Resurrection Cookies

Make these cookies with children (or not) and bring them to share with your Arise group. Print out and distribute the recipe because everyone's going to want to make them. Enjoy God's bounty.

Resurrection Cookies

Resurrection cookies are as much about making as they are about eating. Make these cookies with the young people in your life on Holy Saturday and they’ll be ready to eat on Easter Sunday. Follow the directions and give the children a Bible lesson at the same time.

Ingredients:

1 cup whole pecans 1 teaspoon vinegar, plus some to taste
3 egg whites pinch salt, plus some to taste
1 cup sugar, plus taste

Tools:

Rolling pin or wooden spoon cookie sheet
Plastic bag with a zipper lock wax paper
Tape
Bible


Preheat oven to 300* F. Place pecans in the zipper bag and let children or someone beat them with a rolling pin or wooden spoon, to break them into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested He was beaten by the Roman soldiers.
Read John 19: 1-3
Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged. And the soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head…They kept coming up to Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and striking Him, again and again.

Let each child smell and taste the vinegar. Put vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the Cross He was given vinegar to drink.
Read John 19: 28-30
After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, He said (in order to fulfill the Scripture). “I am thirsty.” A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the wine, He said, “It is finished.” Then He bowed his head and gave up His spirit.

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life.
Read John 10: 10-11
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child’s hand. Let them taste it as you put the teaspoon of salt 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
A great number of the people followed Him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for Him.

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 Isaiah 1:18
Come now, let us argue it out, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.

So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add the sugar to the egg mixture and give some to the children to taste. 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 John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life.

Fold in the broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper-covered cookie sheet (do not use a baking stone!). Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid.
Read Matt 27: 59-60
So Joseph of Arimathea took the body of Joseph, wrapped it in a clean linen sheet and laid it in his own tomb which had been cut out of rock.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door, and turn the oven off. Give each child a piece of tape to seal the “tomb.” (oven door) Explain that Jesus’ tomb was sealed.
Read Matt 27: 66
So they made the tomb secure by sealing the stone.

Go to bed. The children may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Explain that Jesus’ followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.
Read John 16:20
Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice: you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy.

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Take a bite and notice the cookies are hollow! On the first Easter, Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.
Read Matt 28: 5-6
But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He has been raised, as He said, Come, see the place where He lay.”

Found in the April 2009 edition of Catholic Digest, "Easter Cookies."