Best 20 Gingerbread House Recipes

GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Steps:

• Dough: In a large saucepan, cook the sugar, shortening and molasses on low, until shortening is melted and sugar is dissolved, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add the cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Stir in flour, 1 cup at a time, until dough can be formed into a ball. , Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead until even in color and smooth (not crumbly or dry), adding more flour if needed. Form into a log. Cut into five equal pieces; wrap in plastic. Cut patterns out of paper or cardboard., Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly grease the foil. Lay a damp towel on counter; place prepared pan on towel (to prevent slipping). Unwrap one portion of dough. Using a very lightly floured rolling pin, roll out dough directly on baking sheet to a 15x10-1/2-in. rectangle about 1/4 in. thick. Position patterns at least 1/2 in. apart on dough as shown. Cut around patterns with a sharp knife or pizza cutter; remove patterns. Remove dough scraps; cover and save to re-roll if needed. , Bake at 375° for 10-14 minutes or until cookie springs back when lightly touched. Remove from oven; immediately replace patterns on dough. Cut around the edges to trim off excess cookie. Cool 3-4 minutes or until cookies begin to firm up. Carefully remove to a wire rack; cool Repeat with remaining dough and patterns., Icing and Assembly: In a large bowl, beat the sugar, meringue powder and 3/4 cup water on low until blended. Beat on high for 8-10 minutes or until stiff peaks form, adding additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed. Place a damp paper towel over bowl and cover tightly until ready to use. , To assemble frame of the house, test your cookie pieces to make sure they fit together snugly. if necessary, file carefully with a serrated knife or an emery board to make fit. Fill decorating bag two-thirds full with icing. Beginning with the front of the house, squeeze a 3/8-in. wide strip of icing onto the bottom edge of the front piece. Position on the cookie base, 3 in. from the front edge of the base. Prop it upright with spice jars for 2-3 minutes or until icing hardens; remove jars., To add the sides, squeeze icing on lower edge of one side piece and side edge of the front piece. Align pieces at a right angle, making sure they are as tight as possible. Repeat with the other side., To add the back,squeeze icing on the bottom and side edges of the back piece; position with the other assembled pieces. For added stability, squeeze icing along the inside edge of all pieces and corners., To assemble the roof, working with one side at a time, squeeze icing on the upper edge of the slant of the front and back pieces on one side. Also squeeze icing on the adjoining side piece. Carefully place roof piece on the slants so that the roof's peak is even with the pints of the front and back. (There will be an overhang of 1/2 in.) Repeat with other side of the roof., To decorate, add a chimney if desired (see photo for assembly). Decorate the house with remaining icing, candies and cookies of your choice.

EASY GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Steps:

• Cover a piece of heavy cardboard with aluminum foil or freezer paper, dull-side up, to make a base for the gingerbread house.
• Cut templates for the gingerbread house out of heavy cardboard or cardstock; label each piece.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 3 rimless baking sheets (or the back of rimmed baking sheets).
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Cool pieces on the baking sheet until firm, 5 to 10 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, 15 to 30 minutes.
• 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.
• 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.

GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Steps:

• Make half of the batch: In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together half the butter and half the sugar for 5 minutes, until fluffy. Scrape down sides.
• Meanwhile, sift together the dry ingredients - the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt - and set aside half.
• With mixer running at low speed, add two eggs, one at a time. Mix in 1 cup molasses. Scrape down bowl.
• In 3 batches, add half the dry ingredients, mixing just to combine. To prevent any flour from flying out, make sure the mixer is off when adding each batch, and drape a towel over it when mixing. Mix in zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange.
• Pull dough out of mixer, and wrap in plastic wrap, or transfer to a resealable plastic bag. Repeat Steps 1 to 5 to make the remaining dough. Refrigerate overnight.
• When ready to bake, heat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Roll out dough: For each square, weigh out about 20 ounces of dough. The goal is to end up with five 9-inch squares, so you'll roll them out a bit larger, bake them and trim off the edges.
• Lightly dust a large piece of parchment paper with flour. Place the chilled dough on top. Roll side to side and up and down to make a rough square shape. While you roll, make frequent quarter-turns so that the dough remains even.
• Roll until dough is about 10 by 10 inches and a generous 1/4-inch thick. Transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. (Any dough left after the squares have been prepared can be rolled out 1/4-inch thick and used for cookies.) In the oven, the slab will rise to about 3/8- or 1/2-inch thickness, which will make the house extra sturdy.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until even and firmly set. Place pans on racks to cool. To prevent bending and cracking, carefully transfer to racks by lifting parchment paper. When completely cool, stack the slabs, still on parchment, and set aside to dry out at room temperature for 3 to 7 days. (When ready to assemble, see How to Make a Gingerbread House guide for full instructions.)

