will turn out really nice.
I have had this recipe since the early 1950s and make all the time. Only thing I do different is I bake them with a pecan or chocolate star pressed into the top after crisscrossing. And I roll the baked & warm cookie in white sugar. Makes a lovely tray of cookies!
can i use a electric mixer instead of my hands