Gingerbread House Recipe
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5
Gingerbread House Recipe
Description
The Gingerbread House Recipe centers on a molasses-based dough infused with spices including cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt, combined with vegetable shortening and baking soda for leavening. After boiling the molasses mixture and combining it with sugar, eggs, and vanilla, it is incorporated with the dry ingredients to form a stiff dough. Chilling the dough before rolling permits clean cutting of house sections. Baking at 375°F produces firm pieces suitable for constructing a decorative gingerbread house. The recipe also includes a royal icing made with egg whites and cream of tartar to securely join and embellish the structure.
The gingerbread’s flavor balances sweet and spicy tones while the dough’s texture is hard enough to support assembly but not so brittle as to crack during handling. This allows for creative decoration at holiday time, making it more than just a cookie but a festive project. The icing adds a smooth sweetness and acts as adhesive.
The recipe suits holiday bakers aiming for a traditional gingerbread house with a controlled, well-spiced recipe and sturdy results. It fits well into winter celebrations where making and decorating a gingerbread house is part of the custom.
Planning ahead is recommended as the dough firms for several hours in the refrigerator before baking and can be made up to a week ahead. The baked pieces also keep well in a dry place if prepared in advance, supporting staggered holiday preparation schedules.
Ingredients
For the Gingerbread:
- 1 cup molasses
- 1 cup vegetable shortening
- 2 tsp baking soda
- ½ cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 7 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp cloves ground
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 4 egg white
- 2 lbs powdered sugar (about 6-7 cups)
- 2 tsp cream of tartar
Instructions
- Make the Gingerbread Dough:
- In a large saucepan combine molasses and shortening. In a small bowl, combine baking soda and water and stir to dissolve, set aside.
- Bring the molasses and shortening to a boil, stirring frequently. Once boiling, remove from heat and stir in the soda/water mixture, mixing well to combine.
- In a large mixing bowl use an electric mixer or stand mixture to combine the sugar, eggs and vanilla.
- Add the molasses mixture to the sugar/egg mixture and mix well to combine.
- Add the flour, salt, and spices and mix to combine. Place dough in a large ziplock bag and smash use the palm of your hand to shape it into a large, flat disk inside of the bag.
- Chill the gingerbread for several hours, or make up to 1 week in advance.
- Bake the gingerbread house pieces (link to .pdf of my pattern is above in the post):
- Preheat your oven to 375. Remove the gingerbread dough from the fridge and allow it to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Cut dough into four equal pieces, and use your hands to mold each piece into a thick rectangle, as best as possible.
- Place a damp towel on your countertop and place a piece of wax or parchment paper ontop of the towel. (The damp towel will keep the parchment paper from sliding asyou roll out the dough.)
- Lightly dust your hands and one of the pieces of gingerbread with flour. Roll the pieceinto a large rectangle, no more than ¼ inch thick. Before you bake the gingerbread, make sure the pattern pieces you will cut from that piece of gingerbread fit on top of thedough you’ve rolled out. Watch the corners particularly.
- Place the gingerbread (still on the parchment paper) onto a large baking sheet orjelly-roll pan and bake at 375 degrees F for 11-12 minutes. Remove from oven.
- Cut your house pattern pieces while the gingerbread is still warm from the oven. (You can cut your own patterns or download and print my pattern. See the download link above in the post!) As each batch comes out of the oven, place pattern pieces on top and use a sharp serrated knife to cut the pattern out, pulling the scraps away from the pieces you cut. Allow gingerbread to cool completely before removing from the parchment paper.
- Royal Icing for gingerbread houses:
- Place all ingredients in a metal mixing bowl. Beat until smooth and standing peaks (about 4-6 minutes). Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth as you use the frosting (this will help keep the frosting from drying out).
- Assemble the Gingerbread House:
- Find assembly instructions and step-by-step photos above in the post, or in the printable .pdf.
Notes
- The gingerbread dough can be prepared several days in advance and stored refrigerated.
- Once baked, gingerbread house pieces should be kept in a dry environment to preserve their texture until assembling.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 1house
Amount Per Serving
Calories 10507 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 10507kcal | 525% |
| Carbohydrates | 2034g | 678% |
| Protein | 115g | 230% |
| Fat | 223g | 343% |
| Saturated Fat | 55g | 275% |
| Cholesterol | 327mg | 109% |
| Sodium | 5022mg | 209% |
| Potassium | 7177mg | 153% |
| Fiber | 25g | 100% |
| Sugar | 1343g | 2686% |
| Vitamin A | 475IU | 10% |
| Calcium | 891mg | 89% |
| Iron | 59mg | 328% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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