Kid-Friendly Resurrection Rolls Sunday School Activity
Resurrection rolls turn the Easter story into an edible lesson that kids won’t forget. You wrap marshmallows in buttery crescent roll dough, then watch them "disappear" during baking, leaving behind an empty tomb.
It’s a hands-on way to teach the resurrection while making something delicious. Kids love the surprise of biting into what looks like a filled roll only to find it empty inside.
Why the Marshmallow Disappears During Baking
The marshmallow represents Jesus’s body, and when it melts away completely during baking, it leaves behind an empty space that symbolizes the empty tomb. This happens because marshmallows are mostly sugar and gelatin, which dissolve at oven temperatures.
Make sure to seal the dough edges tightly with your fingers. If there are gaps, the melted marshmallow will leak out instead of creating that empty pocket that makes the lesson work.
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Teaching the Story While You Work
Each step connects to the Easter story. The marshmallow is Jesus’s body, the butter and cinnamon represent the oils and spices used for burial, and wrapping it in dough is like placing him in the tomb. Rolling it in cinnamon sugar shows how he was prepared for burial.
Talk through each step as kids work. When they bite into the finished rolls and find them empty, explain how the disciples felt when they discovered the empty tomb on Easter morning.
Kid-Friendly Resurrection Rolls Sunday School Activity
Ingredients
Coating
Equipment Needed
- Large baking sheet
- Small bowl for cinnamon sugar
- Pastry brush or spoon for butter
Instructions
- Prepare oven and coating: Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, mix together sugar and cinnamon until well combined.
- Coat marshmallows: Unroll crescent roll dough and separate into 8 triangles. Dip each marshmallow in melted butter, coating all sides, then roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Wrap and seal: Place one coated marshmallow at the wide end of each dough triangle. Wrap the dough around the marshmallow, pinching all seams and edges tightly to seal completely. No marshmallow should be visible.
- Arrange and brush: Place sealed rolls seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart. Brush tops with remaining melted butter and sprinkle with any leftover cinnamon sugar.
- Bake and cool: Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown and puffed. The rolls should sound hollow when gently tapped and feel firm but not hard. Cool for 5 minutes before serving to avoid burns from any remaining hot marshmallow.
Nutrition Facts
Per Serving (1 roll)
