Description

This Gingerbread House recipe provides a delightful and festive way to create an edible holiday decoration. Using a blend of warm spices in the gingerbread dough and a sturdy royal icing for assembly, this recipe guides you through making detailed gingerbread shapes, melting candy windows, and decorating with various candies to bring your gingerbread house to life. Perfect for holiday celebrations, this activity combines baking and decorating into a fun seasonal tradition.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Gingerbread House:

2 + ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg
½ cup butter, melted and cooled
½ cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup molasses
1 tablespoon water
7 jolly ranchers (hard candies)

For the Royal Icing:

2 large egg whites
2 + ¾ cups confectioners’ sugar
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar (optional)

For Decorating:

Assorted candies
Confectioners’ sugar (for dusting)
Shredded coconut (for snow effect)

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Instructions

Prepare the template: Print out the Gingerbread House Template and cut out the shapes you will be using. Set aside to guide cutting the dough.
Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
Mix wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, beat the egg, cooled melted butter, brown sugar, molasses, and water on medium speed with a hand mixer until combined, about 1 minute.
Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add wet ingredients to the dry and mix on medium speed until just combined with no dry flour visible.
Form and chill dough: Use your hands to form the dough into a ball, divide into two balls, flatten into discs, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven and prepare pans: Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two large half-sheet pans with silicone baking mats.
Roll out dough: Roll one dough disc at a time on parchment paper to ¼-inch thickness. For stability, place parchment on Silpat mat while rolling.
Cut out shapes: Use the gingerbread template to trace and cut out house components with pizza cutter and knife for details. Cut out windows and doors as instructed, cutting door after baking.
Transfer and add candy windows: Place shapes on baking sheets, adding whole jolly ranchers to windows; use half of one for circular windows for stained glass effect.
Bake gingerbread: Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges are set. After first few minutes, cut out door and leave it on baking sheet.
Cool gingerbread: Let cool 5-10 minutes on sheets, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Prepare royal icing: Beat egg whites on low speed 10 seconds, add cream of tartar, then gradually add confectioners’ sugar ½ cup at a time. Beat on high speed 5 minutes until very stiff icing forms.
Adjust icing consistency: If too wet, add sugar; if too thick, add water teaspoon by teaspoon until it ropes and holds shape but not runny.
Keep icing moist: Cover baking bowl with a damp towel when not in use to prevent icing from drying too fast.
Prepare base: Create a base by wrapping cardboard with aluminum foil and placing on a wooden serving platter.
Assemble house corners: Pipe thick lines of royal icing on edges; attach front and side pieces, holding until partially set, then secure to base with icing underneath for stability.
Add remaining walls and seal corners: Attach back and remaining side pieces with thick royal icing lines at edges and bottoms; hold or prop until partial set. Let set 1 hour before roofing.
Attach roof: Pipe icing on top edges and place roof pieces one at a time, securing seams with extra icing; hold in place as they set.
Build chimney: Attach chimney pieces with icing, then fix to roof with icing, holding until set.
Attach door: Secure door on house slightly ajar with royal icing, holding until set.
Seal and add snow effect: Pipe extra royal icing along roof edges and corners in dripping pattern for snow look; allow at least 1 hour to fully set.
Decorate shingles and windows: Using a piping bag with no. 1 round tip, pipe scalloped roof shingles pattern, outline windows, and add decorative dots and squiggles.
Add snow dusting: Use a fine mesh strainer to dust confectioners’ sugar as snow on roof; sprinkle shredded coconut on base to mimic ground snow.
Apply candies: Pipe thick royal icing along edges or desired spots and press assorted candies onto the house.
Add optional lights: Place battery-operated lights inside the gingerbread house to illuminate it beautifully.

Notes

Chilling the dough is important for easier rolling and shape retention during baking.
Use silicone baking mats or parchment paper to prevent sticking and assist with easy transfer.
Cutting the door after starting the bake helps preserve its shape.
Royal icing dries quickly; keep covered with a damp cloth when not in use.
Allow assembled pieces to set partially between steps for structural stability.
Decorate with your favorite candies to personalize the house.
Battery-operated LED lights are safer than candles or open flames inside edible houses.
If concerned about raw egg in royal icing, consider using pasteurized egg whites or meringue powder.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 gingerbread house (serves about 8-10 slices)
Calories: Approximately 3500 kcal total (about 350-440 kcal per slice depending on decoration and serving size)
Sugar: High (due to brown sugar, molasses, confectioners' sugar, and candies)
Sodium: Moderate (around 300-400 mg per serving estimated)
Fat: Moderate (from butter and egg, about 12-15g per serving)
Saturated Fat: About 7-9g per serving
Unsaturated Fat: Approximately 4-6g per serving
Trans Fat: Negligible
Carbohydrates: High (about 50-60g per serving mainly from flour and sugars)
Fiber: Low to moderate (2-3g per serving from flour and spices)
Protein: Moderate (5-7g per serving from egg and flour)
Cholesterol: About 40-50mg per serving from eggs and butter