The kitchen can be a great place to help your children learn more about Easter. Here are some cooking activities to share with your children this Easter: Umm, Easter Cookies, Resurrection Rolls, Easter Pretzels and Hot Cross Buns!
by Stacey Schifferdecker
Children’s Minister, PTA volunteer, and Scout leader.
Children’s Minister, PTA volunteer, and Scout leader.
The kitchen can be a great place to help your children learn more about Easter. Here are some cooking activities to share with your children this Easter: Umm, Easter Cookies, Resurrection Rolls, Easter Pretzels and Hot Cross Buns!
Make Easter cookies
All the ingredients of these cookies symbolize part of the Easter story. As you make the cookies, you will read portions of the Bible to your children.
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole pecans
- 1 tsp. vinegar
- 3 egg whites
- pinch salt
- 1 cup sugar
Directions
1 . If you are making the cookies at night and want them to be done in the morning, set the oven to 300 degrees. If you want the cookies to be done in a couple hours, set the oven to 250 degrees.
2. Read John 19:1-3 and explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Place the pecans in a zipper bag and let children use a wooden spoon to break them into small pieces.
3. Read John 19:28-30 and explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, he was given vinegar to drink. Let each child smell the vinegar and put 1 tsp. into a mixing bowl.
4. Read John 10:10-11. Explain that eggs represent life and that Jesus gave His life for us. Add the egg whites to the vinegar.
5. Read Luke 23:27. Sprinkle a little salt into each child’s hand and let them taste it. Explain that the salt represents the tears shed by Jesus’ followers when he died. Add a pinch of salt to the mixing bowl.
6. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16. Ask your children what they think about the ingredients you have added so far, then add 1 cup of sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of Easter is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him.
7. Read Isaiah. 1:18 and John 3:1-3. Beat the ingredients with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes, until stiff peaks form. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God’s eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.
8. Read Matthew 27:57-60. Fold in the broken nuts. Drop the dough by teaspoons onto a cookie sheet covered with wax paper. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid.
9. Read Matthew 27:65-66. Put the cookie sheet in the oven and close the oven door. Give each child a piece of tape to seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus’ tomb was sealed. If you are going to leave the cookies to cook overnight, turn the oven OFF. Otherwise, leave it at 250 degrees.
10. Read John 16:20 and 22. Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven for so long, just like Jesus’ followers were sad when Jesus was in the tomb.
11. When the cookies are done (the next morning or in a couple hours – the surface will be dry and cracked), let everyone take a bite. The cookies are hollow! Read Matthew 28:1-9.
Make Resurrection Rolls
Resurrection rolls are a simpler version of cooking up an empty tomb.
Ingredients
- Packaged crescent rolls
- Regular-size marshmallows
- Melted butter
- Cinnamon sugar
Directions
1. Open the package of crescent rolls and separate them into eight triangles.
2. Give each child one triangle-shaped section of crescent roll and one marshmallow.
3. Let the children dip the marshmallow in the melted butter and roll it in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
4. Lay the marshmallow on the dough and wrap it around the marshmallow, pinching the seams together.
5. Use a pastry brush to brush some more melted butter on the bread, and then sprinkle on some more cinnamon sugar
6. Bake the rolls according to package directions. While they are baking, read an Easter story.
7. After the rolls cool, break them open. They are empty, just like Jesus’ tomb! Then enjoy a sweet snack together.
Make pretzels
Legend has it that pretzels were “invented” by a monk, who twisted the bread to make it look like the crossed arms of a person in prayer. As you make and bake the pretzels, you can pray together.
Ingredients
- 1 can refrigerated breadsticks
- 1 egg white, beaten until foamy
- Toppings of your choice – course salt, cinnamon sugar, Parmesan cheese, etc.
Directions
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper.
2. Unroll the dough and separate it into 12 breadsticks.
3. Twist and stretch each breadstick until it is about 22 inches long.
4. Shape each rope into a pretzel shape, tucking the ends under and press to seal.
5. Brush the egg white over the pretzels and sprinkle them with your choice of toppings.
6. Bake 12 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
Make hot cross buns
Hot cross buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday.
Ingredients
- loaf of frozen bread rolls
- 1 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 tbsp. melted butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp. milk
Directions
1. Thaw the bread rolls.
2. Mix the raisins with 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
3. Flatten the rolls slightly.
4. Roll a bit of the raisin mixture into each roll.
5. Place the balls in a greased pan and brush them with melted butter.
6. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 45 minutes).
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes
8. Mix 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 4 teaspoons milk to make a glaze. Brush it over the warm rolls.
9. Mix 1 cup powdered sugar and 3 teaspoons milk to make a stiff frosting. When the rolls are cool, use a pastry tube to make a cross on each bun. If you don’t have a pastry tube, use a zipper bag with the corner cut off.
Biography
Stacey Schifferdecker is the happy but harried mother of three school-aged children—two boys and a girl. She is also a freelance writer, a Children’s Minister, a PTA volunteer, and a Scout leader. Stacey has a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and French and a Master’s degree in English. She has written extensively about parenting and education as well as business, technology, travel, and hobbies.
No part of this article may be copied or reproduced in any form without the express permission of More4Kids Inc © 2007
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