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Resurrection rolls are a special Easter tradition. They are simple and help teach a sweet lesson about the holiday!
Resurrection Rolls are a sweet way to share the message of Easter. The kids will love making a visual reminder of the Resurrection as you celebrate together this Easter season. For more Easter traditions try Rice Krispies Easter Nests, Easter Cookie Jar Gift, and Easter Dirt Cake.
He is Not Here: For He is Risen
For me, and any Christian, those words send pleasant chills down my spine. It’s important to me that my children know the true REASON we celebrate Christmas and Easter.
While it’s fun to dye Easter eggs and make festive treats, I make sure we take time as a family to talk about Jesus’s sacrifice and the fact that He was resurrected.
These Resurrection Rolls are a great way to teach kids the Easter story and why we celebrate and enjoy something tasty all the while. The recipe is simple enough that little hands can help in the kitchen, and have a meaningful learning experience.
The Resurrection Rolls Story
Using visual aids is a wonderful way to teach children, especially an object lesson that can be eaten after. Consider making these Resurrection Rolls WITH your family and explaining how the different steps represent the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection. For example:
- Rolling the marshmallow in the cinnamon and sugar is like when Jesus’ friends prepared his body for burial with fragrant spices.
- Wrapping the dough around the marshmallow is like wrapping Jesus’ body in linens.
- Since Jesus was inside the tomb for 3 days let the children sit in front of the oven and watch them bake. You can talk about how His friends and family must have felt and share your own feelings as well.
- As the rolls are cooling, read the account given in Matthew 28:1-6. You can also find the account written in John chapter 20.
- Allow the children to eat the Resurrection Rolls and see that the center is empty just like the tomb.
Recipe Tips
Keep these tips in mind while making these Empty Tomb Rolls.
Dough. The concept of the melting marshmallow will work no matter what dough you use. I like the ease of using the canned crescent roll dough, but thawed Rhodes freezer rolls or your favorite recipe for Homemade Rolls will also work. Adjust the bake time according to the different dough recipes.
Seal. Be very careful to seal the edges of the rolls, because the marshmallows just want to ooze out while they bake.
Easy clean-up. It’s important to pull them off the baking sheet quickly after baking and use a non-stick liner or parchment paper because the melted marshmallows caramelize and harden when they cool and then it gets harder to remove the rolls from the pan.
STORE. Once baked, the Resurrection Rolls will last for 1-2 days when placed in an airtight container.
Make them in a muffin liner
Dip the dough into the melted butter and place seam-side down into the muffin tin. Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes, until puffed and golden. The original recipe called for 12 minutes in the oven, but ours were ready at 8.
To add a glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- a few tbsp milk or heavy cream
- almond extract (optional)
COMBINE. Mix together powdered sugar with drops of milk or whipping cream. Add liquid until the desired consistency is reached. We like it thicker, so that’s why we chose to use whipping cream and only added a little bit.
GLAZE. Almond extract is optional, but if you have it, I would highly recommend using it. We added a few drops and mixed until smooth and creamy. Top the warm Easter Rolls with glaze and serve. So yummy!
A Gift of Love
You can also easily put together a little basket of ingredients along with instructions to give to friends with children so they can make these symbolic Empty Tomb Rolls at home.
Ingredients to include: a tube of dough, a baggie of marshmallows, and a packet of the cinnamon mixture.
Include recipe instructions and the bible verses to read with their family.
Recipe FAQ
The concept of the melting marshmallow will work no matter what dough you use. I like the ease of using the canned crescent roll dough, but thawed Rhodes freezer rolls or your favorite recipe for Homemade Rolls will also work.
These rolls aren’t really make-ahead-friendly. In fact, they tend to deflate after they cool off. So enjoy the object lesson while you bake, and eat while they’re nice and warm!
For more traditional Easter treats:
- Chocolate Covered Strawberry Carrots
- Easter Chick Cupcakes
- Mini Bunny Pudding Pie
- Easter Basket Cookie Cups
- Bird’s Nest Sugar Cookies
Resurrection Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 10 ounce can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
- 8 large marshmallows
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 cup sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with a parchment or silicone liner. Open the crescent roll package and separate the rolls into eight triangles.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cinnamon and sugar. Dip each of the marshmallows in the melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Place a marshmallow in the middle of each dough triangle, then roll the dough tightly around the marshmallow, pinching to close all of the seams.
- Place the rolls on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-14 minutes, or until golden brown.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These were so yummy!! Perfect sweetness and we love the cinnamon flavor!! Mmmmm
DELICIOUS!!! Super easy, it feels like it tastes like it should take forever, but it doesn’t! Definitely worth the half an hour making this!
Great for kids!!!
In the oven now! Love the muffin pan trick!
Luv these recipes
Thank you so much. We made the rolls and then reread the story while they were baking. My marshmallows were older (not hard but a little firm) so the marshmallow hadn’t completely dissolved when they were ready to come out of the oven. Letting them rest for a few minutes, they were “empty” when served.
Oh I’m so happy to hear they worked well and could be part of a fun memory! Thanks for giving the recipe a try!
Can you use stale marshmallows for this. Since they melt, I am wondering if it would make a large difference..
I have never tried, but I imagine they would work? You’ll have to let us know if you give it a try!
I love all your recipes – thank you! We love resurrection rolls and these look amazing! Do you have any thoughts on freezing them either before or after baking?
These rolls aren’t really make-ahead-friendly. In fact, they tend to deflate after they cool off. So I’d recommend to enjoy the object lesson while you bake, and eat while they’re nice and warm!