CHILDREN'S GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Steps:

• First cut out in thin cardboard: a side wall, 4 1/2 x 8 inches; an end wall, 4 1/2x5 inches; a triangular gable, 4 1/2x3x3 inches; and a roof rectangle, 4 1/2x9 inches. Tape the rectangular end wall piece to the triangular gable piece: match the long side of the triangle, 4 1/2 inches, to one of the 4 1/2 inch sides of the end wall.
• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and molasses. Gradually beat in 2 eggs. Sift the flour, baking powder, and spices together; stir into creamed mixture. Wrap dough in parchment paper, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 6 portions, 2 slightly larger than the others. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the 4 smaller pieces to approximately the size of the side wall and the end wall with gable templates; cut out two of each. Roll out remaining dough, and cut into two rectangular roof pieces. Transfer gingerbread onto greased baking trays.
• In a preheated 375 degree F (190 degrees C) oven, bake gingerbread for 10 minutes, or until crisp. When removing from the oven, leave the gingerbread on the baking trays for a few minutes to set, then transfer to wire racks. Leave out overnight to harden.
• In a large bowl, lightly whisk 2 egg whites. Gradually beat in approximately 5 cups confectioners' sugar. The icing should be smooth and stand in firm peaks. Spread or pipe a 9 inch line of icing onto a cake board, and press in one of the side walls so that it sticks firmly and stands upright. If necessary, spread or pipe a little extra icing along either side to help support it. Take an end wall and ice both the side edges. Spread or pipe a line of icing on the board at a right angle to the first wall, and press the end wall into position. Repeat this process with the other two walls until they are all in position. Leave the walls to harden together for at least two hours before putting on the roof. Spread or pipe a thick layer of icing on top of all the walls, and fix the roof pieces in position; the roof should overlap the walls to make the eaves. Pipe or spread a little icing along the crest of the roof to hold the two pieces firmly together. Leave overnight to set firmly.
• When ready to decorate, make the remaining icing. In a large bowl, lightly whisk 4 egg whites, and mix in remaining confectioners' sugar as before. Use this to make snow on the roof, and to stick various candies for decoration. Finish with a fine dusting of sifted confectioners' sugar.

GINGERBREAD HOUSE ICING

Steps:

• In a large clean bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar with electric mixer at medium speed.
• Add powdered sugar in small amounts, mixing well on high speed after each addition.
• Beat on high speed 4-5 minutes or until mixture thickens.
• Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.
• You may need to stir icing to soften before use.

GINGERBREAD FOR A GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Steps:

• Make the gingerbread dough: Sift together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, cloves and salt into a large bowl. Set aside.
• Combine the butter, shortening, brown sugar and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the egg, molasses and vanilla and beat on medium until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the sifted flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined into a smooth dough, about 1 minute. Form the dough into a flat square, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until just firm, about 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Meanwhile, make templates for a gingerbread house. Gather several sheets of stiff paper; a manila folder works well. For the wall panels, cut a rectangle that measures 4 by 7 inches. For the front and back panels of a house with a peaked roof, cut a template that is 6 inches wide at the base, 4 inches to the roofline and 4 1/2 inches slanted to a peak. The template for the roof panels should measure 4 1/2 by 8 inches.
• Roll and cut the gingerbread: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap the dough and cut into 3 equal pieces (a pizza wheel is handy for this). Working with one piece of dough at a time and keeping the other pieces refrigerated, roll the dough into a rectangle 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Using the templates, cut out the front and back of the house and remove the scraps around the cutouts. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough, cutting out 2 roof pieces and 2 side pieces. (If the dough gets too soft while rolling, return it to the refrigerator for 15 minutes before proceeding.) Discard the dough scraps or reroll to make cookies. Chill the dough pieces on the baking sheets for 15 minutes.
• Bake the gingerbread: Bake the dough pieces until crisp almost all the way through (the very center will still be a little soft), 30 to 35 minutes. Cool the pans 10 minutes on a rack, then remove the house pieces to the rack to cool completely. Assemble and decorate the gingerbread panels as desired.

GINGERBREAD (FOR COOKIES OR A GINGERBREAD HOUSE)

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, heat sugar, molasses, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, and cloves to boiling, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat; stir in soda (it will foam up).
• Stir in margarine till melted.
• With a fork, stir in egg, then flour.
• On a floured surface, knead dough till mixed. Divide dough in half, wrap half with plastic wrap; set aside.
• Roll half the dough, with a rolling pin, slightly thinner than 1/4 inch.
• Cut with cutters.
• Bake at 325F on a cookie sheet for 12 minutes; cool on a wire rack.
• Makes about 3 dozen 3" gingerbread people.
• NOTE: We make houses by cutting out our house design (the 2 sides of the roof, two sides, a front and a back of the house) on graph paper, and then placing the graph paper shapes on the dough and cutting the dough shapes out with a knife.

MINI GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Steps:

