Friday, April 2, 2010

Easter Cookies


On April 10, 2001, a friend living in South Korea sent us this recipe. It's a wonderful way to involve little children in the true meaning of Easter.

Easter Cookies

To be made the evening before Easter

What you will need:

1 cup whole pecans
1 teaspoon vinegar
3 egg whites
Pinch salt
1 cup sugar
Ziploc baggie
Wooden spoon
Tape
Wax paper
Bible

Preheat oven to 300 degrees (this is important—do not wait until you’re half done with the recipe)

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

Let each child smell the vinegar. Pour 1 teaspoon vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, he was given vinegar to drink.
Read John 19:28-30

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

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 as well as the bitterness of our own sin.
Read Luke 23:27

So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup 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 Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God’s eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus.
Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoon onto waxed paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid.
Read Matthew 27:57-60

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

GO 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 and 22

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

This recipe has a very special meaning to our family. On Easter eve of 2001, the kids were standing on chairs as we created this recipe at our kitchen island. Right in the middle of the mixing part (I used a big KitchenAid mixer), I hear Rachel's little voice trying to say something over all the noise. I turned off the mixer and asked her to repeat what she was saying. She said, "I would like to invite Jesus to come and live in my heart." So right then and there, with all of us standing together around the KitchenAid mixer, we held hands and our little Rachel prayed to receive Christ as her Saviour. She was just a couple weeks away from turning 3 years old.

I have used this recipe as a Sunday school lesson on Palm Sunday, pre-baking the cookies and hiding them until it's time for the big reveal...the empty tomb. The kids absolutely loved participating in all of the steps and it's certainly a lesson that is not soon forgotten.

Have a blessed Easter!

1 comment:

  1. We made those cookies once - that is so neat how Rachel accepted Christ while making them that year!!

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