Heres everything you oughta know about how to make a gingerbread house.
you could decorate your house with whatever types of candy hey you.
Red hots are really practical, as are small gumdrops, and candy canes.
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Pipe royal icing to make decorative designs around the walls of the house and roof.
Use royal icing to “glue” pieces of candy to the house.
The following are instructions I used with a gingerbread house making endeavor with a young friend.
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If you plan on making a gingerbread house yourself, I hope you find them useful!
Can You Eat This Gingerbread House?
Technically, yes, this gingerbread house is edible.
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But it’s made more for decoration then deliciousness.
If you’re craving gingerbread, make ourGingerbread Cookies, and enjoy them to your heart’s delight.
Your Gingerbread House Action Plan
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, break the process down into steps.
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Here’s a suggested timeline.
Do not pack or tamp down the flour in the cup.
This recipe is best for making a gingerbread house, not cookies.
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For cookies, I prefer mygingerbreadcookie recipe.
Non-gingerbread-house-building-participating adults and children should be informed to keep their hands off the house as well!
These instructions were adapted from those found in the 1996Joy of Cooking.
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Beat in the eggs, molasses, and water until well combined.
Beat half of the flour mixture into the molasses mixture until well blended and smooth.
Add in the remaining flour and continue to mix until well blended and a soft cohesive dough forms.
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If dough is too soft, add a little more flour.
Divide the dough in half, pat into disks, and wrap each half in plastic wrap.
Refrigerate for at least two hours, preferably overnight.
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it’s possible for you to make it up to 3 days ahead of time.
Let sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before rolling out.
Create a gingerbread house pattern by cutting out pieces from our printableGingerbread House Templates.
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Preheat oven to 350F, with the oven rack in the middle.
Have 2 to 3 flat cookie sheets ready.
Spread parchment paper on a large flat surface for rolling.
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Dust the paper lightly with flour.
If it sticks to either your rolling pin or the rolling surface, dust with more flour.
Rub a little flour over the surface of the dough.
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Place the pattern pieces on the dough, as many pattern pieces as will fit on the dough.
Depending on how soft the dough is, you may need to use scissors to cut the parchment paper.
Space the pieces on the cookie sheet an inch apart from each other.
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If dough pieces stretch during the transfer process, push them back into shape.
Rotate the cookie sheets halfway through the baking for more even browning.
Remove the sheets to racks to cool, about 15 minutes.
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Remove pieces to cool directly on racks to cool completely.
Whisk the egg whites and 1 1/3 cups of the powdered sugar together until smooth .
you’ve got the option to also use pasteurized dried or liquid egg whites.
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Add the remaining 1 1/3 cup of powdered sugar to the sugar egg mixture.
Using an electric mixer, beat on high speed until the icing holds stiff peaks.
If it doesn’t form stiff peaks, add more powdered sugar.
Keep this towel over the icing to prevent it from drying out while you work with it.
When you are ready to mortar or decorate, fill a pastry bag with the icing.
If you want, line the base with aluminum foil or wax paper.
Pipe a thick line of icing along a short end of one of the side pieces.
Press the iced side piece against the edge of either the front or back pieces.
Hold in place for a few minutes until the icing is partially set.
Repeat with the other side piece.
Prop up with cans if necessary.
Repeat with the other short edges of the side pieces and the remaining front/back piece.
Pipe icing along the edges of the house where it meets the base.
Let set forat least an hourbefore attempting to add the roof pieces.
Simple Tip!
When I went to make the cuts, the piece broke.
Fortunately, it was easy to mortar back together with royal icing.
Let harden completely before using the piece for the house construction.
Pipe icing all along the top edges of the structure, front and back and two sides.
The roof pieces are rectangular-shaped.
Pipe the top seam of the house with extra icing.
Let the house stand for at least an hour, and preferably 8 hours before decorating.
The dimensions of the chimney can be a bit tricky because of the angle of the roof.
It’s easiest to assemble the chimney first upside down, separate from the house.
Pipe the pieces together with royal icing and let set until stable.
Then, turn the chimney right-side-up and attach it to the roof using piped royal icing.
