Gingerbread House Recipe Video

GINGERBREAD HOUSE RECIPE (VIDEO)

Steps:

• Print out my Sally's Baking Recipes Gingerbread House Template and cut out the shapes. Set aside for step 6.
• Whisk the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
• In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar together on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg, molasses, and water on high speed. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine. On low speed, slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined. Cookie dough will be very thick.
• Divide cookie dough in half, flatten into discs (about 4-5 inches in diameter), and wrap each tightly in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours or up to 3 days.
• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
• Remove each disc from the refrigerator and roll each out in between two pieces of parchment paper. Watch me do this in the video above- gingerbread cookie dough will stick to your counter no matter how much you flour it. Parchment is best. Roll out to about 1/4 inch thick. You want thick pieces for your gingerbread house. Lightly flour the underside of gingerbread house template shapes. (The dough is sticky and the paper may stick to it otherwise.) Using a pizza cutter or small knife, carefully cut the dough into the gingerbread house template shapes. You will need TWO of each shape. Re-roll dough scraps so you have enough dough for the whole house. Use any extra dough to create fun shapes using cookie cutters. I made a few gingerbread stars!
• Carefully arrange gingerbread house shapes onto prepared baking sheets, about 3 inches apart. If they lost some of their shape transferring to the baking sheet, straighten out the edges (see my video above).
• Bake house pieces for about 18-20 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Bake chimney pieces for about 12-13 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and allow shapes to cool completely on the baking sheets or on the counter. A flat surface is KEY for cooling- the gingerbread house edges very slightly curl up otherwise. Cooled gingerbread house pieces can be made up to 1 week in advance, cover tightly and store at room temperature or in the refrigerator. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months, thaw at room temperature before using.
• Select a base for your gingerbread house. I used a wooden cake server. Watch my video above to guide you through constructing the house. Start with two pieces: the front of the house and 1 side. Using a squeeze bottle, run a thick line of royal icing on one long edge and one short edge of the side of the house piece. Stick it to your base. Use whatever you have around the house to help it stand up. You can see in my video that I use snack bag clips. You can also prop it up with soda cans, a tall cup, water bottle, etc. Run a line of royal icing along the bottom of the front of the house piece. Stick it to your base, adhering it to the side of the house piece. Hold the two in place for a few minutes until the icing is partially set, propping them up as necessary. Repeat with the 2nd side of the house piece and back of the house piece. Pipe royal icing inside any seams, inside and outside of the house, to fill any voids. Don't be afraid to go heavy on the royal icing "glue" - when it dries, it looks like snow! Allow it to set at room temperature for at least 1 hour before adding the roof pieces.
• The roof pieces will be placed on top of the house base. Run a thick line of royal icing on the inside edges of one of the roof pieces and adhere it to the base. Hold in place for a few minutes. Repeat with 2nd roof piece. Run a thick line of royal icing where the two roof pieces meet at the top of the house. Hold in place for a few minutes.
• The chimney is optional, but it's a lot of fun. I recommend putting together the chimney separately, then adhering to the roof. It's easiest to glue the chimney pieces together upside-down. Use thick lines of royal icing to assemble the chimney in the same way you put together the base of the house. (Except you're not adhering it to a base because it's going on the roof!) Allow icing to set by propping it up as necessary. Once set, adhere onto the roof. The chimney may not fit to the exact angle of the roof because both puffed up or lost some shape during baking and cooling, so use as much royal icing as necessary and you can cover any bare spots with buttercream during decoration.
• Before decorating, the icing on the entire house must completely set. Allow the entire house to set at room temperature for at least 3 hours, preferably 4-6 hours or even overnight before decorating. Cover and store leftover royal icing at room temperature or in the refrigerator during this time. It will be the glue for adhering candies to the house.
• Buttercream can be prepared up to 1 day in advance- cover tightly and store in the refrigerator overnight. Bring to room temperature before piping/decorating. With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the shortening and butter together on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 3 full minutes. Frosting will be very thick, which is what you want. If much too thick, add another splash of milk. Add a pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet. (I add 1/8 teaspoon salt.)
• Use buttercream, leftover royal icing, and candies for decorating. See my candy suggestions in the blog post above. I only used 1 piping tip for the entire house: Ateco piping tip #32. This is a small open star piping tip and you can watch me use it in the video above. Makes a lovely design.
• Don't forget to chow down on your beautiful creation if you're in the mood for eating it. Use your best judgment here, obviously the food will taste old after a few days!

