Easter is just around the corner and with it comes some of my favorite family traditions. This year, Canaan is finally old enough that we can share some with him. And I absolutely CANNOT wait!
I have vivid memories of my family making these cookies every year on the night before Easter.
Faith-based Easter Traditions
We read the story of Easter as a family and went through the steps of this recipe as we read the corresponding passages.
- John 19:1-3: The Roman soldiers beat Jesus after he was arrested. Place the nuts in a ziptop bag and hit them with a wooden spoon or rolling pin to break them up
- John 19:28-30: When Jesus was thirsty on the cross, he was given vinegar to drink. Children can pass the vinegar around smelling it and tasting a bit too if they want before pouring some vinegar into a bowl.
- John 10:10-11: Eggs represent new life because many living things are born from eggs (chickens, birds, etc). Jesus offers us new life. Place egg whites in the bowl with the vinegar.
- Luke 23:27: When Jesus died, his believers cried salty tears. And our own sin is bitter like salt. Let each child taste the salt, then sprinkle a bit into the bowl.
- Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16: The sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died for us because he loves us and through his death we can have new life. Add the sugar to the bowl.
- Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-2: Our sins have been cleansed and we are made pure in Jesus. Beat the egg whites until they are fluffy and pure white.
- Matthew 27:57-60: Jesus’s body was laid in a rocky tomb when he died. Fold in the “rocky” crushed nuts.
- Matthew 27:65-66: The tomb was sealed. Let the kids help “seal” the oven with tape.
- John 16:20-22: Jesus’s followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. They may feel sad to have to leave the cookies in the oven overnight.
- Matthew 28: 1-9: On the first Easter, Jesus’s followers came to the tomb and found it empty. Amazing! He had risen. Open the oven to find that the cookies have risen and take a bite, they are empty (hollow) inside.
A Note on Including Toddlers
Making these cookies together is the perfect way to teach your kiddos about the true meaning of Easter in a tangible, hands-on way. It lets them be a part of the story.
Word to the wise: get all your ingredients out, measured and ready and print out the Bible verses before you start. Trust me on this, it will make your life way easier, especially if you are making this recipe with really little kids (like our not-quite-2-year-old). Their attention span only lasts so long and they will very likely lose interest while you are searching your bible for the next verse.
We love using this recipe as a teaching tool, but even if you aren’t a follower of Jesus, these still make delicious cookies.
Variations
If you aren’t using this as an Easter tradition/teaching tool, there are some variations you can make to this recipe. You can fold in chocolate chips instead of the pecans, vanilla or peppermint extract or whatever other mix-ins you choose after the egg whites are at stiff peaks.
We hope you enjoy this recipe and it helps your family create Easter memories. for years to come.
[cooked-recipe id=”4423″]
