Cozy Gingerbread House
User Reviews
5
Cozy Gingerbread House
Description
The recipe centers on constructing a gingerbread house from homemade or prepared gingerbread dough shaped using templates for each component, including walls, roof sections, and decorations such as trees and signage. Baking the cut dough until set and cooled ensures sturdy pieces that can be assembled. Melting crushed Jolly Ranchers creates translucent candy windows, adding visual interest. Decorating occurs before and after assembly, applying royal icing mixed and colored for various accents.
This gingerbread house serves as an edible holiday decoration combining the spicy flavor of gingerbread with the sweetness of royal icing and candy embellishments. It provides a hands-on crafting experience that culminates in a visually rich and delicately textured structure suitable for display or later shared enjoyment. The detailed steps accommodate customization and creative use of icing colors and decoration techniques.
Planning ahead to bake all pieces and prepare icings day prior facilitates smoother assembly. Storing royal icing airtight preserves its usability. Holding walls with cans or supports while drying assures stability. Using various piping tools and brushes helps add fine detail, and choosing sturdy dough thickness balances durability with ease of cutting and baking.
Ingredients
- 1 batch gingerbread dough
- 1 batch royal icing
- Sprinkles variety
- 1 bag almonds slivered
- 1 pound powdered sugar for snow
- 1 bag mini marshmallows for perimeter
- 1 bag coconut for snow, shredded
- Jolly Ranchers crushed up for pool and windows
Instructions
To Make the House Structure:
- Figure out the structure you want to make. I made templates using old Amazon boxes, creating two pieces for the roof, walls, front of the house and back of the house. I also cut out (free hand) trees, a pool, a corgi, and a sign. If you want windows, be sure to cut out windows before baking.
- Bake these sheets of dough out, following the instructions linked above. Allow to cool completely.
To Assemble:
- If you want to have the windows to have glass panes, crush up jolly ranchers and crush up that candy in the center of the "window." Transfer to a 350 degrees F oven to bake for about 5 minutes until the jolly rancher has melted.
- Decorate the sides of the houses first (before assembling the gingerbread house). I liked to add trim, sprinkles, etc.
- Using royal icing, add it to a piping bag. "Glue" the walls together using the royal icing. I liked to use cans of beans to hold up the walls to make sure they're secure while it's drying.
- Secure all of the almonds to the roof. This took me about 1 hour to do.
- Glue the almond roof to the house. Add the coconut snow and finish decorating the gingerbread house scene.
Notes
- Prepare gingerbread dough, royal icing, and decorative elements a day before assembly for easier handling.
- Store royal icing in airtight containers to prevent drying or cracking before use.
- Dye royal icing with food gels to create different colors for decorating trees, house walls, and trim.
- Use piping bags and paint brushes to add fine icing details and place embellishments like sprinkles and almonds.
- Support the walls during assembly with cans or weighted objects to hold them in place as the royal icing dries.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 376 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 12g | |
| Calories | 376kcal | 19% |
| Carbohydrates | 12g | 4% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 2g | 3% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 21mg | 7% |
| Sodium | 2mg | 0% |
| Potassium | 2mg | 0% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 2IU | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 5mg | 6% |
| Calcium | 2mg | 0% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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