These Empty Tomb Resurrection Cookies are more than just a sweet Easter treat; they're a powerful, hands-on way to share the story of Jesus' resurrection with your family. As the cookies bake overnight, they transform into something completely unexpected… just like the empty tomb on Easter morning. Then make these beautiful onion skin dyed Easter eggs.
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Resurrection Cookies have been around for years and are known by many names, including Jesus Cookies, Easter story cookies, and He is risen cookies.
These cookies were a part of our Easter traditions when my kids were little. The recipe was sent home with the kids from church one year.
This recipe allows you to teach your children not only the true meaning of Easter but also the hope it gives us. And no, I'm not referring to the Easter bunny; I'm talking about the good news of Jesus' resurrection! Resurrection cookies can also be added to any Easter charcuterie board!
As you read the suggested Bible verses (or tell the story in your own words), the kids interact by pounding the nuts, tasting the ingredients, and learning why we celebrate Easter.
This recipe is meant to be prepared on the night before Easter. The oven is turned off and sealed with tape overnight. The kids get to anticipate unsealing the oven in the morning and tasting the cookies. The best part? The cookies will be empty, like Jesus' tomb!
I'm also including a printable Resurrection Cookies PDF at the bottom of this post for easy printing. And if you enjoy this recipe, you may want to try telling the Easter story with Resurrection Rolls, too!
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✝️ Why Are Resurrection Cookies Hollow?
What makes Resurrection Cookies so unique is what happens overnight.
After preparing the cookies, they're placed in a warm oven, then left inside as the oven cools, without opening the door. By morning, the cookies are dry on the outside but hollow on the inside.
The oven is turned off before leaving the cookies inside overnight. The residual heat slowly dries them out, creating that signature hollow center.
🔖 Ingredient & Substitutions
- Egg Whites: Room-temperature egg whites whip up better than cold egg whites, so be sure to remove your eggs from the refrigerator a few hours before starting on the recipe.
- Cardamom: Cardamom is not traditionally part of this recipe, but since it's my favorite spice, I not only managed to sneak it in but also found a Bible verse to justify adding it!
🍪 How to Make Resurrection Cookies
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Step 1: Place whole pecans or walnuts into the ziplock bag. Have your child/children beat the bag with a wooden rolling pin or wooden spoon to break the nuts into small pieces.
Beating the nuts represents how Jesus was beaten by the Roman soldiers after He was arrested. Read John 19: 1-3
Step 2: Let the children smell and taste the vinegar, then pour the vinegar into a mixing bowl.
Explain that when Jesus was on the cross, He asked for a drink because he was thirsty. A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. Read John 19: 28-30)
Step 3: Add the egg whites to the mixing bowl.
Relay that the eggs represent life. Jesus gave up His life so that we could have eternal life. Read John 10:10-11
Step 4: Add a pinch of salt to the bowl.
Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand and allow them to taste it. The salt represents the salty tears that were shed by Jesus' followers and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27
Step 5: Finally, add the sugar and cardamom to the bowl.
The sugar in the cookies represents the sweetest part of the story: Jesus died to save us. Read John 3:16
The cardamom represents the spices that were prepared for his burial. Read Luke 23:55-56
Step 6: Beat the mixer on high speed for approximately 15 minutes or until stiff peaks form.
Explain that the color white represents purity. In God's eyes, our sins have been cleansed by Jesus, and we are seen as white as snow. Read Isaiah 1:18
Step 7: Fold the nuts into the egg whites.
Step 8: Drop tablespoon-sized portions onto two cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60
Step 9: Put the cookie sheets into 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 and guarded by Roman soldiers. Read Matthew 27:65-66
When the kids and I prepared this recipe, I recall having them dress as "guards." With their blankets tied around their necks like capes and brooms in hand, they stood on each side of the oven to guard the oven, I mean, tomb. 😬
Tell the children it's time for bed. Acknowledge that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Remind them that Jesus' followers were also sad and in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22
Step 10: On Easter morning, have the kids unseal the oven and take a Resurrection Cookie each. Point out the cracked surface of the cookies and take a bite. Surprise, the tomb cookies are hollow!
Explain that on the first Easter, Jesus' followers were amazed to find that the stone was rolled away and the tomb was empty! Jesus is risen!!! Read Matthew 28:1-9
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- Since cardamom is not in the original recipe, feel free to leave it out, along with those specific verses.
- The original recipe had pecans, but I prefer walnuts. Use either or a combination of the two.
- If you or your child has allergies to nuts, you can skip acting out that part and just read the verse (or use your own words to tell the story). You can also try using a few Heath bars instead, although I haven't tried this myself.
- If you're short on time, you don't have to wait overnight. The cookies are actually ready a lot sooner. The cookies should be ready after they've been in the oven for around 1 to 1-½ hours.
If you prefer, you can use the resurrection cookies recipe PDF printable instead. Just click on the link below to do so!
🥚 More Easter Recipes
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📖 Recipe
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Place walnuts or pecans in the ziplock bag. Have your child/children beat the bag with a wooden rolling pin to break the nuts into pieces.
- Let the children smell and taste the vinegar, then pour the vinegar into a mixing bowl.
- Add the egg whites to the mixing bowl.
- Add a pinch of salt to the bowl.
- Finally, add the sugar and cardamom to the bowl.
- Beat the bowl ingredients on high speed for approximately 15 minutes, or until stiff peaks form.
- Fold the nuts into the egg whites.
- Drop tablespoon-sized mounds onto two cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Put the cookie sheets into the oven, close the door, and turn the oven OFF.
- On Easter morning, have the kids unseal the oven and take a cookie. Point out the cracked surface and take a bite. Surprise, the cookies are hollow! Jesus is risen!!!
Nutrition
Notes
- Cardamom is not in the original recipe, but I really wanted to add it. Luckily, I know my Bible and found these verses that mention spices (Luke 23:55-56) to sneak cardamom into the recipe. Feel free to leave it out, along with those specific verses.
- The original recipe had pecans, but I prefer walnuts. Use either or a combination of the two.
- If you or your child has allergies to nuts, you can skip acting out that part and just read the verse (or use your own words to tell the story). You can also try using a few Heath bars instead, although I haven't tried this myself.
- If you're short on time, you don't have to wait overnight. The cookies are actually ready a lot sooner. The cookies should be ready after they've been in the oven for around 1 to 1-½ hours.
Elle says
can I use honey instead of sugar?
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Elle,
I have never tried using honey so I'm really not sure, sorry.
Katherine says
Have you ever put cinnamon in these as the spice?
Hilda Sterner says
No, I haven't, but if you don't have cardamom, you can substitute with cinnamon.