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Here’s a recipe straight from my grandma’s kitchen. She used to work as a school cook and Raisin Crisscross Cookies was one of her favorite recipes. Mine too. Little crunchy cookies, filled with raisins and a hint of lemon, marked by a sweet crisscross pattern that said “I Love You.”
My husband loves raisins, so this cookie is one of his favorite’s too. Because they are little, they make nice tea party sweets to serve with your favorite tea.
My Grandma Swiler loved to make cookies. She always had some at her house when we would stop by for a visit, either in a cookie jar on her table or in her freezer. Often there was a variety to choose from.
Ingredients for Raisin Crisscross Cookies
(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)
Instructions for Making this Recipe
Preheat oven to 400°F. Gather the ingredients so you have everything close at hand on the counter or table. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Using a crinkle cutter or knife on a cutting board, chop the raisins. I always use regular raisins for this recipe rather than golden raisins. While this step is optional, I prefer biting into smaller bits of dried fruit rather than larger pieces.
Prepare the Cookie Dough
In large mixing bowl, cream the vegetable shortening, granulated sugar, large egg, and lemon extract.
In a small bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to mix well.
Add flour mixture to the creamed sugar in 3 parts, mixing well after each addition. Scrap the sides of the bowl as needed. If necessary, you may add 1-2 tablespoons of water to make a soft dough. Stir in raisins.
Form and Bake Cookies
Using a small spoon or a disher scoop, roll dough into balls that are about 1 1/2 inches.
I like to use a disher scoop to make cookies to ensure the cookies are all the same size. For this recipe I used my purple Vollrath 3/4 oz – size 40 scoop.
Place balls on prepared baking sheet. Flatten with fork to make a crisscross pattern #. If the dough is sticky, you may dip your fork in flour for better release.
Bake the cookies in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes until lightly browned on edges. Remove from oven and place cookies on a wire cooling rack.
This recipe will make 2 dozen cookies. Store in covered container for 3-5 days or place in freezer bags to freeze for 2-3 months.
When freezing baked goods, it’s always the best practice to allow the item(s) to come to room temperature before removing them from the freezer bag or container to ensure that all of the moisture from the item is soaked back in rather than risk drying out.
Serve cookies for a snack or dessert with a glass of ice cold milk, or as a tea party sweet.
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Raisin Crisscross Cookies
(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1-2 tablespoons water (as needed to make a nice dough)
- 1 cup raisins (chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Gather the ingredients so you have everything close at hand on the counter or table. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Using a crinkle cutter or knife on a cutting board, chop the raisins. (I always use regular raisins for this recipe rather than golden raisins. While this step is optional, I prefer biting into smaller bits of dried fruit rather than larger pieces.)
Prepare the Dough
- In large mixing bowl, cream the vegetable shortening, granulated sugar, large egg, and lemon extract.
- In a small bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to mix well.
- Add flour mixture to the creamed sugar in 3 parts, mixing well after each addition. Scrap the sides of the bowl as needed. If necessary, you may add 1-2 tablespoons of water to make a soft dough. Stir in chopped raisins.
Form and Bake the Cookies
- Using a spoon or a small disher scoop, roll dough into balls that are about 1 1/2 inches. (For this recipe I used my purple Vollrath 3/4 oz – size 40 scoop.)
- Place balls on prepared baking sheet. Flatten with fork to make a crisscross pattern #. If the dough is sticky, you may dip your fork in flour for better release.
- Bake the cookies in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes until lightly browned on edges. Remove from oven and place cookies on a wire cooling rack.
- This recipe will make 2 dozen cookies. Store in covered container for 3-5 days or place in freezer bags to freeze for 2-3 months. Makes 2 dozen.
I hope you will love these cookies as much as we do!