Making and decorating a gingerbread house can seem like a daunting project but it's really very simple! Let me walk you through how to bake your own houses and my best tips for decorating them with kids!This recipe makes 2 houses but you can easily double the recipe to make more houses or use it to make 1 house and some cut out cookies too!
Mini marshmallows, candy canes, peppermint wheels, fruit jubes, jellybeans, M&M's or smarties, Christmas sprinkles or any other Christmas themed candy
Instructions
Gingerbread house
Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add the egg and golden syrup and combine. Add all other ingredients and mix together on low speed until well combined.
Split dough in half and shape each half into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the freezer for 1 hour, or fridge for 2 hours. At this point, you can also put the dough in the freezer to use at a later date.
Once you are ready to bake the houses, preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F and prepare 2 baking trays with silicone liners or baking paper. Remove the cookie dough discs from the fridge or freezer and unwrap. If using frozen dough, allow to thaw on the bench for an hour or so.
Roll the dough out until it is about 3-4mm thick on a well floured surface or between 2 pieces of baking paper. If the dough is too hard to roll out, leave it sitting for 10 minutes or so and then try again.
Using the gingerbread house template pieces, cut out the dough and lay the pieces on a lined baking tray. Re-roll any scraps of dough until you have all the pieces you need. Bake for 12-14 minutes, checking them at 12 minutes, until they are looking golden brown. They will harden slightly as they cool.
Allow to cool completely on the tray so that they hold their shape.
Royal Icing
Whisk the egg white in a medium sized bowl (or using a stand mixer) until soft peaks form. Slowly add the sifted icing sugar until the icing reaches a smooth, pipeable consistency. Add milk 1 teaspoon at a time if it is too thick, or add more icing sugar if it is too thin.
Spoon the icing into a piping bag with a thin nozzle or into a sandwich size snaplock bag and snip the end off.
To decorate the houses - either assemble first and allow to set for an hour before decorating or decorate the pieces first and then assemble.
Assemble the house: Choose a sturdy wooden board or flat plate to construct your house on. Start with the back piece and a side piece. Run a thick line of royal icing along the bottom and up the side of the back piece and place it on the board. You may want to use a peg to hold it in place (see post for image) or hold it up with a tin of food, jar or something else. Take the side piece and run a line of royal icing along the bottom and then join it to the back piece, holding them together for a couple of minutes until set. Repeat with the other side piece and the front piece. Once the house is assembled, go through and fill in any gaps with royal icing - more is better as this will help the house stay strong!
Add the roof: Run a thick line of royal icing along the inside edges of one of the roof pieces and stick it onto the house. Repeat with the second roof piece and then secure the roof pieces together by running a thick line of royal icing along the top where they meet at the top of the house. Hold in place for a couple of minutes while it sets.
To decorate the houses: Use royal icing to pipe designs or to stick lollies/candy onto the house. Be as creative as you like!
Nutrition Facts
How to make and decorate a gingerbread house
Amount per Serving
Calories
154
% Daily Value*
Fat
3
g
5
%
Saturated Fat
2
g
13
%
Cholesterol
13
mg
4
%
Sodium
89
mg
4
%
Potassium
33
mg
1
%
Carbohydrates
29
g
10
%
Sugar
16
g
18
%
Protein
1
g
2
%
Vitamin A
105
IU
2
%
Calcium
11
mg
1
%
Iron
0.8
mg
4
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.