• Using parchment or waxed paper, make gingerbread house pattern pieces according to this diagram; set aside. In a heavy saucepan, cook and stir the shortening, brown sugar, corn syrup and molasses over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat; stir in ginger and cinnamon. Stir in flour, 1 cup at a time, until dough can be formed into a ball. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out dough directly onto a greased baking sheet to 1/4-in. thickness., Position patterns on dough; cut out. Remove dough scraps; cover and save to reroll if necessary. Bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until gingerbread springs back when lightly touched. Immediately place patterns over gingerbread; cut around edges to trim. Cool on baking sheet for 3-4 minutes or until gingerbread begins to harden. Carefully remove to a wire rack; cool. , For icing and assembly: In a large bowl, beat the egg whites, confectioners' sugar and cream of tartar on low speed for 1 minute. Beat on high for 6-8 minutes or until stiff., Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert pastry tip. Place some icing in bag. Pipe icing along base and sides of front wall and one side wall. Position at right angles to each other and place on covered board; prop with small bottles or jars. Repeat with second side section and back. Let dry; remove bottles. For side supports, carefully cut Pirouette cookies widthwise in half. Pipe icing along one side of each; position at the corners of the house., For roof: Pipe icing along peak of roof. Position roof pieces; let dry. For roof tiles, cut Tootsie Rolls widthwise in half. Flatten with a rolling pin; cut each flattened piece in half. Pipe an icing line 1/2 in. from bottom of one side of roof. Curve Tootsie Roll pieces around your finger or a wooden spoon handle and press along icing; repeat until one horizontal row is finished. Repeat six times, slightly overlapping each row until one roof piece is covered. , Repeat on other side. Pipe a thick line of icing along top, front and back roof seams. Using the same technique, place a row of Tootsie Roll pieces at a right angle to direction of roof tiles along the top, front and back seams; let dry. Pipe a few thick clusters of icing onto roof tiles to resemble snow. Sprinkle with edible glitter., For finishing touches: In a bead pattern, pipe icing around front door. Pipe 1-in. squares on both sides of door and on each side of house for windows. Pipe windowpanes. Decorate the corners with snowflake-shaped sprinkles., For wreath over door, attach pudding bites and nonpareils to front of house using icing. On covered board, spread icing into a 1-in. curved strip from the front door to the edge of the board for path. Cut candy bar into small rectangles; press side by side into icing. Let dry. , Using scissors, cut sugar cones to varying heights. If desired, pipe a thick circle of icing around open end of each cone to help hold in place. Position cones around house.

GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Steps:

