Gingerbread house recipe. Beginners guide to making a gingerbread house from scratch. Plus tips and tricks along with an easy icing recipe.
Every year we plan on making gingerbread houses with our kids, and every year I have a hard time finding the time.
Oh, they are ok. They get the graham cracker or pop tart version and never complain, because who can complain when licorice and gum drops are at your fingertips.
So what do you do when you vow this year will be different?
You make six all at once and then a seventh for pictures. And guess what I learned!
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Making gingerbread houses is for the birds.
I didn’t like it.
- the dough was hard to roll out once chilled
- the paper cut outs stuck to the dough
- store bought frosting was too soft to hold the house together
So two days later I decided to try again, and this time I changed everything. Gingerbread house number 7 was way easier, faster and a heck of a lot more enjoyable. It also tasted delicious!
GINGERBREAD HOUSE RECIPE
Dough Ingredients
- 3 cups flour
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tsp. allspice
- 2 tsp. ginger
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ cup unsalted butter -soften
- ½ cup molasses
- 1 egg
- pinch salt
This recipe very easily makes one gingerbread house plus extra for gingerbread cut outs such as trees.
Allow butter to soften at room temperature.
Cream ½ cup butter and sugar together.
Add ½ cup molasses and 1 egg. Mix until combined.
In a separate bowl add 3 cups flour.
Add 1 ½ tsp. allspice, 2 tsp. ginger, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp baking soda and a pinch of salt. Combine.
Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until combined.
Divide in half.
Between two pieces of parchment paper, roll dough to approximately ¼ inch thickness.
Stack each in their own parchment paper in the refrigerator, and allow to chill completely flat for 30-40 minutes.
While you’re waiting for your dough to chill, make your gingerbread cutouts.
After printing my own cutouts and rolling out the dough, I was disappointed to find that regular printer paper would only get sticky and become difficult to use if making more than one gingerbread house.
That’s when I noticed that parchment paper has the perfect guides/lines to draw your own gingerbread house!
Draw and cut out the template for the gingerbread house.
Parchment paper gingerbread house template
For this size house we used
- 4 full squares and a triangle top for the front and back of the house – x2
- 4 full squares for the sides – x2
- 4 and a half squares for the roof – x2
- ¼ square for the chimney – x2
- ¼ square with a v to go over the roofline – x2
Using a pizza cutter, cut your dough into shapes.
Bake at 350°
Place on lined baking tray and bake at 350° for 14-16 minutes.
Allow to cool completely. I like to bake mine just until I see the edges turn a bit more brown for a crisp and sturdy house.
GINGERBREAD HOUSE ICING RECIPE
Ingredients
- 3 cups confectioners sugar
- 3 TBS meringue powder
- 4-6 TBS water to desired thickness
- food coloring (optional)
Combine confectioners sugar and meringue powder together. Add a TBS of water at a time until it reaches desired thickness.
Place in piping bag or sandwich bag to pipe.
GINGERBREAD HOUSE CANDY
- licorice
- gum drips
- peppermints
- marshmallows
- candy canes
- gummy bears
- M&M’s
- Hershey’s kisses
- pretzels
Candy for gingerbread houses can be as simple or elaborate as you’d like! Stick to the basics with licorice, gum drops and candy canes. Or get more creative with marshmallow snowmen with pretzel arms.
GINGERBREAD HOUSE PLATE
The best way to assemble and display your gingerbread house is on a large serving plate. Or, use a cardboard box and cover in tin foil. Paper plates may seem easier, but once the house is assembled it won’t give you a lot of space to decorate the yard around the house.
Making a gingerbread house from scratch is a bit time consuming. Hopefully with this gingerbread house recipe, along with a few of these tips, you’ll be a pro in no time.
Wishing you peace, love and health this holiday season. ~Sara
Gingerbread house recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. allspice
- 2 tsp. ginger
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter (soften)
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1 eggs
- 1 pinch salt
Gingerbread house icing recipe
- 3 cups confectioners sugar
- 3 TBS meringue powder
- 4-6 TBS water
Instructions
- Allow butter to come to room temperature.
- Cream ½ cup butter and sugar together.
- Add ½ cup molasses and 1 egg. Mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl add 3 cups flour.
- Add 1 ½ tsp. allspice, 2 tsp. ginger, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp baking soda and a pinch of salt. Combine.
- Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until combined.
- Divide in half.
- Between two pieces of parchment paper, roll dough to approximately ¼ inch thickness.
- Stack each in their own parchment paper in the refrigerator, and allow to chill completely flat for 30-40 minutes.
- Draw and cut out the template for the gingerbread house.
- Using a pizza cutter, cut your dough into shapes.
- Place on lined baking tray and bake at 350° for 14-16 minutes.
- Allow to cool completely.
Gingerbread house icing recipe
- Combine confectioners sugar and meringue powder together.
- Add a TBS of water at a time until it reaches desired thickness.
- Place in piping bag to pipe.
- Assemble the house.
Notes
Nutrition
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