Ah, ’tis the season for joyful get-togethers, gift giving, and of course, Gingerbread House making! Sure, designing a Gingerbread House can seem intimidating, but these helpful and easy steps will ensure that you can create a beautiful home for Santa and his elves to visit this holiday season in no time. Start off with the basic structure of your Gingerbread House:
Materials Needed:
- A large baking sheet
- Gingerbread Dough
- Royal Icing
- Candy and decorations
Step 1: Make the Dough
To construct your Gingerbread House, you’ll need to start with making the dough to hold it all together. Begin by preheating your oven to 375⁰F and greasing a large baking sheet. Then, in a large bowl, mix together 4 ½ cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of ground ginger, 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. To this mixture, add one cup of softened butter, ½ cup of white sugar, and ¾ cup of light molasses. Once everything has been fully incorporated, knead the dough together until it forms a ball. Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours.
Step 2: Cut Out the Pieces
Your Gingerbread House is composed of four main pieces: two walls, a roof, and a base. To ensure that your walls and roof fit together perfectly, roll out your chilled dough to a thickness of ⅜ inch and use a ruler and a knife to carefully cut straight lines. When cutting, you will also want to leave extra allowance on the edges to adjust the pieces if needed. Bake the pieces at 375⁰F for For 12-15 minutes until they are firm and golden brown. Place them on wax paper or a flat surface to cool.
Step 3: Construct the House
Now for the fun part – constructing the actual Gingerbread House! Begin by using a spatula to spread a generous amount of royal icing to the edges of the base. Then, press each wall onto the sticky edges of the base, holding them until the icing has dried. When all four walls are secure, use an icing bag to pipe a line of icing along the top and bottom of the house to stick the roof in place. Lastly, use some more icing to “glue” any parts of the house that appear off-kilter.
Step 4: Add Some Character
Now comes the best part: adding personality and sparkle to your Gingerbread House! Break out the candy and let your imagination go wild – use gumdrops to make a walkway or rainbow sprinkles for a shingled roof. Icing can be piped in intricate designs or written in the shape of holiday wishes. Have the kids help make their own mini Gingerbread House for an extra special touch.
Step 5: Enjoy, Share and Celebrate!
Your Gingerbread House is now complete and ready to be enjoyed and displayed! Take a few fun photos of your masterpiece before sending it on its way to your holiday soirées. Decorate with sparkling lights and colorful ribbon, and most importantly, spread the holiday cheer!
Creating a Gingerbread House is a fun and delightfully sweet tradition that’s sure to make all of your holidays more magical. So grab your oven mitts, your aprons and your candy, and let’s get baking!
Step 6: Reheating and Reusing Leftover Gingerbread
Given the prep and precision crafting that go into making a Gingerbread House, it’s natural to want to be able to store and preserve what you’ve made. Luckily, one of the great perks of building with gingerbread is that it lasts for weeks! To ensure that your Gingerbread House will stay sturdy, simply preheat your oven to 350⁰F and place the pieces on a greased baking sheet before reheating them for 5-7 minutes. This will help to keep your Gingerbread House looking fresh and delicious!
Step 7: Get Creative and Inspire Others
Gingerbread Houses offer endless possibilities for creativity and inspiration. Switch it up and make a cabin-style home or a two-story mansion – get whimsical with elephant-shaped walls or majestic with swan-shaped rooftops. If you want to take it up a notch, you can use craft paper to create fun and intricately designed pieces that can be added on to your Gingerbread House. The holidays are a wonderful time to get everyone involved in the fun, so inspire your family and friends to join in on the crafting and see what sweet creations you can come up with!
Step 8: Enjoy a Delicious Festive Treat!
Once you put all the finishing touches on your Gingerbread House and it has had time to dry, it’s time to enjoy! Serve it at your holiday party as a fun and festive treat, or gift it to someone special. No matter how you choose to spend your time this holiday season, your Gingerbread House is sure to bring a smile to all that gaze upon it!
