Introduction

This gingerbread house recipe will bring festive cheer to your holiday season! With spiced gingerbread pieces and sweet royal icing “glue,” it’s perfect for family fun and creative decorating. Get ready to build and adorn a charming edible home.

A small gingerbread house sits on a round wooden base with white icing shaped like snow around its edges. The house has two visible walls and a peaked roof covered in white icing piped to look like thick scallops, with silver balls placed at regular intervals. The front wall is brown gingerbread with white piped icing making a rectangular decorated door at the center. Above the door is a star-shaped cookie with colorful red, green, and white sprinkles. Two green holly leaf cookies with red berries are on either side of the star. At the base of the house, two candy canes lean against the corners. To the left of the house is a small pink tree-shaped cookie with colorful sprinkles on it. The whole scene is set on a flat surface with a white marbled texture. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt

6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature

1/2 cup (120ml) unsulphured or dark molasses (do not use blackstrap; Grandma’s brand preferred)
1 Tablespoon (15ml) water
Royal icing (for “glue”)

Assorted candies (see post for suggestions)
1/2 cup (95g) shortening, at room temperature
1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

4 cups (480g) confectioners’ sugar
2 Tablespoons (30ml) milk
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Step 1: Print and cut out the gingerbread house template shapes to use later.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and salt together. Set aside.

Step 3: Using a mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter and brown sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
Step 4: Beat in the egg, molasses, and water on high speed, scraping the bowl as needed to combine well.
Step 5: On low speed, slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet until combined; the dough will be very thick.

Step 6: Divide the dough in half, flatten into discs about 4-5 inches wide, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 2 hours or up to 3 days.
Step 7: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Step 8: Roll each dough disc between two pieces of parchment paper to about 1/4 inch thickness.

Step 9: Lightly flour the underside of the gingerbread house templates and carefully cut two of each shape from the dough using a pizza cutter or small knife.
Step 10: Place the cut shapes on baking sheets about 3 inches apart, fixing edges if needed.
Step 11: Bake house pieces for 18-20 minutes until edges are lightly browned; chimney pieces bake 12-13 minutes.

Step 12: Cool shapes completely on flat surfaces to prevent curling.
Step 13: Select a sturdy base and begin assembling the house by piping thick royal icing on edges to stick pieces together, propping pieces as needed.
Step 14: Attach roof pieces with royal icing on inside edges and secure, piping icing where the roof pieces meet.

Step 15: (Optional) Assemble chimney pieces separately with royal icing upside-down, let set, then attach to roof, using additional icing to fill gaps.
Step 16: Let the entire house set at room temperature for at least 3 hours, preferably up to overnight before decorating.
Step 17: Prepare buttercream by beating shortening and butter until creamy, then adding confectioners’ sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt. Beat until thick and fluffy.

Step 18: Decorate your gingerbread house using buttercream, leftover royal icing, and candies as desired.
Step 19: Enjoy your festive creation, but keep in mind it’s best enjoyed within a few days for freshness.

Tips & Variations

Chill the dough discs well before rolling to make cutting shapes easier and prevent sticking.

Use parchment paper when rolling out dough to avoid sticking without adding excess flour.
For sturdier walls, roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness; thinner pieces may break more easily.
If royal icing is too thin, add more confectioners’ sugar until thick enough to hold pieces firmly.

Create extra gingerbread cookie shapes like stars and trees from leftover dough for decorating or snacking.
Use a small open star piping tip (#32) for pretty details with buttercream and royal icing.

Storage

Store baked gingerbread house pieces tightly covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature before assembly. Finished gingerbread houses should be displayed and enjoyed within a few days. Leftover buttercream can be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to a day; bring it back to room temperature before using again.

How to Serve

A small gingerbread house with four walls and a pitched roof is decorated heavily with white icing in swirled patterns covering the roof like snow, dotted with small blue snowflake shapes and silver balls. The front wall shows green leaves and red berry icing decorations under a brown star cookie with red, white, and green dots. The door is covered in bumpy white icing with a pink candy bead in the middle. Candy canes stand on both sides of the house, and round peppermint candies line the gingerbread walls near the base. The house sits on a large white area covered with swirled thick white icing and multicolored sprinkles, all placed on a wooden round base. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the gingerbread house in advance?

Yes, the gingerbread pieces can be baked up to a week ahead and stored tightly covered. Royal icing and buttercream can also be prepared in advance. Assemble the house on the day you plan to decorate for best results.

What if my gingerbread pieces break during assembly?

Use plenty of thick royal icing as “glue” to help hold pieces together and to fill any gaps. If necessary, use additional buttercream to cover cracks when decorating. Propping pieces while the icing sets will help prevent breaks as well.