I don't know about you, but food factors into many of my best memories of holidays and special occasions as with the Seder Meal. Next to Christmas, Easter has some of the best edible traditions! Many of these traditions date back to the early church and before.
Two treats that can be used to tell the story of the resurrection are Resurrection/Easter Rolls and Resurrection/Easter Cookies. Both end with a special surprise that reminds us of the empty tomb on Easter morning.
Resurrection Rolls are made with pre-made bread dough of some sort (crescent rolls, dinner rolls, biscuits, etc.), large marshmallows, melted butter, cinnamon, and sugar. Pinterest has many examples (as usual) with more detailed directions. There is an excellent explanation
here at Happy Home Fairy that includes accompanying Bible verses or culturally relevant pieces of information related to how the dead were honored in the time of Jesus.
You begin with a large marshmallow that represents the body of Christ. Dip the marshmallow in the melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon and sugar to represent the oils and spices that were used to cleanse and anoint bodies in preparation for burial. Flatten the dough you have chosen to use, rolling it out large enough to completely wrap the marshmallow. Place the marshmallow in the dough and wrap, sealing the seams to keep the yummy cinnamon/sugar mixture in when baking. Place on a baking sheet, in the cups of a muffin tin, or pressed together in a round cake pan. Bake according to package instructions for your dough.
When you break open the cooled rolls, you will find a sweet surprise - an empty center representing the empty tomb, coated in cinnamon, sugar, and melted marshmallow to represent the sweetness of the gift Jesus gave us by taking on our sins.
Resurrection Cookies are a little more time consuming, but can be a special Easter morning treat. The recipe is on our Recipes and Traditions page
here. Other great recipe/explanations can be found at Tasty Kitchen
here and Beneath My Heart
here.
First, you must preheat the oven to 300 or 350 (depending on recipe you choose to follow). Then you put 1 cup of pecans into a plastic zipper bag and beat it with a wooden spoon, breaking the nuts into pieces (remembering that Jesus was beaten after his arrest), taking 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar (a reminder that on the cross Jesus was given vinegar to drink), adding 3 egg whites (because eggs are a symbol of life and Jesus gave his life for us, so that we may have a new life in him), sprinkling a pinch of salt into the mixture (representing the tears shed by Jesus' followers) - at which point the mixture is very unappetizing, but the sweetest part comes next - add 1 cup of sugar (because Jesus died for us because he loves us and wants us to be with him). You beat the mixture with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form (12-14 minutes), noting the white color which represents the purity of Jesus and that our souls are washed clean through his sacrifice.
Fold the broken nuts into the mixture and drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Place in the oven, seal with tape (remembering how the tomb was sealed), turn the oven off and go to bed. It is disappointing going to bed without getting to taste the cookies, Jesus' followers were sad to leave their friend and teacher in the tomb. The next morning give everyone a cookie and marvel that they are hollow, just as Jesus' followers found an empty tomb on the very first Easter.
Hot Cross Buns have been a traditional Good Friday treat since at least the early 1700's. While the traditional buns eaten in celebration seem to predate Christ, hot cross buns have become a symbol of Easter for Christians.
Food Timeline has an interesting discussion of the origins of many of these treats and their relation to the Easter holiday.
Spoonful has a straightforward recipe
here. Other recipes include other dried fruits in addition to the dried currants. The process is fairly involved, but looks like it could be an awesome tradition to start with slightly older kiddos! My daughter loves helping in the kitchen (even if it stresses me out a bit) so I look forward to making these this year.
Braided Easter Bread is a sweet treat that brings together eggs as a symbol of renewal and rebirth and a crown shape that puts us in mind of the crown of thorns that was thrust upon Christ's head.
This is a yeasty bread with candied fruit and nuts, rolled out and "braided" before forming into a circle or crown shape, then adorned with raw colored eggs prior to baking. You can find a recipe at Dishbase
here. This particular recipe refers to it as Italian Braided Easter Bread so we may have the Italians to thank for such a neat Easter tradition!