• Sift flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and cardamom into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat shortening in large bowl until fluffy. Add sugar and beat to blend. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Add molasses and beat on high speed until well blended. Add dry ingredients in 4 additions, beating at low speed until dough forms. Divide dough into 6 equal pieces. Flatten each piece into rectangle. Wrap each in plastic and refrigerate until firm enough to roll, at least 6 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• Rolling, Cutting and Baking:
• Each of the six pieces of dough will be used for one of the large sections of the house (the two side walls, the front and the back walls, and the two roof sections). The scraps will be rerolled to make the roof tiles, trees, stars, figures and other cookies for nibbling.
• Make templates:
• On one cardboard sheet, draw 14-inch round and cut out, making base for house. On another cardboard sheet, draw one 7- X 10-inch rectangle and cut out. Outline rectangle 3 more times on cardboard sheets and cut out, making 4 foundation rectangles. Draw one 6- X 9-inch rectangle on cardboard sheet and cut out, making roof template. Draw one 7- X 4-inch rectangle on cardboard sheet and cut out, making side wall template. Cut out 2 (1 1/2-inch) squares for windows.
• To make the template for the front and back of the house, draw a 4- X 5-inch rectangle on cardboard sheet, then use the 5-inch side of the rectangle as the base for a triangle with the opposite angle 4 inches away from base. To make a door, cut a 1 1/2- X 2 3/4-inch rectangle in the center of the opposite 5-inch side of rectangle.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Roll out 1 dough piece (keep remaining dough refrigerated) between two 15-inch-long sheets of parchment to scant 1/4-inch rectangle, turning over dough and parchment occasionally. If parchment wrinkles, peel off, smooth wrinkle and reposition parchment over dough; continue to roll out dough to required thickness.
• Roof:
• To make roof, place cardboard roof template atop parchment. Using small sharp knife, cut around template through top sheet of parchment to make 6x9-inch rectangle. Peel top parchment off dough.
• Pull away excess dough from around the rectangle. Slide dough rectangle on its bottom parchment onto heavy large baking sheet. Gather dough scraps; wrap in plastic and refrigerate.
• Bake rectangle until dry looking, firm to touch in center and just beginning to darken around edges, about 13 minutes. Slide parchment with rectangle onto rack and cool completely. Rinse baking sheet under cold water to cool; wipe dry.
• Walls:
• Repeat rolling, cutting and baking of each remaining 5 large dough pieces, 1 piece at a time, to make second roof section, 2 side walls, front wall and back wall (cut out windows on side walls and door on front wall but not door on back wall). Gather and refrigerate dough scraps for use later and rinse baking sheet to cool each time.
• Roof tiles:
• Roll out some of reserved dough scraps between sheets of parchment to 1/8-inch thickness. Peel off top parchment. Using floured 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out rounds for roof tiles. Using small knife as aid, cut and pull away dough from between rounds.
• Slide parchment with cookie rounds onto cooled baking sheet. Bake cookies until dry looking and firm to touch, about 9 minutes. Slide parchment with cookies onto rack and cool cookies. Working in batches, repeat with more reserved dough to roll, cut and bake a total of 50 round cookies, gathering, wrapping and chilling any dough scraps each time.
• Door and other cutouts:
• Roll out some of reserved dough between sheets of parchment to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out 2 1/2x1 1/2-inch rectangle for front door. Using floured cookie cutters, cut out several stars, gingerbread figures, Christmas trees and other decorative shapes as desired. Using small knife as aid, pull or cut away dough from around door and between shapes. Slide parchment with cookies onto cooled baking sheet. Bake cookies until dry looking and firm to touch, about 9 minutes. Slide parchment with cookies onto rack and cool cookies completely. Remove all baked gingerbread from parchment. (All gingerbread can be prepared 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)
• Icing:
• You will prepare this recipe twice: once for assembling the gingerbread house, and again for decorating it.
• 4 large egg whites
• 7 to 7 1/2 cups powdered white sugar
• Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in medium bowl until very foamy, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Beat until well blended. Add remaining cups sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating until well blended after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl occasionally.
• Beat icing at high speed until very thick and stiff, about 5 minutes. (Second batch of icing will be made later.)
• Assembly of Foundation and Walls 2 pastry bags 1 1/4- to 3/8-inch diameter plain round pastry tip
• Foundation:
• Place 14-inch round cardboard base on work surface. Spoon some icing into pastry bag fitted with 1/4- to 3/8-inch diameter tip; cover icing in bowl tightly to prevent drying. Pipe a small dab of icing in center of round. Place one 7x10-inch cardboard foundation rectangle on icing; press to adhere.
• Pipe small mound of icing in center of rectangle. Place second 7x10-inch cardboard rectangle over; press to adhere. Repeat with more icing and remaining two 7x10-inch rectangles, forming the foundation for house in center of round cardboard base.
• Walls:
• Pipe thick line of icing on bottom edge of 1 side wall. Stand wall on cardboard foundation, icing side down, 1 inch in from and parallel to one long side and 2 inches in from one short side; hold for 5 minutes.
• Pipe thick line of icing onto front edge of wall. Press back edge of front wall (with door cutout) into icing on front edge of side wall. Hold pieces together for 5 minutes.
• Pipe thick line of icing on bottom edge and up front edge of second side wall. Press icing on front edge of side wall into the back edge of front wall, positioning wall parallel to first side wall. Hold for 5 minutes.
• Pipe line of icing up back edge of each side wall. Press edges of back wall (without door) into icing, forming the back of the house. Hold 5 minutes to set.
• Pipe lines of icing inside house at 4 intersections of walls, along the base and on outside at all vertical joints to reinforce.
• Pipe a thick line of icing along 1 long edge of front-door cookie. Attach cookie to left side of door opening in front wall, creating an opened front door.
• Pipe any icing left in pastry bag back into bowl of icing. Cover tightly; store at room temperature to use for decorating later. Let house stand until icing is completely dry and very hard - about 12 hours.
• Assembly of Roof and Tiles:
• 1 1/8-inch diameter plain round pastry tip 1 1/4- to 3/8-inch diameter plain round pastry tip 2 pastry bags
• Prepare a second batch of icing.
• Beat in any remaining icing from the first batch. Spoon 1 cup icing into pastry bag fitted with 1/8-inch diameter tip. Outline windows and front door decoratively. Pipe decorations on front and back walls.
• Roof:
• Spoon icing into a new pastry bag fitted with 1/4- to 3/8-inch diameter plain tip. Pipe thick line of icing down 1 diagonal edge of front wall; continue piping icing along top edge of adjoining side wall and up diagonal edge of back wall.
• Press 1 roof rectangle into icing, positioning so that top edge aligns with tops of front and back walls and lower edge overhangs side wall by about 1 1/4 inches. Hold in position for 5 minutes to set.
• Pipe additional lines of icing along roof joints inside house to reinforce.
• Pipe thick line of icing down second diagonal edge of front wall; continue piping icing along top edge of adjoining side wall and up diagonal edge of back wall. Press second roof rectangle into icing, positioning so that top edge aligns with edge of first roof rectangle and lower edge overhangs side wall by about 1 1/4 inches. Hold in position for 5 minutes to set.
• Let house stand until icing hardens, at least 3 hours.
• Cover bowl of icing and let stand at room temperature.
• Tiles:
• Spoon more icing into pastry bag fitted with 1/4- to 3/8-inch diameter plain tip. Pipe small mound of icing in center of underside of 1 round cookie. Align cookie edges flush with one bottom corner of roof; press to adhere. Repeat with about 5 more cookies to form bottom row of roof tiles, cutting end cookie to align with edge of roof.
• Pipe generous mound of icing on upper half of underside of 1 round cookie. Position cookie halfway between 2 first row cookies and overlapping them by about 3/4-inch. Press icing portion gently onto roof. Repeat with more cookies to form second row; cutting cookies to fit at each end.
• Repeat with more cookies to cover first side of roof. Attach cookies in same way on second roof rectangle.
• Using first pastry bag fitted with 1/8-inch-diameter tip, outline the bottom halves and cut edges of roof tiles with icing.
• Decorations:
• 12 hard red-and-white striped peppermint candies, cut in half with serrated knife
• 4 striped candy canes, cut to fit corners of house under roof
• Cinnamon imperials Chocolate nonpareils Other assorted candies
• Spoon icing into pastry bag fitted with 1/4- to 3/8-inch-diameter tip. Pipe 1 or more thick lines of frosting between roof sections at top of house, filling opening completely. Gently press cut side of peppermint candies in row into icing.
• Pipe 1 thick vertical line of icing at each corner of house; press 1 trimmed candy cane into each.
• Pipe small rounds of icing onto both sides of door for doorknobs and in center of each roof tile. Press cinnamon imperials into each round of icing.
• Using pastry bag fitted with 1/8-inch-diameter tip, pipe small mound of icing onto edge of roof.
• Slowly pull bag downward while squeezing out icing so that about 3/4- to 1-inch section of icing hangs freely. Pull bag away, leaving "icicle" hanging. Repeat at 1/4-inch intervals around roof edge. Pipe decorative line of icing along front and back eaves of roof sections.
• Outline and decorate gingerbread figures, trees, stars and other cookies. (Icing may be colored, if desired.) Using back of spoon or flexible spatula, spread icing around base of house and on cardboard base, creating "snow-covered" landscape.
• Press chocolate nonpareils into icing, making path to front door. Stand decorated cookies in icing.