GINGERBREAD HOUSES RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
• Grease the bottom and sides of a heavy-bottomed pot (such as a Dutch oven) with nonstick spray. This will ensure the dough doesn't stick to the pot as you turn it out.
• Melt the shortening in the greased pot over medium heat. Add the molasses and sugar, bring to a boil, then turn off the heat.
• Gradually stir in 4 cups (500 grams) of the flour mixture, 1 cup (125 grams) at a time, making sure to fully incorporate each addition before adding more. You'll have some of the flour mixture left over.
• Dust a work surface with some of the remaining flour mixture. Carefully turn the dough out onto the floured surface and work in the flour mixture. (You don't want the dough to be too crumbly. You may have some flour mixture left over, which can be used for rolling out the dough.)
• Once the flour is incorporated, shape the dough into a 12-inch (30.5 cm) log and cut into 3 portions, 1 piece slightly larger than the others for the roof.
• Set aside the smaller pieces of dough in the pot (it still should be warm, but not hot), cover with plastic wrap, and put the lid on. You'll want to work with the dough while it's warm as it tends to harden at room temperature. If it hardens, simply microwave for about 30 seconds.
• On the floured surface, roll out the larger piece of dough to a rectangle about ½-inch (1 ¼ cm) thick. Using a house template, cut the 2 pieces of the roof and set on a prepared baking sheet, spacing about 1 inch apart as the dough will expand while baking.
• Roll out the rest of the dough and cut out the front, back, and sides of the house using the templates. Place on a baking sheet.
• Wrap the leftover dough in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 1 day. Microwave to soften and roll out to make decorations for the house or another gingerbread creation.
• Bake the gingerbread house pieces for 12-15 minutes, until they have hardened and baked through. Let cool completely.
• Make the royal icing: In a large bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric hand mixer until frothy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, 1 cup (120 grams) at a time, until the icing is smooth and thick. NOTE: The icing is used for gluing the house together. It's very thick. To use the icing for decorating, add about 1 teaspoon of water at a time to thin the icing to your desired consistency.
• Assemble the gingerbread house with the royal icing. TIP: Put the roof pieces side by side with the underside up (and the eventual exposed part of the roof down). "Glue" a cut piece of a paper shopping bag across these two pieces with royal icing. Place two small glass bowls on either side of this upside-down roof to prop the pieces up into a "V" shape. Let dry completely. When assembling, this will help ensure that your roof doesn't slip down the sides of the house.
• Decorate the house with more royal icing and your desired decorations.
• Enjoy!

