Recipes Food and Cooking

Recipes Food and Cooking

  • Home
  • Recipes Index
  • Cooking Tips
  • Contact
  • About Me
  • Privacy Policy

Gingerbread House

December 10, 2016 by Mary Ellen Leave a Comment

Gingerbread Houses

Christmas Gingerbread House

I’m so happy to be here sharing one of my favorite holiday traditions with you. I have so much fun making these. It’s how I start the holiday season.

Gingerbread Houses

I used to cut my gingerbread house using a pattern traced onto parchment paper until I found these cutters a few years ago. I noticed a few weeks ago that several of the big box craft stores were selling them so if you’re lucky they still might have some or you could check at Amazon.

I’ve been using  the same recipe for the houses that I’ve used for years. It is pretty fail safe and came from a Wilton Gingerbread book I have. I roll the dough out on the back of a greased cookie sheet so I don’t have to move the pieces which could distort them. I imagine you could really have a difficult time when you go to put it together. I also put the cookie sheets in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before I bake them. This helps to keep the dough from spreading as much.

When you bake the gingerbread house you want them to be very dry. I left them air dry for at least a day before I put the houses together. I actually for the first time had an issue with the houses softening up after a few days because of  the humidity. If this happens to you heat your oven to the lowest setting. Put the pieces directly on the oven rack. You are not trying to bake them again, just dry the pieces. Watch it carefully and turn off the oven as soon as the oven gets warm. Leave them in the oven overnight with the door closed. You could leave the oven light on also which would help but I didn’t think of it until just now. I actually turned my oven on again a couple of times that evening for just a couple of minutes. You shouldn’t have to do this but in case you do this should solve the issue.

I have found thru the years that hard candies work best especially if they are going to be setting out for any length of time. You also don’t want them setting in direct sunlight.

Gingerbread Houses

Save Print
Gingerbread House
Author: Mary Ellen @ Recipes Food and Cooking
Recipe type: Gingerbread, Holiday, Christmas
Prep time:  30 mins
Cook time:  30 mins
Total time:  1 hour
 
Brightly decorated in the colors of the season this Christmas Gingerbread House is done in red, white and green colored Christmas candies.
Ingredients
  • 5 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ginger
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon cloves
  • 1 cup solid white shortening
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups molasses
  • 2 eggs beaten
Instructions
  1. Thoroughly mix together the flour, soda, salt and spices.
  2. In a saucepan melt the shortening. Let cool slightly and add the sugar and molasses. Add eggs when cool.
  3. Add the oil mixture to your mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment. Add 4 cups of the flour. Mix together thoroughly. Add remaining flour a little at a time to make a stiff dough.
  4. Roll out the dough on the back of greased cookie sheets to about 1/8th inch thick. Lay your pattern pieces on top and cut out with a knife or pizza cutter. Place cookie sheets in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
  5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for about 6 minutes for smaller pieces and up to 12 for the larger pieces like the roof. Let set on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool. Let pieces dry overnight before assembling.
3.4.3177

Get the Royal Icing recipe here for decorating the house.

See some of my other Christmas recipes.

Christmas Gingerbread House and a list of some suggestions for types of candies to use.

Gingerbread Houses

Gingerbread Tree

Gingerbread Christmas Tree

Chocolate Cream Puff Trees

Chocolate Cream Puff Trees

Pin It!

Gingerbread Houses

 I’d love it if you followed me!
Facebook//Google+ //Pinterest//Twitter

Mary Ellen

Filed Under: Christmas, Holidays

« Raspberry Fritters
Fresh Strawberry Pie »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate this recipe:  

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.


Connect With Me!

Categories

Our Featured Recipes

3
Deviled Crab Croquettes and Giveaway
Deviled Crab Croquettes
Pull Apart Dinner Rolls
Pull Apart Dinner Rolls
Roasted Cabbage Steaks
Roasted Cabbage Steaks
Chocolate Peanut Butter Ooey Gooey Butter Cake
Chocolate Peanut Butter Ooey Gooey Butter Cake

Archives

Recent Posts

  • Pumpkin Cheesecake Cake
  • Lemonade Slushies
  • It’s a Party with Frozen Watermelon Daiquiri’s!
  • Cheesy Italian Sweet Pepper Bites
  • Fresh From Florida Tomatoes
  • Campfire Cinnamon and Raisin French Toast
  • 3 Ingredient Strawberry Microwave Jam
  • Strawberry Jam Chocolate Pudding Cake
  • Ooey Gooey Butter Cakes
  • Chocolate Fudge Peppermint Ooey Gooey Butter Cake
  • Ham with Easy Sour Orange Glaze
  • Favorite Christmas Breakfast or Brunch Recipes
  • My Favorite Christmas Candy Recipes
  • Deviled Crab Croquettes
  • Saffron Yellow Rice with Autumn Vegetables

Places of Interest

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Razzle Dazzle Recipes
  • RSS
  • That's My Home


Search That’s My Home and Razzle Dazzle Recipes

Google
Custom Search

Stampin’ Up!

Stampin' UP!

SoFab Badge


© Copyright 2007 Recipes, Food & Cooking · All Rights Reserved.