STRUCTURAL GINGERBREAD HOUSE DOUGH

Steps:

• In a medium microwave-safe bowl, heat corn syrup, brown sugar and margarine until margarine has melted and sugar has dissolved completely. Stir until smooth.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Add syrup-sugar-margarine mixture. Mix well.
• Wrap the dough in plastic and let it rest at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll out the dough 1/4-inch thick onto a sheet of parchment cut to fit your baking pan.
• Lightly flour the cardboard patterns and place them on the rolled-out dough, leaving a 1-inch space between pieces. Try to fit as many as you can without crowding. For clean edges, cut with a pizza wheel. Remove and reserve excess dough. Reroll dough scraps for the remainder of the pieces.
• Grab the opposite edges of the parchment paper and transfer to the baking sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until pieces are firm and lightly browned around the edges. Cool completely before removing from pans.
• This recipe can easily be increased, if you want to make it a project for several kids by doubling or even tripling the ingredients. Instead of measuring out the flour, for a double recipe, use 1 (5-pound) bag plus 1 cup flour. For a triple recipe, use two (5-pound) bags plus 2 cups flour.

GINGERBREAD HOUSE DOUGH

Steps:

• Mix the shortening, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, salt and cloves in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until a smooth paste forms, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the egg, molasses and vinegar and mix on low until combined. Scrape down the bowl and mix, about 30 seconds more. Add about half of the flour and mix on low until combined. Add the remaining flour and mix until smooth. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and knead until smooth, sprinkling the work surface and dough lightly with flour if sticky. Divide the dough in half.
• Working with one half at a time, roll out the dough on a piece of parchment paper until it is 1/4 inch thick, sprinkling it with flour if it starts to get sticky. (Don't go too thin! I place 1/4-inch dowels on either side of my dough to ensure that it is evenly rolled out.) Repeat with the second portion of dough. Chill the rolled dough on baking sheets until the dough feels chilled and is slightly firm, about 1 hour in the fridge or 30 minutes in the freezer. (Alternately you can wrap both pieces of dough in plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours or overnight before rolling.)
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the basic gingerbread house template, cut out the following patterns: One rectangle panel measuring 7 x 5.5 inches for the sides of the house (you will use this twice). One rectangle panel measuring 8.5 x 6 inches for the front and back roof panels side (you will use this twice). And, one piece measuring 6 inches wide at the base, 6 inches to the roof line and slanted to a peak 9 inches from the bottom for the ends of the house (you will use this twice).
• For the advanced gingerbread house mansion, make 2 more batches of dough. For the advanced gingerbread house mansion template, cut out the following patterns: One rectangle panel measuring 10 x 8.75 inches for the front and back of the house (you will use this twice). One rectangle panel measuring 11 x 6.5 inches for the front and back roof panels (you will use this twice). And, one piece measuring 9 inches wide at the base, 9 inches to the roof line and slanted to a peak 12 inches from the bottom for the ends and center support of the house (you will use this three times).
• Plus, one piece measuring 2 inches wide, 2 inches to the low slant line and 3.25 inches to the high slant line for the sides of the chimney (you will use this twice). One small rectangle panel measuring 2 x 3.25 inches for the front chimney panel. And, one small square panel measuring 2 x 2 inches for the back chimney panel.
• Plus, one piece measuring 4 inches wide at the base, 5 inches to the lowest roof line and 7 inches to the highest roof line for the extra room (you will use this twice). One square panel measuring 4.5 x 4.5 inches for the extra room wall. And, one rectangle panel measuring 5.5 x 5 inches for the extra room roof.
• Plus, one triangle measuring 4 inches at the base and 1.5 inches high at the center peak for the front porch. One small rectangle panel measuring 1.5 x 3 inches for the front porch roof panels (you will use this twice). One small rectangle panel measuring 2 x 0.5 inches for the flower box panels (you will use this eight times). And, one rectangle panel measuring 2 x 3.25 inches for the front door.
• Use the gingerbread templates and a sharp chef's knife or craft knife to cut out the pieces, rerolling the scraps as needed. Leave about 1/2 inch between each piece. I like to cut the pieces directly on the parchment and then peel away the scraps to avoid moving the cut pieces.
• For the basic gingerbread house: From one of the pieces with the peaked roof (this will be the front of the house), use a square or rectangular cutter to make a door and a round cutter to make a center window above, cutting straight down and leaving the perforated pieces in while the dough bakes.
• For the advanced gingerbread house mansion: From the side panels of the house, use a round cutter to make a center window, and from the front and back of the house, use a square or rectangular cutter to make windows, cutting straight down and leaving the perforated pieces in while the dough bakes.
• To make the trees, use tree-shaped cookie cutters or a tree template to cut out trees in pairs. Use a sharp paring knife or a craft knife to cut one tree in each pair in half. Use a round cutter to cut out one circle per pair to use as the base of the tree.
• Bake until the centers are firm to the touch, rotating the pans back to front and top to bottom during the last 10 minutes of baking, 25 to 28 minutes total (20 to 25 minutes for the smaller pieces). For the extra-large pieces for the advanced gingerbread house mansion, lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees F and bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Don't be afraid to bake the gingerbread a few minutes longer if you are unsure--we need these pieces to be strong!
• While the dough is still warm, use the cutters or a paring knife to remove the doors and windows to achieve a clean cut. Transfer the parchment with the gingerbread house pieces to a flat surface and allow to cool completely before removing from the parchment. For larger or more detailed houses it is helpful to allow the baked gingerbread to rest uncovered overnight.
• For the advanced gingerbread house mansion: To make the windows, separate the hard candies by color and use a rolling pin to gently crush them in a resealable plastic bag. Transfer the candies to separate silicone baking cups or microwave-safe bowls and microwave on high in 20-second increments, stirring with a skewer in between, until melted, 30 to 60 seconds. Place a clean piece of parchment under each window, then pour the melted candy into the window holes and let cool, 1 to 2 minutes. Use a cutter of your choice to gently press a design into the windows and let cool completely, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Assemble the gingerbread house or mansion and decorative elements as directed and allow the icing to dry completely overnight before decorating.