GINGERBREAD CHRISTMAS COTTAGE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine shortening and water. Add brown sugar and molasses; mix well. Combine flour, salt, baking soda and spices; beat into molasses mixture until blended. Divide into three portions; chill overnight., Trace the full patterns onto waxed paper; cut out. Trace the remaining (halved) patterns onto waxed paper as directed on the patterns; cut out. , With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll one portion of dough to 1/8-in. thickness directly onto a lightly greased and floured baking sheet. With a sharp knife, cut out two front/back house pieces. On one piece, score window and door. , Roll out second portion of dough. Cut out two 8-1/2-in. x 6-in. rectangles for roof. , Roll out third portion of dough. Position house side pattern on dough; cut out two pieces. On each piece, score two window outlines. Cut out one 2-3/8-in. x 1-3/8-in. rectangle for left side of chimney and a 1-3/8-in. x 7/8-in. rectangle for right side of chimney. Roll out scraps to cut out patterns for sides of chimney; sides and roof of porch; and front, sides and roofs of dormers. Score dormer window outlines., Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes; place patterns over baked dough and trim. Cut out door and windows completely. (Set aside door cutout; discard window cutouts.) Cool on wire racks., To make icing: Prepare only one batch of icing at a time. For each batch, in a large bowl, combine 4 cups confectioners' sugar, 3 tablespoons meringue powder, 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar and 6 tablespoons water. Beat on low speed for 5-10 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Place a damp cloth over bowl and cover tightly between uses., To assemble frame of house: Place front and sides of house and fronts of dormers on a waxed paper-lined flat surface. Cut a small hole in a corner of a pastry bag; insert star tip #16. Fill two-thirds full with icing. Pipe curtains in the house and dormer windows. Outline frames of windows and doorway with round tip #3. , For shutters, roll out 10 red gumdrops to 1/16-in. thickness; cut each into a 1-1/8-in. x 3/8-in. rectangle. Roll out four red gumdrops for dormer shutters; cut each into a 7/8-in. x 1/4-in. rectangle. Attach house and dormer shutters with a dab of icing on each side of windows. , Using tip #16, pipe decorative trim on the front and back rooflines and peaks of the house, taking care to avoid the edges. Let dry completely., Pipe icing along base and one side of front wall and the adjoining side wall. Place at right angles to each other on foam core board and position with front of house 6-1/4-in. from one narrow side of board; prop with small cans. Pipe icing along inside and outside edges for added stability. Repeat with second side section and back. Let dry completely. , Cut 3-1/2-in. pieces from the straight end of four large candy canes (set aside curved ends for another use). Pipe icing along each outside corner of house with star tip #20; press straight candy cane pieces into each corner. Let dry completely, about 4 hours. , For dormers: Insert tip #16 into pastry bag; fill two-thirds full with icing. Pipe icing along one side of front of dormer and one adjoining side wall. Position at right angles to each other and place on waxed paper; pipe icing along inside edge for added stability. Hold in place until secure. Repeat with second side. Repeat for second dormer. Let dry completely with front side up., To assemble roof: Generously pipe icing along top edges of house. Position roof pieces so there is a 5/8-in. overhang in front and back. Pipe icing along the joining edges. Prop bottom of roof pieces with cans until roof is completely dry. , On right roof piece, position one dormer 1-1/2 in. from left side, 1-1/2 in. up from the bottom and above the lower window, aligning so dormer front is perpendicular to board. Pipe dots of icing to mark the position of bottom dormer corners. Pipe icing onto back edges of dormer; attach to roof. Hold in place until secure, about 1 minute. Repeat with second dormer. Let dry completely. , Attach dormer roofs with icing so there is a 1/4-in. overhang in front. Cut two 2-in. straight pieces from candy canes. Pipe icing along top edge of dormer roofs; press straight candy cane pieces into each. Let dry completely. , For chimney and door: Spread chimney pieces and door with icing; dip into multicolored nonpareils. With tip #3, pipe a dot of icing on door and attach red-hot for the handle. Let dry. Pipe icing along left edge and bottom of door; position door so it is ajar. , Using tip #16 and icing, attach chimney pieces to plain side of roof, positioning the back chimney piece 1-1/2 in. from back edge of roof and working clockwise with remaining pieces. Pipe icing around top of chimney and along chimney seams. Cut one 5-in. piece and one 1-1/4-in. piece from the straight ends of two candy canes. Pipe icing along top edge between roof pieces; press straight pieces into icing., For porch: Place porch roof smooth side down on a work surface. To attach sides, pipe icing along the long side of each triangle and position against porch roof. Invert to dry. , For porch support posts, cut two 2-3/4-in. straight pieces from candy canes. Insert each into a leaf-shaped spearmint gumdrop; position 1 in. from house and 3 in. apart on each side of doorway. Secure gumdrops with icing. Let dry. Attach porch roof to posts and house with icing; prop with small cans and let dry., To decorate roof: With tip #20, pipe two rows of icing along bottom of chimney side of roof. Press five different colored halved gumdrops into icing in a row; repeat until one horizontal row is finished. Begin the second row with the second color from row one. Repeat nine times, slightly overlapping each row until one roof piece is covered with a diagonally patterned design., On dormer side of roof and starting at bottom edge, repeat procedure for gumdrop shingles. Attach gumdrops to the dormer and porch roofs in the same pattern as roof of house. Pipe icing onto sides of porch roof. Let dry., For finishing touches: Using round tip #7, pipe icing icicles. Sprinkle with edible glitter. , To make trees, use a serrated knife to carefully score and cut ice cream cones to desired heights. Tint a portion of icing with green food coloring. Using leaf tip #67 and beginning at bottom of ice cream cones, pipe icing in rows; sprinkle with edible glitter. Place on waxed paper to harden. Using tip #7, pipe snow on the trees and sprinkle with edible glitter. Set aside., For curved path, using tip #20 and beginning at the door, pipe icing in a zigzag pattern. Press chocolate rock candies 1/8 in. apart onto pathway. Position candy corn, point side up, along both sides of path. Working in small sections, frost base with icing for snow and sprinkle with edible glitter. , For each corner fence, use tip #7 and white icing to attach two miniature candy canes to board. Arrange trees on base along with green gumdrops, rock candy suckers and remaining leaf-shaped gumdrops for bushes; secure with icing. For smoke, pull and stretch the cotton ball; attach with icing to inside of chimney.

