Easter Sunday is tomorrow. It is the time to turn our hearts and minds to Jesus and His Resurrection. Being raised in a Christian family, Easter was much more than egg hunts and baskets for me. It was about Jesus and the empty tomb.
I remember my maternal grandmother teaching me and my cousin, Mark, the Easter story over a cookie recipe one year. Mammaw was a Sunday School teacher, woman of faith, loved her family and Jesus. She was also a fabulous baker and cook. The cookies were delicious, but the story has stayed with me for decades. Precious memories made in the kitchen are priceless and stick with us.
You might want to do an activity like this for yourself, children, grandchildren, or kids’ group. The message could be as simple as planting a seed that will grow into a bountiful plant. Sometimes a visual makes the Easter story a little more memorable for young children. Years down the road your littles might recall time spent with you and lessons from your kitchen. Seeds you plant in their minds could result in a harvest of their salvation.
Mammaw’s Forgotten Easter Cookies
2 egg whites
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
2/3 c. sugar
1 c. nuts or chocolate chips
pinch of salt
1 tsp. white vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place pecans in resealable plastic baggie. Crush pecans into small pieces with a rolling pin. Read John 19:1-3
“Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged Him. And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe, And said, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ and they smote Him with their hands.”
Sprinkle salt into egg whites. Read Luke 23:27, 33
“And there followed Him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented Him.”
“When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals—one on His right, the other on His left.”
Put vanilla into a bowl. Read John 19:28-30.
“After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, ‘I thirst.’ Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to His mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, ‘It is finished’ and He bowed His head, and gave up the ghost.”
Right now this mixture doesn’t look like we’d want to eat it. Add sugar slowly. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.
“O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.” “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Beat with mixer until frothy and add cream of tartar. Then beat on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Add in vanilla close to the end. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.
“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
“There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto Him, ‘Rabbi, we know that Thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with Him.’ Jesus answered and said unto him, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto parchment paper lined baking sheet. Read Matthew 27:57-60.
“When the night was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple: He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and departed.”
Place cookies in the oven, close the door and turn the oven off. Read Matthew 27:65-66.
“Pilate said unto them, ‘Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.’ So they went, and made the tomb sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.”
Go to bed. Read John 16:20 and 22.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.”
“And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.”
In the morning open the oven and take out the cookies.
Read Matthew 28:1-9.
“In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the tomb. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, ‘Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead; and, behold, He goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see Him: lo, I have told you.’ And they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy; and did run to bring His disciples word. And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, ‘All hail. And they came and held Him by the feet, and worshipped Him.”
When you bite into the cookies notice they are hollow inside, empty, just like Jesus’ tomb. He arose!