Easter is one of my favorite holidays to celebrate with the kids–partly because it represents the sunshine and warmth of spring and the renewal and growth we welcome after a long winter. We’re usually anxious to get back outside as well as enjoy lots of “fun” Easter traditions like decorating eggs and eating marshmallow peeps. But Easter is also one of my favorite holidays because we take time to more intentionally reflect on the renewal of life through the resurrection of our Savior and the knowledge that after death we too can be reunited with our bodies as well as our loved ones.

Making Resurrection Rolls is my number one favorite Easter tradition! More on this below, but essentially you wrap a marshmallow in roll dough and then as it bakes the marshmallow dissolves–leaving the roll hollow, like an “empty tomb.” The rolls are pillowy and gooey and delicious but also serve as a fantastic object lesson illustration that can lead to some incredible faith-building discussions.

Resurrection Roll Recipe

NOTE: As listed, this recipe will make approximately 36 fluffy homemade rolls. But if you’re pinched for time or just want to make a few, substitute canned crescent roll dough for the homemade dough.

For the Dough:

• 2 cups warm milk
• ½ cup melted butter
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 ¼ teaspoons instant dry yeast
• 4 ½ to 5 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ Tablespoon salt

Additional Ingredients:

• ½ butter, melted
• ½ sugar
• 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
• 36 large marshmallows (about 1 bag)

Combine warm milk, melted butter, and sugar and stir until sugar dissolves. Sprinkle in yeast and let stand about 10 minutes until yeast is bubbly.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add milk/yeast mixture and stir well to combine and until dough slightly pulls from the edge of the bowl. Add a little more flour, if necessary, but don’t be tempted to add too much–dough should be sticky.

Place bowl of dough in a warm place, cover with a clean towel, and allow to rise until double in size–about an hour.

When the dough is about ready, melt the additional butter. Mix the cinnamon and sugar together in a small bowl. Set butter and cinnamon/sugar aside.

Making the Resurrection Rolls

After letting the dough double in size, place dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough to about ¼-inch thick on floured surface, adding a bit more flour if dough is too sticky to handle. Cut the rolled dough into approximately 36 triangles or squares using a pizza cutter or knife.

(If choosing to substitute canned crescent roll dough, go ahead and get it ready now by spreading the dough triangles on a clean work surface.)

Now get your kids and review the story of Jesus’ resurrection! My kids really enjoy using interactive Resurrection story printables to help retell the story.

After the story, show kids the marshmallows and tell them for this recipe they will represent Jesus’ body after it was taken off the cross. Dip and roll each marshmallow in butter, and then in the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Place the coated marshmallow on a piece of dough, and wrap completely, pinching the seams.

When Jesus died, it was Jewish custom to prepare a body for burial by anointing it with oil (“butter”) and rubbing with spices (“cinnamon sugar”) before wrapping it in linen cloths (“roll dough”).

Place the sealed Resurrection Rolls on a pan. (Huge tip: consider lining your pan with foil, as some of the melted marshmallow may leak out. The foil just makes cleanup sooo much easier!)

Once you’ve prepared a panful of wrapped rolls, place them in the “tomb” (350F preheated oven) and shut the door. After Jesus’ body was prepared for burial, it was placed on a tomb and sealed with a large rock. Some years we’ve represented this by placing tape across the oven door (“sealing the tomb”) and then place stuffed animal “guards” outside the oven door to “keep watch” over the rolls.

In “three days” (12-15 minutes), remove the rolls from the oven. The marshmallow will have melted inside the baked roll, leaving the roll hollow, representing the tomb that was empty after three days.

As you enjoy eating the sticky sweet Resurrection Rolls, organic discussion may come from questions such as: Where did the marshmallow go? Is it still there? How do you know it’s there if you can’t see it? Kids are never too young to learn about having faith in Jesus Christ or the real reason we celebrate Easter, and this object lesson is one they’ll remember (and likely request) for years to come!