Resurrection Rolls Recipe And Story (With Printable!)

Resurrection rolls, which can also be called empty tomb rolls, are the perfect treat to teach your kids the true meaning of Easter! Each ingredient and step of the process symbolizes a part of the true Easter story, full of meaning! This is a great tradition to start with your kids.  You can find all of my meaningful holy week recipes for kids here. Today, let’s take a look at the resurrection roll recipe and story. 

 

Ingredients Needed To Make Resurrection Rolls:

All of the ingredients in the empty tomb rolls have symbolism behind them! Let’s check out what you need to get started. 

  • Canned Crescent Rolls (I picked up Annie’s organic, but I have used Pillsbury in the past as well)
  • 3 Tbs of Butter
  • Small bowl of Cinnamon/Sugar Mixture (3 Tbs sugar + 1 Tbs cinnamon)
  • 8 Large Marshmallows (You will need as many marshmallows as the number of crescent rolls you have. 8 is typical. Also, you just want normal large marshmallows, not those crazy giant ones they’re selling these days.)

Other Supplies Needed For Empty Tomb Rolls:

  • Parchment paper
  • Toothpicks

Having these things is going to make the process way less messy for you today! 😉

Many Ways To Make Resurrection Rolls

This post goes through how to make resurrection rolls with canned crescent rolls, but I have several different versions of empty tomb rolls you can check out here

Printable Recipe With Meaning

I love having a printable to do activities like this with my kids so I can be screen free, ad free, and just have what I need in that moment. 

I have a brand new printable that includes all the meaning behind the resurrection rolls and a script of what to tell your kids as you go as well as how to make the rolls. It also comes with a recipe card and a little place card to display next to your completed rolls! 

Post continues after this brief information about the Catholic Icing Monthly Membership


Monthly Liturgical Membership

Catholic Liturgical Monthly Membership

Perfect for families! Each month you gain access to printable activity pages, crafts, home altar pieces, and more.
 
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The Resurrection Rolls story download is included in my new cookbook for familiesThe Symbolic Holy Week & Easter Cookbook

If you want to buy just the Resurrection Rolls recipe with the story, wish granted! I do offer it separately from my cookbook for just $2.

Get your resurrection roll download here!

How To Make Resurrection Rolls:

Before beginning, preheat your oven to 350°F. Also, cover your pan in parchment paper or aluminum foil. (Because believe-you-me… those melted marshmallows are going to make some kind of a mess if you don’t!) 😉
 
First, melt your butter in a small dish. In another dish, mix your cinnamon and sugar.
 
 
You can have the kids stir this while you explain the symbolism to them. These stand for the spices that were used to prepare bodies for burial in Jesus’ time. 
 
 
When you’re butter and sugar cinnamon mixture are ready, prepare your marshmallow and get your crescent rolls out of the can. 
 
 
The least messy way we have found to do this is to use a toothpick for swirling the marshmallows. 
 
Tell your children something like this (The Easter story you tell will vary depending on the age of the children you’re working with.)
 
 
“Jesus was completely perfect and pure. He never sinned or did anything wrong. Even so, there were some people who didn’t like him because he said he was God. The crucified him, and he died on the cross on Good Friday. It was very sad. A man named Joseph took his body down from the cross.”
 
Give them each a marshmallow. Then tell them:
 
 
“This marshmallow represents the body of Jesus. It is white because Jesus was pure from sin. Back during Jesus’ time, they prepared bodies for burial by putting special oils and spices on the body. The butter and the cinnamon-sugar represent these oils and spices.”
 
Have them dip the marshmallow first in the melted butter, and roll it around.
 
 
Then, roll it in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
 
 
Now prepare the children to wrap the marshmallow into the crescent roll. You can say… 
 
“Next, they wrapped Jesus’ body in a white cloth, kinda like a mummy. We’re going to wrap up our marshmallows like Jesus’ body was wrapped in cloth.”
 
 
 
Tell the kids to wrap them well and pinch them closed where the dough meets. 
 
 
When you’re finished rolling them, they look like a ball of dough, but we all know there’s a marshmallow hidden inside. 
 
 
 
Spread them out on the cookie sheet that you already lined with parchment paper.
 
