Tombstone Easter Cookies

Subtly sweet, these Tombstone Easter Cookies are a new twist on an old traditional recipe from the Amana Colonies called Easter Bunnies. I have never had anything like these before and although they are a plain cookie, they bring to the table more than just a sweet treat, but a way for us to share the story of Jesus and His resurrection through food.

“They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.” -Luke 24:2

Why are they Tombstones and not Easter Bunnies? It all started when I wanted to make cookies with my daughter for Easter one year, I found this recipe for Easter Bunny Cookies from the Amana Colonies in east-central Iowa, United States. It looked interesting, the plan was to make cute bunny-shaped cookies but I couldn’t find a bunny-shaped cookie cutter anywhere in town. It was too late to order one online and get it in time, so after multiple phone calls and searching every store around. I gave up on finding a bunny cookie cutter and after some thought, I decided a round cookie would pass as a tombstone, and with this unique recipe, they turned out looking pretty realistic if I do say so myself. However, upon further investigation, I discovered there is a debate on whether the stone was round or square.

I have nothing against people wanting to celebrate with Easter bunnies, and you can make them into bunnies if you prefer. I fell in love with the idea of making these with my kids and being able to tell them the story of Jesus and his resurrection.

A Great Way to Learn – If you think about it, this is a great way to teach your kids a Bible lesson. Having them help you make these cookies while telling them about the tombstone and what it means hits on all 3 learning styles, visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. I will never forget the time my Mom took my siblings and me out to our motorhome parked in the yard, stood up on the steps, and with a tape measure showed us how tall Goliath would have been next to it.

Traditions- Traditions as we all know are our way of passing on our customs and beliefs to the next generation. Resurrection Sunday or Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. Food is a huge part of holidays, traditions, and culture. The beauty of food is not only the nourishment that it can give us or the pleasure that it can bring but also the big part that it plays in our traditions.

To make these Tombstone Easter Cookies, you will need the following ingredients:

4 c all-purpose flour

1 and 1/4th c granulated sugar

1 and 1/4th c packed brown sugar

4 eggs

3 tablespoons melted butter

1/4th teaspoon baking powder

1/4th teaspoon baking soda

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.

Next, melt the butter and set it aside.

In another mixing bowl, beat the eggs until fluffy and add in the sugars. Beat with a handheld mixer on high for 5 minutes.

Gradually add in the dry ingredients, and lastly, add in the melted butter.

On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to 3/8th inches thick and cut with a round 3-inch cookie cutter.,

Place the cookies on a greased baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cookies are light golden brown around the edges.

Place the cookies onto a cooling rack and allow them to cool before storing them in an air-tight container for up to a week.

You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.