Easter Cookies: Teaching Children the Resurrection

Easter Cookie Story
To be made the evening before Easter, or whenever you want to give this lesson. 
You can open the oven early, but overnight works best.

Ingredients
I cup whole pecans
1 tsp. white vinegar
3 egg whites
1 pinch of salt
1 cup sugar

Instructions
Preheat oven to 300°F.

Place the pecans in a zipper baggie and let the children beat them with a wooden spoon to break into small pieces.Set them aside.
Jesus was arrested, and the Roman soldiers beat him.  
John 19:1-3

Let the children smell the vinegar, and then put 1 tsp. vinegar into a mixing bowl.
Jesus was forced to drink vinegar when he was thirsty on the cross.
John 19: 28-30

Eggs represent life. By giving His life, Jesus gave us eternal life.
John 10: 10-11
Add the egg whites to the vinegar.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it. Add the salt to the bowl.
The salt represents the salty tears that were shed by Jesus’s followers and the bitterness of our sin.
Luke 23: 27

So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar.
The sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us!
Psalms 34:8; John 3: 16

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12-15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed.
The color white represents the purit in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Christ.
Isaiah 1:18; John 3: 1-3

Fold in the broken pecans. Drop by teaspoons onto parchment paper (or silpat) on a cookie sheet.
Each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus's bod was placed.
Matthew 27: 57-60

Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF.
Give each child a piece of painters' tape and symbolically seal the oven door.
Jesus's tomb was sealed.
Matthew 27: 65-66

Go to bed.
The children may be sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight just as Jesus's followers were in in despair when the tomb was sealed.
John 16: 20 and 22

On Easter 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's followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.
Mark 16:1; Matthew 28: 2 and 5 
 
via leigh anne wilkes