Make plus symbol in CSS

Question

I have the below CSS code which gives the + symbol but not matches the design basically it needs to be thin. See snippet and codpen

.plus {
  position:relative;
  border: 1px dotted white;
  width: 3px;
  height: 3px;
  background-color: black;
  box-sizing: border-box;
  transform: scale(11);
}

<div class="plus"></div>

Should Look like the below symbol:

Any other styling is also fine for me but should look like the snapshot.

Answer 1

Here is a new and better solution with less of code based on my article: https://css-tip.com/css-plus-symbol/. It requires only one gradient to draw the shape.

.plus {
  --b: 4px; /* the thickness */
  width: 40px; /* the size */
  aspect-ratio: 1;
  border: 10px solid #000; /* the outer space */
  background:
    conic-gradient(from 90deg at var(--b) var(--b),#000 90deg,#fff 0) 
    calc(100% + var(--b)/2) calc(100% + var(--b)/2)/
    calc(50%  + var(--b))   calc(50%  + var(--b));
  display: inline-block;
}

.alt {
  border: none;
  margin: 10px;
  background:
    conic-gradient(from 90deg at var(--b) var(--b),#fff 90deg,#000 0) 
    calc(100% + var(--b)/2) calc(100% + var(--b)/2)/
    calc(50%  + var(--b))   calc(50%  + var(--b));
}
.radius {
  border-radius: 50%;
}

<div class="plus">
</div>

<div class="plus alt">
</div>

<div class="plus radius">
</div>

---

Old answer

Use multiple background like below:

.plus {
  display:inline-block;
  width:50px;
  height:50px;
  
  background:
    linear-gradient(#fff 0 0),
    linear-gradient(#fff 0 0),
    #000;
  background-position:center;
  background-size: 50% 2px,2px 50%; /*thickness = 2px, length = 50% (25px)*/
  background-repeat:no-repeat;
}

.alt {
  background:
    linear-gradient(#000 0 0),
    linear-gradient(#000 0 0);
  background-position:center;
  background-size: 50% 2px,2px 50%; /*thickness = 2px, length = 50% (25px)*/
  background-repeat:no-repeat;
}
.radius {
  border-radius:50%;
}

<div class="plus">
</div>

<div class="plus alt">
</div>

<div class="plus radius">
</div>

And here is with transparency:

.plus {
  width:50px;
  height:50px;
  display:inline-block;
  
  background:
    linear-gradient(#000 0 0) top left,
    linear-gradient(#000 0 0) top right,
    linear-gradient(#000 0 0) bottom left,
    linear-gradient(#000 0 0) bottom right;
  background-size: calc(50% - 1px) calc(50% - 1px); /*thickness = 2px (2*1px) */
  background-repeat:no-repeat;
  border:10px solid #000; /*length = 30px (50px - 2x10px) */
  box-sizing:border-box;
}

.radius {
  border-radius:50%;
}

body {
 background:pink;
}

<div class="plus">
</div>

<div class="plus radius">
</div>

We can add CSS variable to easily control the overal shape:

.plus {
  --t:2px;   /* Thickness */
  --l:40px;  /* size of the symbol */
  --s:10px;  /* space around the symbol */
  --c1:#fff; /* Plus color*/
  --c2:#000; /* background color*/

  display:inline-block;
  width:var(--l);
  height:var(--l);
  padding:var(--s);
  box-sizing:border-box; /*Remove this if you don't want space to be included in the size*/
  
  background:
    linear-gradient(var(--c1) 0 0) content-box,
    linear-gradient(var(--c1) 0 0) content-box,
    var(--c2);
  background-position:center;
  background-size: 100% var(--t),var(--t) 100%;
  background-repeat:no-repeat;
}

.radius {
  border-radius:50%;
}

<div class="plus"></div>
<div class="plus" style="--l:35px;--t:3px;--c2:green"></div>
<div class="plus" style="--l:50px;--t:1px;--s:5px;--c1:red;"></div>
<div class="plus" style="--l:35px;--t:5px;--s:0px;--c1:blue;--c2:orange;"></div>

<br>
<div class="plus radius"></div>
<div class="plus radius" style="--l:35px;--t:3px;--c2:green"></div>
<div class="plus radius" style="--l:50px;--t:1px;--s:5px;--c1:red;"></div>
<div class="plus radius" style="--l:35px;--t:5px;--s:0px;--c1:blue;--c2:orange;"></div>