Catholic Recipe: Easter Story Cookies

This recipe is to be made with children, to help illustrate the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. Do this on Holy Saturday evening, before the Easter Vigil Mass. These are meringue cookies. The oven will be hot, even though you turn it off for the night, to allow the cookies to rise and become hollow.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 300°F.

Place pecans in the ziploc bag. Have the children beat the pecans with the wooden spoon to break them into small pieces. Reading: John 19:1-3 Explanation: after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers.

Let each child smell the vinegar, noting the pungent smell. If they want, have them just taste it on their finger. Put 1 teaspoon vinegar into mixing bowl. Reading: John 19:28-30 Explanation: When Jesus said "I thirst" when dying on the cross the soldiers gave Him vinegar to drink.

Add egg whites to the vinegar. Eggs represent new life. Reading: John 10:10-11 Explanation: Jesus gave His life to give us life, and on Easter Sunday He came back to life.

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Reading: Luke 23:27 Explanation: The salt represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin.

So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar. Reading: Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16 Explanation: The sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him.

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Reading: Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3 Explanation: The color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been washed clean by Jesus' sufferings and death.

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Reading: Matt. 27:57-60 Explanation: Each mound reminds us of the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid.

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. Reading: Matt. 27:65-66 Explanation: Jesus' tomb was sealed with a large stone and soldiers guarded the entrance.

GO TO BED! Reading: John 16:20 and 22 Explanation: The children may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight without seeing or tasting the results right away. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.

On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! Reading: Matt. 28:1-9 Explanation: On the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.