 
Now, place your rolls in the oven, and tell your kids:
 
 
“Then, they placed Jesus’ body in a tomb cut in stone. It was kind of like a cave. They sealed it with a big heavy rock so that no one could get in, and placed soldiers in front of the tomb to guard it!”
Bake the rolls for 10 to 12 minutes until they are golden brown. Before removing them from the oven, tell your kids:
 
 
“Jesus was in the tomb for 3 days, and then he rose from the dead!”
 
Remove the resurrection rolls from your oven. Some of the melted marshmallow probably escaped, but that’s ok because you used parchment paper. 😉
 
 
resurrection rolls for easter
 
Allow the rolls to cool for about 10 minutes before moving on.
 
 
Now, you cut the roll in half to reveal that it’s empty inside! Then you tell your kids:
 
“When Jesus rose from the dead on the third day, the tomb was empty, just like our rolls are empty inside! It’s just like an empty tomb!”
 
 
Now, eat your resurrection rolls! Tell your kids:
 
“These rolls are sweet, just like the resurrection story! Jesus died to save us from our sins. He loves you very much!”
 

Don’t Forget Your Printable!

Working from my resurrection roll printable pack is really going to ease this process for your family! You can grab your instant download now for just $2. 
 
 
 
 
We have also made them out of peeps before, which makes for rainbow colors inside of your empty tomb! Check out the full directions for rainbow resurrection rolls here.
 
 
rainbow resurrection rolls for an Easter treat
 

Find My Lenten Resources For Kids here

Silly rabbit! Easter is for Jesus!!!

You can find all of my Christ-centered resources for Easter here.

Make it about the lamb, not the bunny!

Resurrection Rolls Recipe

Resurrection rolls are fun, easy, and yummy! They resemble cinnamon rolls. We like to bake them on Holy Saturday and eat them for breakfast on Easter morning. (This printable recipe only features the actual recipe. Please refer to the original post for how to incorporate the Easter story while making the recipe with our family.)
Cook Time11 minutes
Cooling Time10 minutes
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Easter, Rolls
Servings: 8 rolls
Author: Lacy

Equipment

  • Parchment Paper or aluminum foil

Ingredients

  • 1 can Canned Crescent Rolls
  • 3 Tbs Butter
  • Small bowl of Cinnamon/Sugar Mixture (3 Tbs sugar + 1 Tbs cinnamon)
  • 8 Large Marshmallows or the number of crescent rolls you have

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and cover your pan in parchment paper or aluminum foil.
  • Melt your butter.
  • Dip each marshmallow in the melted butter and cover it completely.
  • Immediately roll each marshmallow in the cinnamon-sugar mixture after covering it in butter.
  • Place the marshmallows on the crescent rolls, and wrap them up. Pinch all the seams shut as well as possible. They will look like dough balls when you’re finished.
  • Place your rolls in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until they are golden brown.
  • Allow the rolls to cool for about 10 minutes after removing them from the oven.
  • Cut the roll in half to reveal that it’s empty inside!
 

Comments

  1. HI! I quickly met you on Saturday, and I loved your funny comment about being a bad housekeeper, so I had to come check out your blog. No wonder you can't keep up with housework…you are too busy cooking and crafting! You are AMAZING!!!!

  2. Kathleen's Catholic says

    Hi, Lacy. These are terrific. Since we're going to be home for Easter, I'm going to start making a list of things we can do together. I think my boys would enjoy these! And I know their sweet teeth would like them, too!

    Maybe you'd be interested in a pretty cake for Easter Sunday dinner.

    http://kathleenscatholic.blogspot.com/2011/04/from-little-catholic-kitchen-pretty.html

  3. Susana of Montessori Candy says

    These are a MUST in our home for Easter 🙂 the kids love the story and learning what everything represents!

  4. Momma T :O) says

    Honey, I love you!!! You ARE amazing!! My 2 daughters (8 and 4) LOVE your blog. We are always excited to get your new posts!!! Thank you for doing what you do!! Can't wait to try this out! :O)

  5. The Church Militant says

    BRILLIANCE! Absolute brilliance!!!! I love it!

  6. Teaching Heart Mom says

    I have always wanted to try these with the kiddos… Hopefully I will get it done this year. Thanks for all the ideas!

  7. That looks a billion times easier than the long and finicky recipe I found for those, thank you!

  8. Anonymous says

    OMGOSH. YOU MELTED JESUS!

  9. I've seen these before, but didn't know the recipe! Thanks for sharing! We make Easter Story Cookies on Holy Saturday to tell the similar story as the rolls and they are yummy too! I'll be sharing it on my blog on Good Friday!

