Easy Gingerbread House

Start a new holiday tradition with this easy recipe for a sturdy, aromatic gingerbread house that'll also yield leftover dough for cookies.

• Preparation Time: 60 mins
• Cooking Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
• Calories: 1132 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon ground mace
• 1 cup dark corn syrup
• 2 cups butter
• 1 cup molasses
• 12 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 (16 ounce) package confectioners' sugar
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 drop white vinegar

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Cover a piece of heavy cardboard with aluminum foil or freezer paper, dull-side up, to make a base for the gingerbread house.

Step 2

Cut templates for the gingerbread house out of heavy cardboard or cardstock; label each piece.

Step 3

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 3 rimless baking sheets (or the back of rimmed baking sheets).

Step 4

Combine butter, brown sugar, molasses, and dark corn syrup in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat; stir until melted, about 3 minutes. Stir in lemon zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and mace until blended, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Step 5

Sift flour into a large bowl. Stir into the butter mixture 2 cups at a time, mixing the last 2 cups by hand to create a warm, firm mass of dough. Place a large handful of dough on a greased baking sheet; roll out to 1/8-inch thickness. Keep remaining dough covered.

Step 6

Dust cardboard templates lightly with flour and place on top of dough; cut around templates with a sharp knife. Cut out doors or windows as desired. Cut shutters, door knobs, or other features from the scraps. Return remaining scraps to the covered pan.

Step 7

Bake in the preheated oven until firm and slightly browned at the edges, 5 to 7 minutes for small pieces and 12 to 15 minutes for large pieces. Remove from the oven and place templates over the baked pieces; trim excess with a sharp knife to produce clean edges.

Step 8

Cool pieces on the baking sheet until firm, 5 to 10 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, 15 to 30 minutes.

Step 9

Stick candies and decorations over gingerbread pieces using royal icing. Let icing dry until hardened, about 5 minutes. Assemble gingerbread house pieces using icing. Let stand until icing is dry, about 5 minutes.

Step 10

Combine confectioners' sugar, egg whites, cream of tartar, and white vinegar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat until icing is stiff and shiny, 7 to 10 minutes.