Jojotastic
One of the best holiday traditions is gingerbread house making. I have made manyyy gingerbread houses ranging from complex to simple. Simplicity is definitely the way to go for construction. Decorations are where you can let your creativity shine through.
When making gingerbread for building, it is essential that the cookie is firm. I never intend on actually eating them. With that in mind, this recipe isn’t your traditional cookie.
To successfully make a gingerbread house, it’s best to design a simple shape that requires little support. Once you know the shape you’d like to make your house, measure it out onto card stock and cut the pieces out.
When it comes to decorating your gingerbread walls, a bit more planning goes a long way. The timeless kitchen rule of Mise en place (everything in its place) will help you avoid many problems, and if you’re building with younger folks, it can prevent some messes, too!
GINGERBREAD HOUSE CONSTRUCTION Once your pieces are decorated and have had time to dry, this is when you want to adhere them together carefully (this could be a two-person job). The key is very thick royal icing!
– Parchment Paper – Half and full sized sheet pans – Chef Knife and Paring knife – Icing bags – Various frosting tips – Rolling Pin – Stand Mixer
Gingerbread Dough – 1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar – 3 Tbsp Cinnamon – 1 Tbsp Ginger – 1 Tsp Salt – 2/3 Cup Light Corn Syrup – 6 Tbsp Unsalted butter Softened – 2 1/3 Cups AP flour – 2 Tsp Vanilla extract optional Royal Icing – 3 large Egg whites – 4 Cups Powdered Sugar Optional Decorations – Gelatin sheets for windows – Powdered sugar for dusting – Unsweeted coconut flakes for snow