Resurrection Cookies

Hello All,

So I wanted to teach my little girl about the real reason of Easter. We get so wrapped up in egg hunts, cute dresses, and getting together with family. That is all great, but it is not the reason we celebrate Easter. We have a few books we read, and she learns about it at church, but it is most important for us as parents to model it for our children. I found this great idea in the March/April 2011 edition of MomSense, so this is not my idea.

It is ideal to do this the night before Easter, we were so busy though this weekend that we did it the day after. Either way, it does teach her the real reason.  This is a long post so beware. I wanted to link to this article in MomSense, but they don't have it there, so I am literally copying it.

You'll Need
1 c Whole pecans or 1 C mini-chocolate chips
1 tsp vinagar
3 egg whites
Pinch of salt
1 c sugar
ziploc bag
wooden spoon
tape
Bible

1. Preheat oven to 300
2. Place pecans or chocolate chips in ziploc bag. Have child beat with wooden spoon. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, the Roman Soldiers beat him (john 19:1-3)
3. Let each child smell the vinegar before putting it into a mixing bowl. Explain that Jesus was thristy on the cross, he was given vinegar to drink ( John 19:28-30)
4. Add egg whites to the vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave his life to give us life.(John 10:10-11)
5. 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.(Luke 23:27)
6. Add sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because he loves us. He wants us to know him and belong to him. (Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16)
7. Beat egg white mixture with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus (Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3)
8. Fold in broken nuts of chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a cookie sheet covered with wax paper. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid (Matthew 27:57-60)
9. Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door, and turn off the oven. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door with the tape. Explain that Jesus's tomb was sealed (Matthew 27:65-66)
10. Go to bed. Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers felt despair when the tomb was sealed too. ( John 16:20-22)
11. In the morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow. On the first Easter, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. He is risen! He is risen indeed! ( Matthew 28:1-9)

Here are a few pictures from our time. She really enjoyed it, and explained everything she did to her daddy later.

I think this definately made it more real for her, and they tasted pretty good as well. Hope you can do this next year with your little ones.

God Bless,
Shelly