Empty Tomb Rolls

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

• White granulated sugar & ground cinnamon: Mix for a sweet and flavorful marshmallow coating.
• Melted, unsalted butter: Adds flavor and helps the sugar coating stick.
• Buttery crescent rolls: The base dough; we love the “Flaky & Buttery” flavor.
• Large marshmallows: For a gooey center. Use fresh, soft ones for the best melt.

The Empty Tomb Symbolism

Empty Tomb Rolls are a fun way to dive into 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 sinless.
• Butter and cinnamon coating: Mimics Jesus being wrapped in linen post-crucifixion.
• Wrapped in crescent dough: Symbolizes Jesus’ burial in the tomb.
• Baking: The wait symbolizes the passage of time.
• Empty inside when opened: Shows the empty tomb, celebrating Jesus’ resurrection.

How To Make Empty Tomb Rolls

• Grease your muffin tin well with cooking spray or butter to avoid stickiness and make the rolls easy to take out.
• Wrap the marshmallow snugly in crescent dough, sealing it tight so it doesn’t leak while baking.
• Watch the baking time: Aim for 10-15 minutes 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.

More Breakfast or Brunch Options:

• Ham and Cheese Quiche
• Scrambled Eggs
• French Toast Sticks
• Bircher Muesli
• Breakfast Toast

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5 from 2 votes

Empty Tomb Rolls AKA Vanishing Rolls

By Chelsea Lords

Empty Tomb Rolls are delicious treats with soft dough and sweet, cinnamon marshmallows that melt into an "empty tomb" when baked. 

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 rolls

Ingredients  

1x2x3x

• ▢ ½ cup white granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• ▢ 1 package buttery crescent rolls (8 rolls total) (Note 1)
• ▢ 8 large marshmallows (Note 2)

Instructions 

• PREP: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and generously grease a muffin tin with cooking spray. Set aside for now.
• PREP CONT.: 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.
• MARSHMALLOW: 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.
  
• WRAP MARSHMALLOW: 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.
  
• COAT ROLL IN SUGAR: 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 tin, sealed side down. Repeat with remaining rolls and marshmallows.
• BAKE: 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

Note 1: Crescent rolls: Grab a package with 8 rolls total. We like the butter flake flavor best here.

Note 2: Marshmallows: Be sure to get large, not miniature marshmallows. Grab the freshest and softest possible marshmallows. The fresher and softer the marshmallows, the tastier the Empty Tomb Rolls will be. Press on the bags of marshmallows at the store to find the softest one. Stale marshmallows sometimes don't melt properly.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 247kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 229mg | Potassium: 7mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 265IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 0.5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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