I’ve had this recipe for Resurrection Cookies in my Easter file for a while, but this is the first year I felt my girls were ready for them. (The last few years we’ve made Resurrection Rolls — just because I felt the simpler approach to the death and resurrection of Jesus was more age-appropriate for younger preschoolers).
I would suggest reading the Bible story of Jesus’ death and resurrection aloud to your children before you begin making these cookies. I particularly like the version in The Child’s Story Bible by Catherine Vos for older preschool and elementary-aged children.
Resurrection Cookie Recipe
Supplies:
- 1 cup almonds (or pecans)
- 1 tsp. vinegar
- 3 egg whites
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup sugar
- Zipper baggy
- Wooden spoon
- Mixing bowl
- Mixer
- Cookie sheet
- Spoons
- Tape
- Bible
1) PREHEAT OVEN TO 300 DEGREES. Place one cup nuts into a baggy. Beat the nuts with a wooden spoon until broken into tiny pieces. Remind children Jesus was beaten by the Roman Soldiers.
Read John 19:1-3
1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe 3 and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face.
I also included Isaiah 53:5:
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
2) Allow each child to smell the vinegar. Pour a small amount into a bowl and allow them to taste it. Explain that vinegar was given to Jesus to drink when he was on the cross. Add 1 tsp. vinegar into a mixing bowl.
Read John 19:28-30
28 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
3) Add egg whites to vinegar. The eggs in this recipe represent life. They remind us that Jesus gave his life to give us life abundantly.
Read John 10:10-11
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
4) Put a pinch of salt in your child’s hand. Allow them to taste it. Add a pinch of salt to to the eggs and vinegar. The salt represents the salty tears cried by the women who followed Jesus.
Read Luke 23:27
27 A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him
5) Place a pinch of sugar in your child’s hand. Allow them to taste it. Add one cup sugar to the mixture. Up to this point, the ingredients have been very bitter, but the sweetness in the recipe comes from the sugar. The suffering and death of Jesus are bitter, but the sweetness is that Jesus died because He loves us. Oh, how He loves us!
Read Psalm 34:8
8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
Read John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
6) Beat the mixture for 12-15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed (I recommend setting a timer — it’s important to beat the mixture well). The whiteness of the mixture reminds us of purity and the cleansing of our sins because of Jesus’ death.
Read Isaiah 1:18:
18 “Come now, let us settle the matter,”
says the LORD.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.
7) Stir in the nuts.
8) Drop the dough by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet. The mounds represent the tomb where Jesus was buried.
Read Matthew 27:57-60
57 As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. 58 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59 Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away.
9) After the oven is preheated, put the cookie sheets in the oven. TURN OFF the oven. Allow your child to place pieces of tape and “seal” the oven door. Jesus’ tomb was sealed with a large rock.
Reread Matthew 27:59
59 Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away.
10) Leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Your child might feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight (they were probably expecting to have a yummy treat soon – at least mine were). Jesus’ followers were very sad when the tomb was sealed.
John 16:20-22
20 Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.21 A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.22 So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.
11) In the morning, open the oven and have some cookies! The cookies should be hollow inside. Remind your child that the tomb was empty. Jesus is risen!
Read Matthew 28:1-9
1After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”
8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.
Although these are personally not my favorite cookies (two of my girls loved them — one did not!), they are a great way to learn about the crucifixion and resurrection in a hands-on way for kids. If you would like these directions in a printable form, please feel free to download the sheets I’ve put together with the Resurrection Cookies Recipe.
**I am unable to locate an original source for this recipe. If you know the original creator of this Easter cookie recipe, please send me an email so I can give proper credit! All Scripture references are taken from the NIV translation.
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I may not be religious but enjoyed reading this recipe and the Bible story too.
Hi, Susan!
Thanks so much for taking time to comment! You might be surprised, but I actually don’t consider myself religious either — I like to think of my relationship with God as more of a friendship! I am a rule-follower by personality, but God has surprised me with grace over and over again!
Glad you stopped by! 🙂
I read this at another website (http://www.christmas-cookies.com/recipes/recipe326.easter-story-cookies.html) and they gave credit to Wanda Long, Home Life Magazine (?)
Thanks, Heather!! I’ve had the recipe in my files for over 10 years, and it didn’t list a reference. I’ve seen it in a few publications since then, but no one seems to know the original author.
I’ve always known these as Forgotten cookies since they are put in the oven and “forgotten.” I love this twist on them.