CLASSIC GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Steps:

• In large bowl, mix flour, baking soda, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, cloves and salt. In bowl of a 5-quart (or larger) electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat shortening and brown sugar on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; beat in molasses and 1 1/8 cups cold water until mixed well. On low speed, beat in one-fourth of the flour mixture until mixed well, repeating in one-fourth amounts of flour mixture, beating well after each addition, until mixture forms into a ball. Scrape side of bowl occasionally. Divide dough into 4 equal portions; shape into round disks, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
• Heat oven to 375°F. On lightly floured 16x12-inch piece of cooking parchment paper, roll one dough disk 1/4-inch thick, into 12x9-inch rectangle. Place two side wall pattern pieces on dough, at least 1/2-inch apart. (See link below for template.) Cut around pattern pieces with pizza cutter or sharp knife. Remove pattern pieces; remove dough scraps, and reserve for rerolling. Transfer dough cutouts and parchment to large cookie sheet.
• Bake cutouts 10 to 13 minutes or until firm in center; remove from oven. With cutouts on pan, carefully replace pattern pieces on top of baked dough cutouts, and trim around edges; discard any trimmings, and remove pattern pieces. (Pan and dough will be hot.) Return cutouts to oven 4 to 6 minutes longer or until dry and lightly browned. Transfer parchment with cutouts to rack to cool completely.
• Allow cookie sheet to cool completely before moving onto next pieces, or use another large cookie sheet if you have more than one. Working one piece at a time, repeat process of rolling, cutting and baking front wall, back wall and roof pattern pieces on cooking parchment paper until all six pieces are done.
• To make door and stained-glass window, with front wall still on parchment paper, replace front wall pattern piece (with door and window cutout). Carefully cut small door opening from front wall, and remove cutout; set aside for later. Using a 1 1/2-inch circle cutter, cut small opening for window near top of front wall; remove cutout and any crumbs, and discard.
• In small resealable food-storage plastic bag, place two clear hard fruit candies, and seal. Using flat side of meat mallet, gently pound to crush candies. Spoon crushed candies into opening, making sure candies touch edges of baked dough. (Do not mound candy in opening.) Carefully transfer parchment to large cookie sheet; return to oven 4 to 6 minutes or until melted. Remove from oven; cool 5 minutes on cookie sheet. Transfer parchment and baked piece to cooling rack to cool completely. Carefully remove parchment from gingerbread house pieces.
• On lightly floured 16x12-inch piece of cooking parchment paper, roll remaining dough 1/8-inch thick. With lightly floured 1-inch round cutter, cut at least 120 circles to make shingles from dough, and transfer to large parchment-lined cookie sheet, spacing slightly apart. If necessary, reroll scraps, and continue with cutouts. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until firm in center; transfer parchment with cutouts to cooling rack to cool completely.
• In large bowl, beat Royal Icing ingredients with electric mixer on low speed until mixed. Beat on high speed 7 to 10 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally, until very stiff.
• Spoon 1 cup of the icing into small decorating bag fitted with small round tip, or cut small corner off end of bag; twist bag to keep closed. Keep remaining icing covered with plastic wrap to prevent drying out; set aside.
• Using photo as a guide, decorate side walls, front and back walls of house with icing and assorted decorations to make windows and wreath. Add shingles to roof pieces, attaching the round cutouts with a small amount of icing and overlapping them slightly, using photo as a guide. Let decorated gingerbread pieces stand at least 30 minutes until icing is set, before assembling the house.
• Uncover remaining icing, and add additional icing to piping bag as needed for assembly. Cut larger tip from end of decorating bag.
• Working with front wall piece and one side wall piece, pipe thick line of icing on one end of the side wall seam and on one of the inner edges of front wall; place pieces together, attaching the icing. Add more icing to support the seam, if necessary. Prop up walls with cans or bottles; allow to set 30 minutes. Repeat for remaining back wall and side wall pieces, attaching all sides of house; allow to set 30 minutes.
• Carefully attach one side of the roof to the top of one side of the house using thick line of icing on top edge of side wall, top edges of front and back walls and the inside outer edges of the roof piece. Roof piece will hang slightly over the edges. Hold in place 1 to 2 minutes until icing starts to set. Use one to two jars or bottles for support underneath; allow to set 30 minutes. Repeat with remaining roof piece. Attach front door, leaving slightly propped open; allow to set 30 minutes.
• Using photo as a guide, decorate outside with any remaining final touches. Lightly dust shingles with powdered sugar, if desired.

GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Steps:

• Gingerbread House: In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and baking soda together until the mixture is smooth. Blend in the flour and water to make a stiff dough. Chill at least 30 minutes or until firm.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cut out the following paper patterns for the gingerbread house template: Two rectangles, 3 by 5 inches, to make the front and back of the house. Two rectangles, 3 by 5 1/2 inches for the roof. Two pieces for the ends of the house, 3 inches wide at the base, 3 inches to the roof line, and slanted to a peak 5 1/2 inches from the bottom. Four smaller rectangles, 1 1/2 by 1 inch for the roof and sides of the entryway. And one piece, 2 inches wide at the base, 1 1/2 inches to the roof line, and slanted to a peak 2 1/2 inches from the bottom for the front of the entryway.
• Roll gingerbread dough out to edges on a large, rimless cookie sheet. Place paper patterns onto the rolled out dough. With a sharp, straight edged knife, cut around each of the pieces, but leave pieces in place.
• Bake at 375 degrees F for about 15 minutes until dough feels firm.
• Place patterns on top of the gingerbread again and trim shapes, cutting edges with a straight-edged sharp knife. Leave to cool on baking sheet.
• Place royal icing into pastry bag with a writing tip and press out to decorate individual parts of house, piping on decorations, windows, door, etc., as desired. Let dry until hardened.
• Glue sides, front and back of house together at corners using royal icing. Place an object against the pieces to prop up until icing is dry (it only takes a few minutes).
• Glue the two roof pieces to the pitched roofline of the house. Then, similarly, glue the sides and roof of the entryway together with icing. Attach the entryway to the front of the house.
• Continue decorating the house, gluing on gumdrops, licorice and peppermint, as desired.
• Mix all of the ingredients together using an electric hand mixer, until the icing is smooth and thin enough to be pressed through a pastry bag with a writing tip. Add more lemon juice, if necessary.

GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Steps:

• In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and mix until light and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time until incorporated. Add the molasses and vanilla and mix. Sift together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, cloves, and salt. Working in batches, and mixing after each addition just until combined, add the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture. Shape the dough into a thick disk, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease 2 cookie sheets.
• On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough in half and roll each piece out into a large 1/4-inch thick sheet. Transfer the dough sheets to the sheet pans; then cut out the required shapes with your templates (see Gingerbread House Templates below).
• Bake until stiff and toast-y, about 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Make the Royal Icing: In a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the confectioners' sugar and egg whites together. Add more sugar, if necessary, to reach a spreadable consistency.
• Assemble and Decorate the House: Glue the house walls together by setting them up on the cardboard base, and piping the royal icing at the joints with a medium plain tip from the inside. Prop the sides up with wine or soda bottles and let set for 30 minutes. Attach the roof pieces, using the icing in the same way
• Using a spatula to apply the icing, glue the frosted mini-wheats on the roof to look like thatching. Attach the front door, with hinges made from icing (leave it open to be more inviting). Decorate as you like, following the suggestions in the ingredient list, using the icing as glue, if needed. Use a small plain tip for any filigree style decorative line work, you may want. *RAW EGG WARNING Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.
• Gingerbread House Templates:
• Brown paper bags, as needed
• You'll need to make 7 templates, by drawing the dimensions out on brown paper and cutting them out. Use the templates as a stencil to cut the dough into the required pieces. Here are the templates you'll need:
• Two front and rear walls: 5 inches high by 8 inches long. Cut out 2 windows from each wall, and 2 1/2 by 1 1/2-inch door in one.
• Two side walls shaped like a house (triangle on a square): 5 inches high by 6 inches long, with a triangle 7 inches high on top (cut all in 1 piece). Cut 1 window out of each side.
• Two overhanging roof pieces: 4 1/2 inches wide by 9 inches long.
• One door: 2 1/2 inches high by 1 1/2 inches wide.