GINGERBREAD HOUSE DOUGH & ICING

Steps:

• Bring sugar, molasses, ginger and cinnamon to a boil in a large saucepan. Add baking soda (it will boil up). Place chopped butter in the bottom of a large mixing bowl and pour the molasses mixture on top. Mix to combine and stir in beaten egg. Gradually add flour. Knead until thoroughly combined, adding additional flour to obtain a stiff dough as needed. Divide in two. Form into rectangle-shaped mounds and cover with plastic wrap and chill.
• Roll dough into 1/4 inch thick rectangles according to the size you need for the templates. Cut out shapes and transfer to lined or prepared or non-stick baking sheets. Bake in a moderate oven 325°F for approximately 20 minutes or until the dough turns a uniform dark golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely before removing from sheet pan.
• Royal Icing: Place all ingredients in clean mixing bowl. Using whisk attachment combine ingredients on low speed. Increase speed to high and whip until mixture is stiff, approximately 5 minutes. Remove from mixer. (Hand held mixer will take few minute longer).
• Remove 3/4 of the mixture to another bowl and cover bowl with a damp towel until you are ready to use icing, or icing will dry and a crust will form. Replace mixer on machine, and on low speed, add additional powdered sugar for "cement" used to hold walls up.
• Note: If worried about raw egg whites, use meringue powder available at decorating supply and specialty food stores. Replace each egg white with 1 tablespoon meringue powder and 2 tablespoons warm water. Proceed with recipe.
• Icing tip: Caramelize about 1/2-1 cup of sugar use as "superglue" to construct the house. Dries fast and hard. Use the royal icing to cover up the seams and to stick on the candy.

ELLEN'S EDIBLE GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the molasses, egg, ginger, cloves and salt. Gradually add flour, 1 cup at a time, until dough forms a ball. , Turn dough onto a floured surface; knead until smooth but not sticky, adding flour if needed. Cover and chill for several hours or overnight., Meanwhile, cut out patterns. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly grease the foil. Lay a damp towel on the counter; place prepared pan on towel (to prevent slipping). Using a heavily-floured rolling pin, roll out half of dough onto the baking sheet into an 1/8-in. thick rectangle. Position patterns at least 1/2 in. apart on dough. Cut out two of each pattern with a sharp knife or pizza cutter; remove pattern. Remove dough scraps; cover and save to re-roll if needed. , Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until edges just begin to brown. Do not overbake. Remove from oven; immediately place patterns on dough. Cut around the edges,trimming off excess cookie if necessary. Cool for 10 minutes or until pieces begin to set. Carefully remove to wire racks to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough and patterns. Dough scraps may be cut into gingerbread people and used to decorate house. , In a bowl, beat the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and 4 tablespoons water on low until blended. Beat on high for 8-10 minutes or until stiff peaks form, adding additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed. Place a damp paper towel over icing bowl and cover tightly until ready to use. , To assemble the house frame: Test your cookie pieces to make sure they fit together snugly. If necessary, carefully trim with a serrated knife. Insert the round pastry tip into the pastry bag; add icing. Pipe a 3/8-in. wide strip of icing onto the bottom edge of the front piece. Position on a covered board at least 3-in. from the front edge of the base. Prop with spice jars for 2-3 minutes or until icing is completely set; remove jars., To add the sides and the back: Pipe icing on the lower edge of one side piece and along one side edge of the front piece. Align pieces at a right angle, making sure they are as tight as possible. Repeat with the other side. Pipe icing on the bottom and side edges of the back piece; position with the other assembled pieces. For added stability, pipe icing along the inside edges of all pieces and corners., To assemble the roof: Working with one side at a time, pipe icing along the top edges of the front, back and side pieces. Carefully place one roof piece so the roof's peak is even with the points of the front and back (there will be a small overhang front and back.) Repeat. Let dry completely., To decorate: With icing, attach mints to roof. For chimney, stack caramels along one side of house, using icing as mortar; top with an icing "smoke plume". , For trees and wreath, add green food coloring to a portion of icing. Frost sugar cones and butter cookie; decorate with red-hots and sprinkles. Referring to photo and using candies and other decorations, add the trees, wreath, doorway, windows, shutters, walkway, logs, mailbox and fence.

