How To Make a Gingerbread House

Name: How To Make a Gingerbread House
Prep time: 300 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 495 min
Yield: 1 serving
Cuisine: German,American
Ingredients: 12 ounces (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature; 1 3/4 cups dark brown sugar; 2 large eggs; 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon molasses; 2 tablespoons water; 7 3/4 cups all purpose flour; 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground ginger; 2 teaspoons baking soda; 1 teaspoon ground cloves; 1 teaspoon fine salt; 3 cups powdered sugar; 2 large egg whites; 1 teaspoon lemon juice; 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar; Assorted candies, cereals, pretzels, sprinkles, etc.

This comprehensive guide details how to construct a custom gingerbread house, including dough and icing recipes, cutting templates, and assembly techniques.

⭐ 3.8 (10 reviews) Prep: 300 minCook: 15 minTotal: 495 minYields: 1 serving

Category Tags:

Dessert

Cuisine Tags:

German American

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Instructions

Combine butter and brown sugar in a stand mixer, then cream until light and fluffy.
Stir together eggs, molasses, and water; gradually add this liquid to the butter mixture until incorporated.
Add flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, cloves, and salt; mix until a ball of dough forms.
Divide dough, form into rectangles, wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Roll chilled dough between parchment sheets to ¼” thickness; stack on a baking sheet and freeze for at least 3 hours.
Remove frozen dough, peel parchment, and use templates to cut out gingerbread house pieces.
Arrange pieces on parchment-lined baking sheets with one-inch spacing.
Bake for 12-15 minutes until set and dry; cool on wire racks and store flat at room temperature.
Combine powdered sugar, egg whites, lemon juice, and cream of tartar in a stand mixer.
Whisk on low then high speed until the icing is stiff but still pipeable.
Transfer some icing to a piping bag with a ¼” tip; cover remaining icing.
Mark the house's base on your board by arranging wall pieces and tracing the rectangle.
Pipe a thick line of royal icing over the traced rectangle on the board.
Position the wall pieces over the icing, securing seams with more icing; allow walls to dry for one hour.
Pipe icing on wall tops, attach roof pieces, and seal the rooftop seam with more icing; let dry for at least one hour.
Decorate the house as desired with royal icing, various candies, and a light dusting of powdered sugar.
Allow the decorated house to dry completely for at least 24 hours.