These Empty Tomb Resurrection Cookies provide a fun and easy way to engage children in the miraculous Easter story. Not only is this recipe perfect for little hands to help with, but it also provides a captivating way to teach them about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The hollow meringue cookies serve as a symbolic reminder of Jesus Christ’s empty tomb, representing His resurrection.
Ingredients – 1-⅓ cups malted milk balls or whole pecans – 1 teaspoon white vinegar – ⅛ teaspoon salt – 4 egg whites – 1 cup granulated sugar – Optional: ½ teaspoon vanilla or see notes for more ideas
1Place the candy or nuts in a plastic bag and zip the bag closed. Beat them with a mallet until they look like fine gravel. Talking point: When Jesus was arrested, he was beaten by the Roman Soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.
Place the vinegar in a large mixing bowl. Smell the vinegar (and taste some of it if you dare). Talking point: When Jesus was on the cross, he was thirsty and he was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.
Add the salt to the bowl. If you have extra salt, place a few grains in your child’s hand and let them taste it. Talking point: The salt represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.
Add the egg whites to the bowl with the vinegar and salt. Talking point: Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave up His life so that we could have eternal life. Read John 10:10-11.
Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on high speed. When the egg whites get foamy, slowly pour in the sugar with the mixer running. Talking point: The sugar represents the sweetest part of the story, which is that Jesus died because He loves us and wanted to pay the debt for our sins so we could be with Him. Read Psalms 34:8 and John 3:16.
Continue beating the egg whites until they get to the stiff peak stage (they will look shiny and pointy mounds will stand upright when you lift the beaters). Talking point: The bright white eggs represent our sins being washed clean by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.
Use a wide spatula to fold in the crushed candy or nuts. Make gentle folding motions, and when it is well combined, give it one or two more stirs.
Drop 1-tablespoon sized mounds of the meringue onto the baking sheet. Talking point: The mounds represent the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid. Read Mathew 27:57-60.
Place the baking sheet in the hot oven and immediately turn the oven off but keep the oven door closed. Talking point: Give the kids a strip of masking tape to “seal” the oven door closed and explain that the tomb that Jesus was buried in was sealed. Read Mathew 27:65-66.
Let the cookies stay in the oven overnight or for at least 6 hours. Talking point: It may be sad to leave the cookies in the oven and go to bed. Jesus’ followers were also sad when Jesus died and was placed in a sealed tomb. Read John 16:20, 22. In the morning, open the oven and remove the cookies. When you take a bite, the cookies will be hollow. Talking point: On the first Resurrection day, everyone discovered that the tomb Jesus was buried in was empty. Read Mathew 28:1-9
These Empty Tomb Resurrection Cookies provide a fun and creative way to engage children in the Easter story. The recipe is perfect for little hands and gives you an opportunity to teach the children about Jesus. The empty tomb means He is risen! (See Mathew 28:5-7.)