Resurrection Cookies: A recipe for sharing the story of Easter

I am all about traditions. I love my family's traditions. I love Matt's family's traditions. And I love the traditions that our family has made and the many traditions our family has to come.

Easter is right around the corner and while the pastel colors, baskets, eggs and bunnies are cute, they pale in comparison... No, they have no comparison to the real reason we celebrate Easter. While flipping through my "Mom Sense" magazine this week (a magazine for MOPS), I stumbled upon the following recipe/activity. I haven't actually made these cookies myself so I do not know if they taste good (although the recipe calls for chocolate chips, so they can't be that bad, right?). Ava may not be able to currently understand the meaning and significance behind this activity, but I plan to start it this year and continue it for years to come. I thought that the idea was too good not to share. Whether you try these cookies or not, I do hope you have a special way to discuss Jesus' resurrection with your kids/family.

You'll Need:
1 cup whole pecans or 1 cup mini chocolate chips (for nut allergies)
1 teaspoon vinegar
3 egg whites
Pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
Ziploc bag
Wooden spoon
Tape
Bible

**If possible, make these cookies the evening before Easter**

1. Preheat oven to 300.
2. Place the pecans (or mini chocolate chips) in bag and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, the Roman soldiers beat him. (Read John 19:1-3).
3. Let each child smell the vinegar before putting it into a mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, he was given vinegar to drink. (Read John 19:28-30).
4. Add egg whites to vinegar. 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 sin. (Read Luke 23:27).
6. Add sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because he loves us. He wants us to know him and belong to him. (Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16).
7. Beat egg white mixture with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. (Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3)
8. Fold in broken nut or mini chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a cookie sheet covered with wax paper. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. (Read Matthew 27:57-60)
9. Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven off. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. (Read Matthew 27:65-66)
10. Go to bed. Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers felt despair when the tomb was sealed too. (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. He is risen! He is risen indeed! (Read Matthew 28:1-9)