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Resurrection Rolls (Empty Tombs)

A fun and delicious way to talk about the story of Jesus' Resurrection. Young and old will enjoy this fun activity.
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Keyword: Easter Recipes, Easter Traditions, Family traditions
Yield: 8 Resurrection Rolls

Equipment

  • Baking Sheet or large muffin tin
  • Parchment Paper

Materials

  • 1 Package of 8 Crescent Rolls or your favorite roll dough
  • 8 Large Marshmallows
  • 3 Tbsp Melted Butter
  • 1/4 Cup Sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Cinnamon

Instructions

  • With your children's help - Set ingredients out on the table. Mix together the cinnamon and sugar. Melt the butter 15-20 seconds. Put the parchment paper on the baking sheet. (If you are doing this activity in one day, also preheat the oven to 350° F.)
  • Take One Marshmallow and Begin Explaining the Resurrection Rolls Story
    Explain: The marshmallow represents Jesus: Pure, white, sinless and perfect. Unfortunately, even though Jesus was perfect, there were people who hated him. They wanted him dead. So they crucified him on a cross and left him to die there.
    Bible verses: Luke 23:1-49
  • Roll the Marshmallow in the Melted Butter, then in the Cinnamon Sugar Mixture
    Explain: Jesus’s friends and family were very sad when Jesus died. They loved him. They wanted him to be alive. They were sad and confused. But what Jesus’s disciples didn’t know was that Jesus didn’t JUST die. He also took all of our sins (the bad things we do) upon himself. He took our punishment so we wouldn’t have to! See how the cinnamon looks dirty on Jesus’s body? The cinnamon represents our sin that Jesus took away when he died.
    Bible verses: Romans 5:8, 1 Peter 2:24, Isaiah 53:5, 1 Corinthians 15:3
  • Spread out one section of crescent roll or take and individual sized roll portion of dough and press it into a flat circle. Place the Marshmallow on the center of the roll and carefully pinch the dough very firmly around the marshmallow sealing every seam.
    Explain: Jesus’s friends and family didn’t know this, though. They thought he was just dead. So they buried him in a tomb and closed the door tight with a huge rock so no one could get in or out. This roll represents Jesus’s tomb. Can you see the marshmallow in there? You can’t, because the tomb is sealed up tightly. Nothing can get in or out.
    Bible verses: Luke 23:50-56
  • Place Resurrection Rolls on Baking Sheet. Invite kids to make the rest of the resurrection rolls recipe, then cover with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator overnight. (If you would like to make this recipe the same day, just continue with the next step without placing them in the refrigerator.)
    Explain: After Jesus’s friends buried his body in the tomb, they left and went home for the night because it was getting late.
  • The next morning - preheat the oven to 350° F. Remove rolls from the refrigerator. Pinch closed any seams that have reopened and cook rolls until they are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. Continue Resurrection Rolls Story while rolls are cooling.
    Explain: Three days later, some of Jesus’s friends and family went back to his tomb. They wanted to put oil and spices on his body to make it smell better and not get too stinky. But when they came to his tomb, they saw the most incredible thing! Do you know what it was?
  • Cut the roll open (the marshmallow should be gone)
    Explain: The tomb was empty! Jesus came back from the dead and he’s still alive today, watching over us and helping take care of us!
    Bible verses: Luke 24:1-12, Luke 22:69, John 14:3