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Classic Gingerbread House Recipe

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Construct a sturdy and decorative gingerbread house with this classic recipe, perfect for holiday crafting and family fun. This recipe yields a firm gingerbread dough ideal for building.

Ingredients

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  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • For Royal Icing:
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 6–8 tablespoons water
  • Assorted candies for decoration

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. Beat in the molasses, egg, and vanilla extract until well combined.
  4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. The dough will be stiff.
  5. Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until firm.
  6. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  7. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out your gingerbread house pieces using templates or desired dimensions (e.g., two side walls, two front/back walls, two roof pieces, chimney pieces).
  8. Transfer the cut pieces to the prepared baking sheets, leaving some space between them.
  9. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the edges are firm and lightly browned. For larger pieces, you may need to bake them longer. Rotate the baking sheets halfway through baking for even cooking.
  10. Let the gingerbread pieces cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  11. While the gingerbread pieces cool, prepare the royal icing. In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and meringue powder. Gradually add the water, starting with 6 tablespoons, and beat on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Add more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if needed to reach a pipeable consistency.
  12. Once the gingerbread pieces are completely cool, assemble your house. Use the royal icing as ‘glue’ to attach the walls and roof pieces. Pipe generous lines of icing along the edges that will connect. Hold the pieces together for a few minutes until the icing begins to set.
  13. Attach the chimney pieces.
  14. Decorate your gingerbread house with assorted candies, using royal icing to secure them.

Notes

  • Ensure your gingerbread pieces are completely cool before assembling to prevent them from breaking or melting the icing.
  • For extra sturdy walls, you can bake the gingerbread pieces slightly longer until they are very firm.
  • If your dough becomes too soft while working with it, return it to the refrigerator for a short period to firm up.
  • Royal icing dries hard and acts as an excellent adhesive for gingerbread construction.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://recipestokeep.com/gingerbread-house-recipe/