Julie Clark
Updated:
Empty Tomb Rolls
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If you’re looking for a delicious way to celebrate the Easter story, try these cinnamon sugar Empty Tomb Rolls. The homemade disappearing marshmallow rolls represent the empty tomb and is fun for telling the story of Jesus to kids.
Our favorite dinner roll recipe are one of our most popular recipes, especially during holidays. For the Easter season, create a new Easter tradition by making Empty Tomb Rolls with that same bread dough that you know and love.
This empty tomb rolls recipe has a cinnamon-sugar mixture sprinkled on top and a melting marshmallow on the inside which creates an empty tomb, a wonderful way to teach kids about the resurrection of Jesus on Easter morning. It will quickly become one your favorite easter recipes.
About these Empty Tomb Rolls
Many make empty tomb rolls with crescent rolls, and that’s definitely a quick and easy option when time is short.
If you’re a sucker for homemade bread like we are, set that crescent roll dough aside for our crescent roll egg souffles and make homemade resurrection rolls.
- The basic dough recipe is easy to work with and so soft to knead. Kids will love to help make this homemade dough.
- A marshmallow wrapped in a piece of dough melts as the roll bakes, leaving an empty tomb on the inside of the rolls to represent Jesus’ body risen from the grave. The true meaning of Easter!
- Although the delicious rolls are irresistible when fresh from the oven, you can make these a day in advance if needed.
Ingredients
A few notes about key ingredients:
- Bread flour. All-purpose flour works in a pinch, but bread flour yields a soft roll with a chewy exterior and a nice rise.
- Salted butter. I keep salted butter on hand in the kitchens so use that. Unsalted butter works as well.
- Marshmallows. For best results use a large marshmallow inside. Mini marshmallows may work, but also yield inconsistent results.
✨ See the recipe card for the full ingredient list and instructions. ✨
Before You Start
If you’re new to working with yeast or just need a few hints, here are our 3 tips:
- Instant Yeast is easy to work with and dough rises quickly with it. Make sure your yeast is not out of date. With instant yeast, you don’t always have to “proof” the yeast in the warm milk, but for this recipe, it’s best to activate the yeast in the warm milk and butter before adding the other ingredients. Read our complete guide to different types of yeast.
- Make sure the temperature of your milk is correct. If you are adding the yeast right into the warmed milk, it should be about 100º-115º Fahrenheit. Use a thermometer to test this.
- There are 3 choices to make the dough: 1. Use a bread machine on the dough setting. 2. Mix and knead by hand. 3. Knead with a stand mixer. If you knead by hand, be careful not to add too much flour during kneading or your dough will be dry. The dough should feel slightly tacky, but not be sticking all over your hands.
How to Make Empty Tomb Rolls
- The first step to making resurrection rolls is to make the dough. For a shortcut, use Rhode’s frozen bread dough. Read our guide on how to make dough rise faster.
- Divide the dough into 15 dough balls.
- Flatten a dough ball in the palm of your hand. Place a large marshmallow in the middle of the dough.
- Wrap the dough around, being careful to completely cover and seal the marshmallow inside the dough.
- Roll the dough ball until it is smooth and repeat with the remaining dough balls.
- While the oven is heating, allow the rolls to rise in warm place. With instant yeast, the second rise doesn’t have to be long. They’ll spring up in the oven!
- Brush the tops of the rolls with melted butter, the sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
- Bake at 375ºF for 13 to 16 minutes or until lightly browned.
Storage Instructions
The rolls are amazing served warm, but of you need to make these a day in advance, store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
When you want to serve them, reheat them either in the microwave or the oven. For the oven, set the oven to 250º F. Place the rolls in an oven safe pan and cover with foil. Heat for just a short time (maybe 5 minutes) or until the rolls are as warm as you’d like.
Other Easter Recipes
- Easter Chick Cupcakes
- Easter Bunny Cupcakes
- Spring M&M Flower Candies
- Italian Easter Bread Rolls
Empty Tomb Rolls
If you’re looking for a delicious way to celebrate Easter, try these cinnamon sugar Resurrection Rolls. The homemade disappearing marshmallow rolls represent the empty tomb!
Servings 15
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Rise Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 23 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm milk (2%)
- 1/2 cup salted butter (room temperature)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast (1 package)
- 15 large marshmallows
- 2 tablespoons salted butter (melted)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Put the milk (110-115ºF) and the melted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. The milk and butter mixture should be between 110-115ºF. Sprinkle the yeast over the top of the mixture and allow it to sit until slightly frothy (3-4 minutes).
- Add the sugar, room temperature eggs, salt, and flour. (Be sure to not pack the flour into the cup. Spoon the flour into the cup carefully, then level it with a knife.)
- With a paddle attachment for your stand mixer, mix for a few seconds until just combined. Let this mixture sit for about 5 minutes.
- Switch the attachment to the dough hook and knead on medium speed for 7-8 minutes.
- Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place for 30 minutes or until nearly doubled.
- Divide and roll dough into 15 balls. Flatten a dough ball in the palm of your hand.
- Place a large marshmallow in the middle of the dough. Wrap the dough around, being careful to completely cover and seal the marshmallow inside the dough.
- Roll the dough ball until it is smooth. Repeat with the remaining dough balls.
- Place the dough balls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Cover and rise for 15-20 minutes while the oven is preheating to 375ºF.
- Brush the tops of the rolls with melted butter, the sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake for 13 to 16 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Serve warm.
Notes
The calories shown are based on the recipe making 15 rolls, with 1 serving being 1 roll. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**
Nutrition
Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 161mg | Potassium: 91mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 300IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 2mg
I would love to make these for our family Easter breakfast. We have to make them gluten free and use a dairy free milk. Do you know if the bread would still rise well with these ingredients?
Maybe one could make homemade savory marshmallows. I’ve heard of bleu cheese versions…no kidding!
I can’t wait to make these! The empty tomb is a beautiful thing, I love the idea of using homemade rolls in such a meaningful way. I wanted to ask: Can I make the dough a day ahead and bake the next morning? At what point in the recipe would I put the dough in the refrigerator?
Thank you!!! Blessed Easter to you and the family!