Easter Story Cookies

I know this isn't a dinner recipe, but I wanted to share anyway. :) I've been doing this for several years. I originally got the recipe from my friend, Laurel.

This is a really neat and very effective activity for Easter. Do it the *evening before* Easter Sunday, just before your children are ready to get into bed.

Easter Story Cookies

You need:
1 cup whole pecans
1 teaspoon Vinegar
3 Egg whites
a pinch of Salt
1 cup of sugar
zip lock baggie (freezer baggies work best)
wooden spoon
mixing bowl
wax paper
cookie sheet
long piece of tape for each child
   (electrical tape is great - needs to stick to the oven door)
Bible

1) Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. This is very important! Do this first!

2) Place the pecans in the baggie and let the children beat them with the wooden spoon to break all the pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested he was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3

3) Let each child smell the vinegar. Notice their reactions. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into the mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.

4) Add the egg whites to the vinegar in the bowl. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.

5) 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 bitterness of our own sins. Read Luke 23:27.

So far the ingredients are not very appetizing!

6) Add 1 cup of sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Psalms 34:8 and John 3:16.

7) Beat the mixture with mixer on high speed for 12-15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity of those whose sins have been forgiven by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

8) Fold in the broken pecan pieces to the mixture. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a wax papered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60.

9) Place the cookie sheet in the oven, close the oven door and TURN THE OVEN OFF!! Give each child a strip of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66.

10) Now, send the children to bed! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20, 22.

11) 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. HE HAS RISEN!

Happy Easter!