I was wondering if the cookies had a different name! Thanks for sharing that!!
We have made these many times, and sometimes bring them to church on Easter morning for a treat. They are so fun and the process is as meaningful for adults as it is for kids (sometimes more!!:-)
Thanks for sharing and now I don’t have to hunt down my recipe! He is Risen!!
p.s. i found your link on moneysavingmom.com 🙂
Thank you so much for your encouragement! Glad to have you stop by! 🙂
Love the way you make it look so simple!! I have thought about doing these in the past but was overwhelmed with all the steps involved. When I am well again I am going to tackle this! (I have the flu.) Thanks!!!!
Hope you get well soon!
Thank you so much! We’re gonna make these this year for the first time! And “LOO-yah!” as our precious wee one says. (“Alleluia!!!”)
“LOO-yah” 🙂
Aww! That’s so cute!
It was a JOY to read and see your children (i suppose they are your children) making the Resurrection Cookies! Thanks Stacie!!! I know that Jesus Christ lives today and that He has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as ours. And i know that when we or our children feel His touch it can be a literal physical as well as a spiritual experience. God bless you for sharing.
Thanks so much for stopping by! And, yes, they are my sweet little ones!
I was looking around for a great blog post on Resurrection cookies. I came across your blog and LOVED how you explained everything and the verses are RIGHT there!!! I gave a link to your blog on my latest Easter post! Thanks for all of the hard work! I know how much time it takes to go into such detail!
http://www.lifesprinkledwithglitter.blogspot.com/2012/04/easter-egg-jello.html?m=1
*Colleen
Thanks, Colleen! And thanks for the link, too!
We did this with the kids tonight after a friend showed me the link to your page. We thought they would be asking about the cookies and upset about not eating them, but they seemed 100% ok with heading off to bed when we said “all done, goodnight”. I think they just didn’t think they deserved a cookie after realizing a little better what the Lord did. They were just a little quiet after we taped the oven shut. My husband really got into it and seemed to enjoy leading this. I agree that it’s an emotional thing for adults, too. Now, curiosity has this mama cat!!!!! I want to open the oven and have a peek, but I’m guessing they really do have to sit in there for a good long while? I guess I’ll have to wait til morning! Thank you for sharing this!
Hope they turned out for you! You really have to beat the mixture for a long time to get the best results!
Wanda Long is credited with coming up with the recipe/scriptures.
Wanda Long was the mother of Traci that writes the blog below. Wanda died in 9/2009 after battling cancer for 7 weeks. Traci has written about her many times on her blog: you can read Wednesdays with Wanda on her site.
http://www.beneathmywhat heart.net/2012/03/easter-story-cookies-the-true-meaning-of-easter/
http://www.beneathmyheart.net/2012/03/easter-story-cookies-the-true-meaning-of-easter/
I don’t know what happened with the first link; the blog is beneathmyheart.net
Thanks so much!!
Thanks so much for sharing! I’d never heard of this recipe before, but it tells the crucifixion and resurrection story beautifully =) I hope you and your family have a wonderful Easter, and that these cookies can serve as reminders to why we celebrate. God bless!
Thanks, Sarah! Hope you have a blessed day!
I love this idea! My little family did this for the first time this year. My hubby and I got a lot more out of it than our toddler daughter did (of course!) but we still loved doing it. They seemed to turn out pretty well, too, which I was nervous about. I did wonder though, are they supposed to be a little gooey inside? Mine were hollow but also had some gooey-ness to them. It just made me a little nervous that maybe they weren’t cooked completely (raw eggs make me nervous). But the activity is still a lot of fun! Thanks for sharing!
Hi , Jessica. I’m glad it worked for you! You might try making the cookies a little bit smaller next time…Ours weren’t gooey, so I’m not really sure!! Maybe that would help though. 🙂
I did this once with my girls. It was fun, but none of us liked the way the cookies tasted and it made so many. It’s a good way to make the whole story real, and I think I might do it again this year with all of my kids.
They definitely have a different taste! We also had some Resurrection Rolls…and those were much tastier!
Hello Mrs. Stacie ,
My name is Mary and I go to a Christian school in California . We did this recipe with our elementary and they loved it . To be honest , I was disappointed when told we had to wait till the next day to eat them . I’m so thankful the Lord was patient and that His plan is always best .
Mary from California
Thanks for taking the time to let me know, Mary! I’m glad you were able to use the idea and that it turned out for you!
