We have made these cookies the night before Easter Sunday for quite a few years. It's a good way to help your children remember the true meaning of Easter.
You need to preheat the oven to 300 degrees (this is important--don't wait until you are half done with the recipe!)
1 cup whole pecans
1 tsp. vinegar
3 egg whites
A pinch salt
1 cup sugar
A zipper baggie
A wooden spoon
Tape
Bible
Place pecans in zipper 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. Put 1 tsp. 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, and 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 Psalms 34:8 and John 3:16.
Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed (*See note below.) 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 teaspoons onto wax 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 Matt. 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.
My children don't love these cookies, so I don't make a lot of them. But this is such a great way to capture their interest, so that you get an opportunity to bear your testimony to your children about the miraculous, compassionate, and self-sacrificing life of our Savior, and express your love for His life, his atonement, and for our part in the plan.
Happy Easter.
3 comments:
I passed this recipe out to all of the children in Primary today. We talked about symbols, and how we can use them to remember important things. On of the symbols we looked at was a spring flower. I asked if they had ideas about what it could symbolize and one girls said, the flowers come to life every spring. They get old and die, but in spring they are reborn. It was beautiful. Thanks for the idea!
Too bad I didn't read this until after Easter! I will try to remember this next year.
What a beautiful, hands-on way to teach them. Thanks for sharing!
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