It’s our little family tradition to make a gingerbread house every year around Thanksgiving break time. We’ve been doing this for five years now. I would share more of my pictures with you, but this is the only one I could find at the moment. We like to plaster our gingerbread house with candy – but of course do yours how you like – just remember that it’s the fun you have as a family making these that counts!
- 1 Cup Butter
- 1 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1 Cup molasses
- 1 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. Cloves
- 2 tsp. Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 5 Cups Flour
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until softened. Add sugar and beat until fluffy – at least three minutes. Add molasses and beat well.
- Add the rest of the dry ingredients except the flour.
- Now add the flour a little at a time, mixing constantly. If it gets too much for your mixer to handle, you may either add a little bit of water or use your hands to work in the last of the flour.
- If your dough is not too sticky, you may roll out immediately; otherwise, place dough in the fridge to let chill until it is not too sticky to roll.
- I usually keep my bowl of dough in the fridge and the just get out what I need for the piece I’m working on at the moment.
- To roll out, place a piece of foil on you counter and lightly flour the foil, your hands and the rolling pin.
- Position the pattern template (I get mine off the internet, just Google ‘gingerbread house template’) on top of the dough and carefully cut out the pieces. If you want any texturized wood grain, panels, brick, etc., now is the time to do these before baking.
- Carefully slide the foil with the cutout on it onto a cookie sheet.
- Bake at 375 for 9 – 15 minutes until firm, and starting to turn brown on the edges.
- As soon as your pieces come out of the oven, check the edges with your pattern and, if necessary, trim with a sharp knife so that the pieces will fit together (some spreading is normal during baking so it’s important to trim as needed). Do this step immediately out of the oven as the dough hardens as it cools, making it more difficult (or impossible) to trim later.
- Allow the gingerbread to cool completely before you begin construction.
- Use ROYAL ICING to cement the pieces together, then decorate as desired.