  10. tarichuck says

    THank you! I've seen other recipes for these, but none so simple. I think we'll finally make these this Easter!

  11. oh these look so simple to make!! I have also seen another recipe but it was more complicated and right now my life needs to be simple (and sweet 😉

  12. We're going to have to try these! I wonder if it would work with homemade dough? I don't like the canned stuff very much. The kids do, though. I may buy some and use that, just because I know it works.

  13. These look like a great idea, except that I've no idea what Canned Crescent Rolls are. [They're possible called something different in here in Australia…]
    They (it) look(s), from the pictures, to be some sort of dough or pastry, is this right?
    If so, what type of dough/pastry is it?
    😀

  14. Taryne Leigh says

    My husband and I made these last year even though we don't have any children 😛 It is such a fun memory of laughs, prayer, and yummy treats. We will definitely be doing it again this year. Thanks so much Lacy!

    http://caffeinatedcatholic.blogspot.com/

  15. therese rita says

    Kids & I made these yesterday & I'm sure they'll become a yearly tradition in our house. Thank you!

  16. How precious. I have been looking for a good lenten project to create with my girls and here it is. We’ll begin after nap time!

  17. This is a super idea! We are going to do this activity this week. Thanks for sharing!

  18. SplashDashAsh says

    Hi Lacy,
    This is such a neat idea, thanks for sharing! I’m not Catholic, just Christian, and have loved looking through your baking and craft ideas! I don’t have kids yet, but one day, I’ll have to try to remember these ideas when I do :). I may make these rolls for breakfast on Easter Sunday 🙂

  19. I tried these last year and they were very yummy. We’re planning to make them again this year, but….

    Last year, all I could find was “flat marshmallows” (since I waited until the last minute and did not feel like dragging the kiddos to another store). As a result, my tombs were flat. I’m sure that they’d be a lot better with regular shaped marshmallows.

    Just a tip that I wanted to pass along…

  20. My boys and I just made these! They are currently eating them and debating where Jesus body went.
    I do a children’s page for our free Diocesan magazine. I was wondering if I could use this recipe (adapted for New Zealand) and your photo – either the first or the last one? Would that be ok?
    Kind regards,
    Sarah

    • No, I don’t allow my complete projects to be republished in that way. Of course, you could write your own version of the recipe and take your own photos. 🙂

  21. Had to share this story: We made these rolls on Divine Mercy Sunday and plan to make them every Sunday of Easter. We still might. The rolls were delicious like kids’ cinnamon rolls, but my children’s reviews were mixed in a hilarious way.

    Kolbe (3.5yo) totally got it. Isaac (2yo), on the other hand, FREAKED out. “Where is Jesus?” “But I LOVE Jesus!” “Where did Jesus go? Want Him here! With me!” he whined.

    Finally, we just gave the kid a marshmallow. He hugged it.

    Turns out it’s kinda hard to keep from laughing and explain the Resurrection to a baby at the same time. “See, everyone dies, but Jesus is the only one…” “It’s a good thing, sweetheart, because…”
    Right before bedtime, he came around again whining, “MY Jesus! My Jesus!” softly, then asking my husband, “Jesus… in heart?”

    “yes, son, Jesus is most certainly still in your heart.” (Smiles) “Would you like to sing the Joy, Joy, Down in my Heart song?” “Yeah!!”

    I think I may have traumatized my kid.
    I wish I had the camera on.

  22. Regina Atkins says

    These are fantastic! Just made them with my 2, 3 and 6 yr old. Too easy! We used pizza dough (made in our breadmaker) for the “crescent rolls” and they worked perfectly. One batch made about 30. Delicious! My eldest will be handing them out to his class tomorrow. Hopefully they will spark more conversation around the true meaning of Easter than the expected chocolate eggs!

  23. Elizabeth M says

    Looking forward to making these again this year! Tip from our family: if you can still find them in store or have them left over from Christmas, the gingerbread man shaped marshmallows make the perfect “Jesus”!

  24. Dawn Farias says

    Oh, I’m getting these ingredients today! Thank you!

  25. If I remember correctly, the women were on the way to the tomb to place the spices and oil on Jesus because they didn’t have time on Friday. I told my kids that Jesus took on all of our sins when he went to the cross causing the dirty appearance of the Marshmallow. Just a thought to share.