Resurrection Cookies
Resurrection Cookies are a favorite from years ago and have been something I send out at Easter. In the photo above, you will see the Resurrection Cookies snuggled in amongst white and pink dogwoods, which flower each Easter and point wholeheartedly toward Christ. Not sure where the original recipe came from, beyond a wonderful group of homeschool moms who love the Lord. Whoever figured this out - thank you!
Resurrection Cookies are a tool to help teach your kids about the Lord Jesus Christ and the historical fact that His tomb, is empty!! Yes, I agree that teaching about Jesus through food is a little different, but it gives children something real and concrete to grasp. Our daughter is pushing 17 and she is still marvelling that the tomb was empty in this recipe. This is where the art of baking and reading scripture will combine into a powerful resurrection history for your kids, and really for your entire family! So often we call it " The Easter Story" but truly, the resurrection is not merely a "story" like some fanciful Disney movie.
Easter is the real life account of a risen Savior, in the body and person of the Lord Jesus Christ. So while we often do wonderful, traditional things at Easter, telling the Easter "story" as we go, try switching focus this year and tell the History of Easter, placing Christ's resurrection into the context of time and history! Read from the Bible, forego the story books. Sure, your kids may be little, but the earlier they learn that this is the HIStory of Christ, the more they solidify Him as Redeemer, the true Son of God, who walked on earth in bodily form, giving up His perfect, sinless life for them.
Resurrection Cookies are gluten free, grain free and casein free but loaded with sugar (we are trying a stevia based version out today Sugar Free Resurrection Cookies with Stevia). If your family has nut allergies, you could probably substitute just about any nut, or leave them out entirely. Along with our delicious Resurrection Rolls, they make the history of Easter come alive for kids...okay, and adults too!
Whip up a batch Saturday night, and open the "tomb" on Resurrection Sunday to reveal the cookies and their surprise inside on Easter morning!
We hope you will rejoice that Jesus is RISEN, and that He is our Passover lamb, the Savior of the world!
Resurrection Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 cup whole pecans
- 1 tsp. vinegar
- 3 egg whites
- pinch salt
- 1 cup sugar
- Ziploc bag
- Wooden spoon
- Tape
- Bible
Preheat oven to 300 F. Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested he was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.
Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.
Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.
Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.
So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Ps. 34:8 and John 3:16.
Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isa.1:18 and John 3:1-3.
Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matt. 27:57-60.
Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus’ tomb was sealed. Read Matt. 27:65-66.
GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.
On Resurrection morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Resurrection day Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matt. 28:1-9.
Entire Recipe Text below
Resurrection Cookies are a favorite from years ago. Not sure where the original recipe came from, beyond a wonderful group of homeschool moms who love the Lord. Whoever figured this out - thank you! Resurrection Cookies are a tool to help teach your kids about the Lord Jesus Christ. Whip up a batch Saturday night, and open the "tomb" on Resurrection Sunday to reveal the cookies and their surprise inside.
We hope you will rejoice that Jesus is RISEN, and that He is our Passover lamb, the Savior of the world!
Resurrection Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 cup whole pecans
- 1 tsp. vinegar
- 3 egg whites
- pinch salt
- 1 cup sugar
- Ziploc bag
- Wooden spoon
- Tape
- Bible
Preheat oven to 300 F. Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested he was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.
Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.
Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.
Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.
So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Ps. 34:8 and John 3:16.
Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isa.1:18 and John 3:1-3.
Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matt. 27:57-60.
Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus’ tomb was sealed. Read Matt. 27:65-66.
GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.
On Resurrection morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Resurrection day Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matt. 28:1-9.
Resurrection Eggs
Years ago, we made Resurrection eggs with the kids and they really enjoyed making the eggs. Yet, they were sobered by what each item in the Resurrection Egg symbolized. You will need:
1 dozen plastic eggs (or you can put these in plastic containers of any type)
Bread
Coins
Purple cloth
Thorns
Scourge - a piece of rope or string
Cross
Nails
Sign
Sponge
Spear
Rock
1. (Bread) Matthew 26:26 While they were eating Jesus took a piece of bread, gave a prayer of thanks, broke it, and gave it to His disciples. "Take and eat it," He said, "This is My body."
2. (Coins) Matthew 26: 14-15 Then one of the twelve disciples, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and asked, "What will you give me if I betray Jesus to you?" They counted out thirty silver coins and gavethem to him.
3. (Purple cloth, representing a purple robe) Mark 15:17 They put a purple robe on Jesus. . .
4. (Thorns) Matthew 27:29 Then they made a crown out of thorny branches and placed it on His head, and put a stick on His right hand; then they knelt before Him and made fun of Him. "Long live the King, of the Jews!" they said.
5. (Scourge-a small piece of rope or thick string) Mark 15:15 Pilate wanted to please the crowd, so he set Barabbas free for them. Then he had Jesus whipped and handed Him over to be crucified.
6. (Cross) John 19: 17-18a He went out, carrying His cross, and came to "The Place of the Skull," as it is called. (In Hebrew it is called "Galgotha.") There they crucified Him.
7. (Nails) John 20:25b Thomas said to them, "Unless I see the scars of the nails in His hands and put my finger on those scars and my hand in His side, I will not believe."
8. (Sign) Luke 23:38 Above Him were written these words: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
9. (Sponge) Matthew 27:48 One of them ran up at once, took a sponge, soaked it in cheap wine, put it on the end of a stick, and tried to make Him drink it.
10. (Spear) John 19:34 One of the soldiers plunged his spear into Jesus' side, and at once blood and water poured out.
11. (Rock) Matthew 27:59-60 Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a new linen sheet, and placed it in his own new tomb, which he had just recently dug out of solid rock. Then he rolled a large stone across the entrance to the tomb and went away.
12. (Empty) Matthew 28:6 He is not here He has risen just as He said.