CARAMEL FOR A GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Steps:

• Spread the sugar in a medium skillet. Sprinkle with the lemon juice and 1/4 cup water. Set the skillet over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar melts, about 2 to 3 minutes. Once the sugar has melted, stop stirring and cook, swirling the contents occasionally, until the sugar syrup is a deep amber color, about 12 to 15 minutes.

EASY GINGERBREAD HOUSE COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, butter, water and egg until dough forms. Divide dough in half.
• Working with half of dough at a time, roll out on floured surface into 9x6-inch rectangle. Cut rectangle into 6 (3-inch) squares. Place 4 squares on ungreased cookie sheet. Cut remaining 2 squares diagonally in half to form 4 triangles. Place 1 triangle on one side of each square for roof; press dough to seal.
• Bake 8 to 11 minutes or until set. Cool 5 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool completely, about 15 minutes. Decorate with frosting and candies.

HOW TO MAKE A GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Steps:

• Once the gingerbread slabs have hardened (a few days after baking), it's time to cut them into walls. We've created a printable template, but if you don't have a printer, we'll walk you through the process. We have options for cutting out a door and a window, but if you'd rather not bother, you can draw them on with icing instead.)Once you've prepared the recipe, you should have five 10-by-10-inch slabs of gingerbread. These will then be cut into neat 9-inch squares to serve as the walls and roof of your house. You can do this with a ruler, a 9-inch square of parchment or cardboard, or using our template. Lay the template onto the slabs, or measure out and mark a 9-inch square onto them. Using a bread knife or another large, sharp knife, trim off the edges of all five slabs. Save the trimmings: They can be used later for decorating. To cut the front and back walls, reserve the smoothest, most unblemished gingerbread square for the front of your house. Using the template as a guide, cut two of the corners to make the top into a peaked shape. Take a second gingerbread square, and, again using the template, cut it to match. Set this piece aside. It will serve as your back wall. For the side walls, use the template to cut one 9-inch square in half. For the roof, set aside the last two 9-inch squares. If you're not using the template, take your ruler, and find the precise center of the top edge of your front wall, about 4½ inches from either side. Mark it with the tip of a knife. Place one end of the ruler on the mark, and angle the other end down to measure a line to the right edge of the wall. When the line is 6½ inches long from point to point, you have the correct angle. Mark the line with the tip of a small knife. Repeat on the other side, drawing the same line from the top-center mark to the left edge of the wall. Then, use your large knife to cut through the lines, slicing off the top corners. To cut the back wall, place the trimmed front wall on top of it and cut to match, following the lines of the front wall. For the side walls, cut one 9-inch square in half, to make two rectangles, each one 9 inches tall and 4½ inches wide. For the roof, set aside the final two squares. You'll use the whole pieces. For the optional doorway, lay the front wall piece on a work surface and, using a ruler and the tip of a small knife, trace a doorway in the center of the bottom edge. It should be about 1½ inches wide by 2½ inches tall, wide enough so you can slide a tealight into the house. Cut it out, and set the door aside.You don't have to make a stained-glass window for your gingerbread house, but it's an easy way to make the project truly special. 1. To start, heat the oven to 350 degrees. On the front wall, cut out the window as indicated in the template, using a 2-inch round cutter. Lift out the gingerbread circle, and discard - or eat! (Our template shows just one window on the front wall, but feel free to put one on the back wall, or to use a different shape of cookie cutter, like a star or a diamond.) 2. For each window, unwrap three hard candies. Red, yellow or green work best, but you'll most likely want to stick to a single color. Using a large knife, cut them into three pieces. Place the blade on top of each candy and lean your weight onto it from above; it will snap into pieces. 3. Place the wall on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Put the candy pieces in the circle in a single layer (you may have some left over). 4. To bake, lay a sheet of parchment paper or a baking mat on top of the gingerbread slab, then another sheet pan on top of that. The weight of the top pan will prevent the melted candy from oozing out onto the bottom pan. Slide it all into the oven, and bake for 15 minutes.5. Remove from the oven, place on a rack and let cool at least 10 minutes. Lift the weighted sheet pan, and let the wall cool completely, until the candy is hardened. To remove, lift the wall, gently peeling the liner from the candy. 6. Once it is cool, you can pipe a thin horizontal, and then a vertical, line of icing across the window, dividing it into a grid, or simply leave it alone.
• The key to a great gingerbread house, royal icing is just a mix of confectioners' sugar, egg whites and lemon juice. It's a crisp, bright white that makes beautiful snowflakes, snow-covered roof tiles and icicles. It's the only icing you need for this project: Our recipe yields three cups, enough for constructing the house, but you'll want to make a second, thinner batch for decoration.With the slabs cut, it's time to start piping on decorations. It's much easier to pipe onto a flat surface, so for the neatest result, you'll want to decorate the walls before assembling the house. First, sketch out a plan for decorating the front and back walls, so they are (somewhat) symmetrical. And prepare your royal icing for construction. