Looking for something easy and fun to make with your kids? Maybe you are thinking of starting a new holiday tradition? Do you need a special dessert to double as a decoration?
Try making a Gingerbread House.
Yes, you could buy one of those prebaked kits that have been sitting on the shelf for who knows how long. Or you could make them with graham crackers. Or you could pull together some basic ingredients you probably already have in the house and bake one yourself. It is so easy - TRUST ME!
I vividly remember holiday time at my babysitter's house in my preschool years. Her kitchen table and counter would be lined with Gingerbread Houses she made for neighbors and friends, including my family. This is from the original copy of the recipe she gave my mom decades ago. I have made it a few times, including in a post years ago that I decided needed some new photos.
Luckily my helper was more than happy to assist me with the decorating while I snapped the pictures.
J had a blast making it, as evidenced by the royal icing all over the table and him. Little tip for you, royal icing gets hard when it dries. You probably want to clean up as soon as you are done decorating to make your life easier.
While it is traditionally made for Christmas, you could make this for any time of year: a haunted house, a log cabin, a romantic cottage, the Easter Bunny's house. With a little imagination and a trip down the seasonal candy aisle it can be so many wondrous things.
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Gingerbread House
Ingredients
GINGERBREAD
- 2 ¾ cups flour
- ⅔ cups molasses
- ⅓ cup brown sugar (packed)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
- 1 egg
ROYAL ICING
- 3 egg whites
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 pound powdered sugar
DECORATING
- candy for decorating (gun drops, candy canes, mints, hard candies, etc.)
Instructions
- Mix all gingerbread ingredients thoroughly and chill for several hours.
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a 16 x 10 baking pan with parchment paper leaving a few inches over the edge to help remove bread from the pan.
- Roll (press) dough into the pan as evenly as possible and bake at 300 degrees for 20 -30 minutes.
- Remove bread from pan and cut immediately. Allow the gingerbread to cool completely before assembling.
- The gingerbread should be very hard when cooled (if necessary, the pieces can be laid back on a cookie sheet and placed in the oven for 5-10 minutes longer). The roof sections will break off if the dough is not thoroughly baked.
- When ready to assemble make the royal icing.
- Beat all ingredients in mixing bowl until icing stands in peaks, then keep the bowl covered at all times with a damp cloth as this icing dries very quickly and becomes very hard.
- Place icing in a decorator bag to pipe on decorations (or a plastic bag with the tip cut off). Or you can use a knife or spoon.
- Assemble house and attach candies with the royal icing.
Notes
Until next time, happy eating.
~Audrey
Carlee
How cute! Our family used to have a boys vs. girls gingerbread house decorating contest with those kits you can buy. We should start from scratch one of these years!
Audrey
My BFF from high school does that too. Sounds fun.
Erin @ Nourishing My Scholar
Beautiful ginger bread house! We make one every year from scratch. Last year it was the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars and this year we are trying to make Hogwarts from Harry Potter.
Audrey
Wow! I am proud we got up 4 walls and a roof, ha ha!
Vickie @Vickie's Kitchen and Garden
Looks like a cute project to do with the grandkids! I haven't had a lot of luck over the years with gingerbread houses but your post makes me want to try again. #HomeMattersParty
Audrey
I just let my son decorate it how he wanted and didn't worry how it looked - he had a blast.
Wendy @ Living Almost Naturally
My kids and I love to make Gingerbread houses at Christmas! I've never baked my own though. I'm going to have to try your recipe!
Audrey
I should make it an annual tradition, my son loved it.
Sahana
Sounds like fun to make it from scratch , Audrey. Love it
Audrey
It is always fun to make.
Alayna
How fun! We just did our annual Gingerbread House decorating party with my husband's family this past weekend. I have to admit I've never made the gingerbread - the MIL always does such a fantastic job I just let her do it 😉
It's been another great blog party weekend with you at the #HomeMattersParty.
Audrey
Someday I would like to do a bunch of them. But for now my helper limits me to one.
Jamie
I love this idea!! The ones at the store are always broken, or smell weird. This looks really easy to do! 🙂 #HomeMattersParty
Audrey
And they have been sitting in that plastic for how long?