Seasonal Sensation: Gingerbread Houses

One of my favorite things to make around Christmas time is a gingerbread house. I love being able to decorate it by myself and see how everyone else decorated theirs. Anyways, here's a recipe and some extra tips for decorating!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of butter (room temperature)
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup light molasses
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons water

*Preheat oven to 375º F*


Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and baking soda together. Cream until the mixture is smooth
2. Add the flour and water to make a stiff dough
3. Chill for 30 minutes, or until firm
4. Cut out the following paper patters for your template:
   - 2 rectangles, 3 by 5 inches SIDES OF HOUSE
   - 2 rectangles, 3 by 5 1/2 inches ROOF
   - 2 pieces, 3 in at base, 3 in to roof line, and slated to a peak 5 1/2 in from bottom ENDS

5. Roll gingerbread dough out to edges on a large, rimless cookie sheet
6. Place your templates on the dough, then with a straight-edge knife cut around the patterns
7. Bake at 375 for about 15 minutes until dough feels firm
8. Take pieces out of oven and place patterns on top of ginger bread again

Picture Courtesy of Love This Pic

9. Trim shapes again, then leave on baking sheet to cool



For Royal Icing:

• 1 pound (3 3/4 cups) powdered sugar
• 1-2 large egg whites
• 1 teaspoon almond extract, vanilla or lemon juice


Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together until smooth and thick enough to be pressed through a pastry bag


Building Your Gingerbread House:

1. Put royal icing into into a pastry bag with writing tip to pipe designs like doors, windows, etc.
2. Let your frosting harden
3. Glue the front, back and sides of the house together using your royal icing
4. Prop up until icing is dry (it should only take a few minutes)
5. Glue the roof on using royal icing and let dry again
6. Decorate how you want using gumdrops, licorice, gum balls, M&M's an etc.
7. Finally, place your house where everyone can see it!


Making gingerbread houses is a fun way to get creative. So make sure you put your own twist on it because that's the point! There are also a lot of different recipes you can look at like Martha Stewarts!

** If you want you can pick the candy off your house once you've had it around long enough but the gingerbread might be too stale to take a bite **