As a psychologist, I know the importance of sensory integration when teaching a concept. (Simply put, sensory integration is using as many senses as possible to teach a lesson.  The idea behind sensory integration is that the more senses that are used to teach something, the more likely you are to remember the lesson).  This is one of the reasons why I love the idea of making Resurrection cookies. The below recipe uses all five senses in order to help you and your child learn the resurrection message.  

Ingredients Needed:                                                                                       
1 cup whole pecans or 1 c of chocolate chips
1 tsp vinegar
3 egg whites
Pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
Other Supplies Needed:
Bible
Wooden Spoon or Meat Mallet
Zipper baggie – gallon size
Tape
  
1.      Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F.

2.      Place the pecans or chocolate chips inside the zipper baggie. Read John 19:1 & 3 Plate gave orders for Jesus to be beaten with a whip.  3 They came up to him and said, “Hey, you king of the Jews!” They also hit him with their fists. – Explain that after Jesus was arrested, the Roman soldiers beat him.  Let your children take turns beating the pecans or chocolate chips into small pieces with the wooden spoon or meat mallet.  Don’t crush them finely, but leave in small to large pieces.

3.      Take out the vinegar and let all the children smell it. Explain to them that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, this is what they offered him to drink. If your children would like to taste it, allow a small taste but do not force them to.  Pour the vinegar into a mixing bowl Read John 19:28-30 28 Jesus knew that he had now finished his work. And in order to make the Scriptures come true, he said, “I am thirsty!” 29 A jar of cheap wine was there. Someone then soaked a sponge with the wine and held it up to Jesus’ mouth on the stem of a hyssop plant. 30 After Jesus drank the wine, he said, “Everything is done!” He bowed his head and died.

4.      Pour the egg whites into the mixing bowl with the vinegar. Explain to your children that eggs represent life. Then tell them that Jesus gave his life for each and every one of us. Read John 10:10-11 – 10  A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest. 11 I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd gives up his life for his sheep.

5.      Next, put a tiny bit of salt on each of your children’s hands, and let them taste it. Tell them that this salt represents the salty tears of Jesus’ followers that loved him very much. Read Luke 23:27 A large crowd was following Jesus, and in the crowd a lot of women were crying and weeping for him.  Put a dash of salt in the mixing bowl.

6.      Now, let each child hold out his/her hands, and this time, give them each a taste of the sugar. Tell them that this is the sweet part of the story because Jesus died for our sins because he loves us! John 3:16 KJVFor God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.  Add the sugar to the mixing bowl.

7.      Beat the mixture on high.  Keep beating on high for 12-15 minutes or until still peaks form. The mixture is now pure white.  Explain to your children that this symbolizes Jesus’ purity because Jesus never sinned. Read Isaiah 1:18 I, the Lord, invite you to come and talk it over. Your sins are scarlet red, but they will be whiter than snow or wool.

Read John 3:1-3 There was a man named Nicodemus who was a Pharisee and a Jewish leader. 2 One night he went to Jesus and said, “Sir, we know that God has sent you to teach us. You could not work these miracles, unless God were with you.” 3 Jesus replied, “I tell you for certain that you must be born from above before you can see God’s kingdom!”  Now explain when your sins are cleansed by Jesus, they are as white as snow.

8.       Next fold in the beaten pecans or mini chocolate chips.  Drop by the teaspoon full onto a cookie sheet covered with wax paper. Tell your children that these lumpy mounds represent the tomb where Jesus’ body was laid. Read Matthew 27:58-60  went and asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate gave orders for it to be given to Joseph, 59 who took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth. 60 Then Joseph put the body in his own tomb that had been cut into solid rock and had never been used. He rolled a big stone against the entrance to the tomb and went away.

9.      Put the cookies in the oven, and turn the oven OFF!  Give each child a piece of tape to “seal” the oven. Read Matthew 27:65  Pilate said to them, “All right, take some of your soldiers and guard the tomb as well as you know how.”

10.  Explain how the disciples were in despair to leave Jesus’ body in the tomb. Explain to your children that you must leave your cookies in the sealed oven overnight, even if it makes them feel sad. Read John 16:20 & 22, I tell you for certain that you will cry and be sad, but the world will be happy. You will be sad, but later you will be happy. 22 You are now very sad. But later I will see you, and you will be so happy that no one will be able to change the way you feel. 

Now have your children prepare for bed.

11.  Have your children, remove the tape and open the oven on Easter morning! Your cookies are hollow, just like Jesus’ tomb was on Easter morning!  Read Matthew 28:6 He isn’t here! God has raised him to life, just as Jesus said he would. Come, see the place where his body was lying.

12.  Enjoy the cookies and discuss what Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection mean to you.  Also, talk about how we know Jesus rose again and there is no other explanations for the empty tomb (i.e., the tomb was sealed like the oven ant there were guards to watch the tomb.

That is all for now.  Continue to pray for me as I pray for you,

Corine

You can learn more about me by visiting www.booksbycorine.com
Unless otherwise noted, all Bible verse are taken from Contemporary English Version (CEV) – Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society
Also note, I did not create this recipe but found it on the internet awhile ago.  For all my research, I cannot find the copyright.