I’m planning on doing this with our 4th graders this week. Does you know about how many cookies one recipe makes? Thanks!
You have probably already made them but- I use the pampered chef large scoop (3 tbs) to make the mounds and I get about 40 mounds from a batch- give or take a few. I also place them on parchment paper on the cookie sheets.
Fantastic idea! Thank you SO much. I was looking for something like this to do with my boys this year. This will be wonderful. Going to share this everywhere!
I’ve done these with my son when he was little, but I’m planning it again this year, now that he’s older & has a little sister, too. 🙂 They’ve been telling the Easter story with their resurrection eggs this year, so this will complement that nicely. They taste like divinity, if I recall correctly. Some people love it & others not so much, but the purpose of the process makes them well worth your while! 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for stopping by!
Thank you for posting this and also for the printable version 🙂 I am excited to make these with my kids!
Nicole
Do you have any suggestions for something to substitute for the nuts that would still work well with flavors in the recipe? I have nut allergies, & would like to enjoy them too 🙂
Hmm….I really don’t know!! To go with the recipe, it’s seems like you would need something crunchy–maybe granola or something like that? Anyone else have suggestions?!!
Hello!
I’ve read in other websites that the nuts can be replaced by choc-chips or raisins. Here’s the link:
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Easter-Story-Cookies
I hope they turn out good for you… and that you were able to see the answer on time!
I’m making these for the first time with the young girls from my bible class tomorrow as we’re going to have a slumber party!
Thank you, Stacie, for the recipe and the Bible verses.
Hello! It is from Home Life Magazine. My mother-in-law Cathy Strickland created this and submitted it to the magazine. Just thought I should let you know!
Hi,Danielle! Do you know what year that was?
We will have to ask her to be sure, my husband thinks it was 1995. She has a copy of the Home Life magazine that it appeared in.
also, she did not invent the recipe… just created the resurrection story idea to go with it.
I brought these to elementary school to share with the class every year for my birthday. They were my favorite cookies and I know them as Forgotten Cookies. One of my friends from back then still asks me to make them. The recipe was in our church cookbook 30+ years ago.
I thought it was a pretty old recipe…that’s why I’m having trouble finding the source!!
I also loved how the bible story is told through the steps..I, too, am not a ‘organized religion’ follower but my Bible teachings are always present with me. Question..how do these cookies compare with meringue cookies?
I knew this cookie as the forgotten cookie and love Wanda for using it to tell the story of Christ. I still find many who do not know the story with the cookie and wish it were on one page to print so I could share it easier with others. It gets a little costly printing out several pages to use as a witness for Christ to both children and adults. I have left a copy or two around in the open so others could find it and use it. Thanks for sharing the receipe along with the references to read.
Thanks so much for this GREAT print out. We have made this recipe for the last 10 years and having a print out with the scriptures will make this much easier. It is nice because now some of my kids can read the scriptures to us. For those with nut allergies. We always substitute in chocolate chip for the nuts. (My kids didn’t like them with the nuts.) They are a little harder to hit but the concept is the same. Hope that helps others! A Happy Easter to you and yours!
We, also, have been making these cookies for about 10 years and I always use chocolate chips and we love them!
I love this and will see about using it for Sunday School this Easter.
I’ve made them in the past as “Forgotten Cookies”, with or without nuts, peppermint, choc chips. They are “Done” when the oven is completely cooled. SO, if you wanted to do these early in the morning they are ready in the afternoon. If you have a window on your oven door you can place an over thermometer on a shelf to see the temp inside and know when it’s safe to openthe “tomb”!
Thanks for a giving me another way to use these cookies!
I’ve had these cookies in my recipe file for years, but haven’t made them yet. My daughter’s still a bit too young for them this year, but I wanted to mention them in my Easter blog post, so I’ve linked to yours! I hope you see some new visitors your way!
Been making this cooking Easter devotional for years with my children to teach them about the Easter Story. Our church used this recipe for a community outreach program. Now that my children are all grown up I still make these cookies at Easter. They are so yummy as well as spiritually meaningful!!
Hello! I’m from Mexico. I’ve read almost all the comments but I still have a doubt. Is any special kind of vinegar?? Here we have white vinegar, sidder, and I think another one. Sorry for the question, I’m not really expert at kitchen.
Thanks and God bless you, I will propose to leaders to give this recipe to the families at church so the can do it at home and bring the cookies to church. I’ll tell you how it goes.
God bless you
Hi, Karla, white vinegar is what I used and should work just fine. Thanks!