How to Make a Gingerbread House

11 authors | 26 revisions | Last updated: December 10, 2012

Lois Wade, FortyTwoLW, ClaytonB, Mimi, Flickety, Lotte, Gaurang, Krystle, Aidan.long0508, Robert Nix, Frostmaker84Pin ItArticle EditDiscuss

Want to start a fun Christmas Tradition in your home? Here are instructions for baking, assembling and decorating your own Gingerbread house. It is a project that several people can work on together, and mistake can be eaten, making it fun for everyone!

Edit Ingredients6 cups all purpose (plain) flour1 tsp baking soda1/2 tsp baking powder2 sticks unsalted butter1 cup dark brown sugar4 tsp ginger, ground4 tsp cinnamon, ground1 1/2 tsp salt2 large eggs1 1/2 cups molasses

Royal icing:

1/4 cup meringue powder4 1/2 cups powdered sugar (icing sugar)

To decorate:

Assorted Christmas candies (color theme or all colors)Silver and gold dragées

Edit Steps

Making the gingerbread dough1Beat the butter with the sugar until fluffy, in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.

2Beat in the molasses. Mix well.

3In a separate bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, the baking powder, the ginger, cinnamon, salt and baking soda.

4Add the dry mixture to the liquid mixture in three even additions. Continue stirring until the mixture turns crumbly and the ingredients are combined.

5Use your hands to gently press the crumbly mixture together so that it forms dough. Divide the dough into thirds and shape roughly into rectangles. Wrap each rectangle in plastic kitchen wrap.

6Chill the dough. Place the wrapped rectangles in the refrigerator and chill for about 2 hours.

Baking the pieces1While the dough is chilling, make your template for the house. The template can be drawn on card stock or similar strong, thin cardboard.

2 rectangular walls (both same size)2 gable ends (both same size)2 roof sides (make these slightly longer than the walls and slightly wider than the Gable's slanted sides.)Templates can be found online with a brief search.2Roll the chilled dough between two sheets of parchment paper to a scant 1/4 inch (5mm) thick.

3Lay each template on the dough and cut out the house pieces.

4Gently transfer the dough house pieces to a baking sheet. Slide the dough still on the paper, as parchment paper can be baked.

5Bake at 350ºF/180ºC for 15-25 minutes. Place in the center of the oven for even baking. It's ready when it turns slightly darker at the edges and feels firm to the touch.

6Gently transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool before using (otherwise, the icing will melt).

Additional elements

While this step is not essential, making some extra gingerbread figures gives you something more to work with when decorating.

1Roll out leftover gingerbread dough pieces.

2Use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Choose cutters that match the gingerbread theme, such as gingerbread people, stars and Christmas trees.

3Bake and cool as above. The time needed will be on the lower side, as these pieces are smaller.

Making the royal icing1Beat the meringue powder with 1/2 cup of water. Beat until foamy (about 2 minutes).

2Add the powdered sugar. Beat it in until stiff (about 9-10 minutes).

Assembling the house1Place the icing in a pastry tube for easy piping. It's also useful to have some in a small bowl for dabbing here and there, as needed.

2"Glue" your house together using the royal icing. It is helpful to have an extra set of hands at this stage––get the kids, your spouse or neighbors involved!

Glue the walls together first. Let them set in place before adding the roof pieces.The roof pieces can be tricky but with the right angle and some patience at holding them gently in place until any risk of sliding is abated (about 1-5 minutes), they will sit firmly. If you don't want to hold them by hand, use props such as kitchen utensils or upturned mugs, etc. Size up your clean kitchen gear to do the task!

Decorating the house1Ice the entire roof. Once the whole gingerbread house has set, the roof needs to be iced to represent snow. Use a palette knife or butter knife to spread the snow evenly across the roof.

2Decorate the roof first. The candies will stick to the roof easily before it dries, so do this part now. Stick candies, dragées, sugar crystals and any other items on the roof.

3Decorate the walls next. Stick the candy items and gingerbread cut outs to the walls using dabs of royal icing as glue.

4Decorate the "yard" around the house. This can be as simple or elaborate as you like. You're not limited to edibles; a few plastic trees and the like can be added provided they're hygienic and food-safe.

5Place your creation on the table or sideboard for display. Admire your work and expect lots of compliments! In good conditions, a gingerbread house should last a few weeks provided nobody tucks into it sooner.

Edit VideoThis video provides uses gingerbread dough and building from scratch.

Edit TipsGingerbread houses do not have to be the stock standard version. You can vary it as much as you're willing to experiment––ideas to vary the theme include a castle, a hut, a log cabin, a tent, a fairy house, a Santa house, etc.Patience is a virtue when making gingerbread houses. They require a lot of effort from baking to assembling. Children tend to enjoy the lengthy process though, as there is much to do (and chew) in each stage.

Edit WarningsSugar ants are attracted to gingerbread houses left out without cover. If you have problems with sugar ants, do not leave the house out overnight; cover and put away.Moisture is a total killer for gingerbread houses; sagging walls and roofs are common in areas of high humidity. You might need to choose a different project if you cannot keep the humidity down. Alternatively, make and eat on the same day (make in the morning, share it at night).

Edit Things You'll NeedCake base (can be cardboard covered in foil, a mirror, a baking sheet turned over, etc.)Cardboard, scissors, ruler and marker for template; template design from internet or your own imaginationMixing bowlsWooden spoonRolling pin and boardPlastic kitchen wrapPalette knife/butter knifeIcing piping tubeParchment paper

Edit Related wikiHowsHow to Make Royal IcingHow to Make Gingerbread Houses Using Graham CrackersHow to Make Reduced Fat Gingerbread PeopleHow to Make Gingerbread CakeHow to Draw a Gingerbread HouseArticle Info Featured Article

Categories: Featured Articles | Gingerbread

In other languages
Deutsch: Wie man ein Lebkuchenhäuschen baut

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