Easter Story Cookies

Happy Easter everyone! So far, Easter has been very nice here, though the big family dinner at my mother in law's isn't until this afternoon, so we'll see how the rest goes :) Yesterday, the kids and I made Easter Story Cookies, which I came across in a devotional book of mine called "More God's Abundance". The recipe follows the story of Jesus on the cross, using the ingredients to represent different parts of the story. It really gives the kids an impression of what Jesus sacrificed for us. The cookies are pretty good too! Make these the night before Easter.

Easter Story Cookies

1 cup whole pecans

1 tsp. vinegar

3 egg whites

pinch of salt

1 cup sugar

zipper baggie

wooden spoon

tape

Bible

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Do this first, don't wait until you start the recipe. Place the pecans into the baggie and let the children beat them with the wooden spoon into small pieces. This represents when Jesus was arrested and beaten by the Roman soldiers. John 19:1-3.

Let each child smell the vinegar. Put the vinegar into a 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 the 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 sourness of our sin. Read Luke 23:27.

Now add one cup of sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because he loves us. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain the white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3: 1-3.

Fold in the broken pecans. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew 27:65-66.

Go to bed! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight just like Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20, 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' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9.

"For I remember it is Easter morn, And life and love and peace are all new born."

-Alice Freeman Palmer