Empty Tomb Rolls are delicious treats with soft dough and sweet, cinnamon marshmallows that melt into an “empty tomb” when baked.
Also called Resurrection Rolls or Vanishing Rolls; these are perfect for Easter!
Empty Tomb Rolls
Empty Tomb Rolls (or Resurrection Rolls) are a fun, tasty way to share the Easter story.
They’re great for any occasion, not just Easter, doubling as delicious desserts or brunch additions.
Off-season, they’re called Vanishing Rolls because the marshmallows inside melt away when baked.
Empty Tomb Rolls Ingredients
- Sugar & ground cinnamon: Mix for a sweet and flavorful marshmallow coating.
- Unsalted butter: Adds flavor and helps the sugar coating stick.
- Buttery crescent rolls: The base dough; I love the “Flaky & Buttery” flavor.
- Large marshmallows: For a gooey center. Use fresh, soft ones for the best melt.
The Empty Tomb Meaning
Empty Tomb Rolls are a fun way to learn about the Easter story of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.
These rolls are not just delicious; they’re packed with symbolism from the Bible stories in Matthew 27-28, Mark 15-16, Luke 23-24, and John 19-20.
Here’s what it all means:
- Marshmallow: Represents Jesus—pure and without sin.
- Butter and cinnamon coating: Like the linen Jesus was wrapped in after His crucifixion.
- Wrapped in crescent dough: Jesus being placed in the tomb.
- Baking: Represents the time of waiting.
- Empty inside when opened: A reminder of the empty tomb and Jesus’ resurrection.
How To Make Empty Tomb Rolls
- Grease your muffin tin well with cooking spray or butter to make the rolls easy to take out.
- Wrap marshmallow snugly in crescent dough, sealing it tight so it doesn’t leak while baking.
- Watch the baking time: Aim for 10-15 mins until they’re golden brown. Keep an eye on them to get them just right.
- Enjoy them warm: They’re yummiest when warm, with the marshmallow center all gooey.
Variations
Get creative with flavors: Feel free to play with spices. Add nutmeg or allspice to the mix, or swap cinnamon for apple pie or pumpkin pie spice for a fun change.
Storage
Enjoy Immediately!
These Empty Tomb Rolls are yummiest straight from the oven—warm and gooey inside, flaky outside.
More Breakfast or Brunch Options:
- Ham and Cheese Quiche easy to make
- Scrambled Eggs with simple ingredients
- Cinnamon French Toast Sticks
- Bircher Muesli hearty and delicious
- Breakfast Toast with blueberries
Empty Tomb Rolls AKA Vanishing Rolls
Equipment
- Muffin pan
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 (8-ounce) package buttery crescent rolls 8 rolls total, see note 1
- 8 large marshmallows see note 2
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and generously grease a muffin pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon. In a microwave-safe bowl, add the butter and melt. Unwrap the crescent rolls from the package and separate them into individual rolls.
- Use a toothpick to skewer the marshmallow and dip it in melted butter. Shake off the excess. Transfer dipped marshmallows into the cinnamon-sugar mix and turn to fully coat in sugar. Shake off excess.
- Place the marshmallow on the largest part of the crescent roll and wrap the dough to coat the marshmallow. Take your time, making sure each marshmallow is fully coated in the dough and sealed as well as you can.
- Gently turn the dough-covered marshmallow ball in the melted butter, shaking off the excess. Coat in the cinnamon sugar and shake off excess. Place in a muffin pan, sealed side down. Repeat with remaining rolls and marshmallows.
- Bake for 10–15 minutes and remove from the oven; let slightly cool before using a fork to coax them out of the tin and onto plates. These goodies are best enjoyed hot right out of the oven!
- Symbolism: If you’d like to share symbolism alongside making these rolls:Empty Tomb Rolls are not only absolutely delicious, but they also serve as a creative representation of the story recounted in Matthew 27–28, Mark 15–16, Luke 23–24, and John 19–20. These four accounts, while varying slightly, share the same core narrative of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection.The marshmallow represents Jesus, pure and sinless. The process of rolling the marshmallow in butter and cinnamon represents Jesus being wrapped in linen after his crucifixion. Sealing the coated marshmallow within the crescent roll dough symbolizes Jesus being placed in the tomb. Baking the rolls signifies the passage of time. And upon opening the cooked roll, the absence of the marshmallow represents the empty tomb, signifying Jesus' resurrection on the third day.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I have made these for Easter morning for over 30 years! I didn’t use a muffin tin; just a cookie sheet. I think the muffin tin will be less messy! If concerned about the sweetness level you can skip sugar coating the dough. It will still be plenty sweet! Thanks for posting it! My kids would wake up in the morning and make their own via assembly line remembering the symbolism involved with each step.They loved it- even as teenagers!
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Milo! 🙂
What a sweet tribute to our Savior, Chelsea. Thanks again for another great treat!
Thanks so much Tam! <3