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, make the icing you'll use to assemble the house by combining 1 pound of confectioners' sugar, 2 egg whites and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. For a softer icing, good for piped decorations, change the proportions slightly: 2 pounds confectioners' sugar, 5 egg whites, and 2 teaspoons lemon juice. If you need an even softer version for flooding, add lemon juice until the icing is runny, like thick glue. Keep any icing covered with plastic wrap pressed against the surface to prevent drying. Now, gather your materials. Mr. Yosses recommends thick, sealable one-gallon plastic bags for piping instead of traditional pastry bags. As long as it isn't overfilled, the plastic bag works perfectly, and, for this project, you won't need any special tips. Working with about 1 cup of icing at a time, scoop it into the bag and seal. Push the icing down toward one of the bottom corners. For the cleanest result, use a bench scraper or the back of a knife blade to push all the icing into one corner. Twist the bag tightly shut just above the icing. If you're going to pipe for construction, snip a hole about ⅜-inch wide off the corner. For decorating, snip a hole ⅛-inch wide. Rest the icing-filled bag in your right palm (or left, if you're a lefty), and tightly grip the twisted part of the bag in the crook between your thumb and forefinger. Squeeze your fingers and palm together, pressing lightly to pipe the icing down and out. If you need greater control, use your nondominant hand to guide and stabilize the tip while the dominant hand does the piping. Practice on a sheet of parchment paper, and, once you feel confident, think of piping as a bit like drawing. On your gingerbread house, you can make outlines of doors, windows, shutters, roof tiles and other architectural elements to make your house look more realistic. You can also pipe on decorations like dots, and curlicues. A snowflake can be as simple as three crossed lines, with a dot on each tip. Curlicues, scallops and garlands are traditional, and can be reminiscent of the gingerbread trim on Victorian houses. To cover a large surface with snow, thin the royal icing with lemon juice until it's quite runny, then spoon or pipe it over the surface, working from the outside in. This is called flooding, because the icing flows and fills the space on its own. The royal icing for construction dries to be very hard over time. It will set strongly enough to hold a wall in 10 to 15 minutes, so keep that in mind as you work. Thinned icing will not dry quite so hard, but that's usually not a problem because it's used only for decorating, not for building the structure.
• After baking, cutting and piping comes the trickiest stage, assembling the house. Many a gingerbread-house builder has watched in frustration as one side falls while another is being put up. But with the aid of some savvily placed props and some sturdy royal icing, you can quickly move on to the last - and best - part: adding the finishing touches. To assemble the house, you'll first raise the front wall, then the side walls, and finally, slide the back wall into place. To start, pipe a thick line of icing onto your board, using a 9-inch square cut out of parchment paper as a guide. Then take the front wall, and place the bottom edge along one line of icing. Prop the wall up as it dries with a can, jar or mug. Wait a few minutes between the steps to allow the icing to harden slightly. If the square you drew begins to harden, add more icing. Next, pipe the icing up along the straight edges of the front wall. Press the short edges of the side walls against the iced edges of the front wall and down into place. Make sure that the front wall sits inside the side walls at the corners. (This is important, because it will ensure the roof fits correctly.) This kind of corner makes for a sturdy house. Pipe more icing into both of the corner seams to strengthen the seal, and prop up the side walls with a mug or jar. Next, place the back wall: Pipe icing along the line you drew for the base of the back wall. Pipe icing up the edges of the side wall, and press the front wall into place inside the side walls. Let dry at least 30 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure the walls are straight and the icing seals are holding. Add more icing as needed. When the four walls are dry, place the roof, one side at a time. To do so, pipe a thick line of icing along the slanted edges of the house, and along the top of the side wall. Gently place the roof slab, adjusting so that the top of the roof lines up with the peak of the house. If the slab wants to slide down, remove it, add more icing and place again, propping it up from beneath with a ramekin or anything handy. Let it harden before attaching the other side. There will be a gap at the top, along the roofline. Fill it with icing.If you happen to have a 9-inch square box with low sides on hand, build the house around it. The extra support will be welcome. As you build, feel free to pipe with abandon wherever you see gaps. Royal icing is very strong when it hardens, and it will only add stability.While the icing is still hardening, don't be hesitant about taking things apart and putting them back together. If you place something that doesn't look quite right, you'll be happier in the long run if you redo it. Scrape any excess icing off the outside walls, but don't bother with the inside.
• Once the house is standing, the real fun begins. Here are two possible looks for your house: One is a romantic, snowy scene, with natural decorations like sliced almonds and shredded coconut, and the other is bright and bold, with candy canes, gumdrops, confetti sprinkles and hard candy. Follow one or the other, combine elements of each, or wing it and make your own.For this house, edible silver glitter, nonpareils, flaked sweetened coconut, pretzel rods, sliced almonds, shredded wheat, mini marshmallows and chocolate clusters would make for elegant decorations. If you want to make the whole thing to look a bit more Nordic, add some icicles. Use decorating icing to pipe a pea-sized blob onto the surface, leaving the tip in place. Then, without squeezing, quickly pull the tip away and up to make a pointy spike of icing. It becomes easier with practice. FOR THE DOORS AND WINDOWS • Decorate the door with a white border and a diamond-shaped window. • Use a mini marshmallow as a doorknob. • Pipe white window frames and panes, or a snowflake above each window. FOR THE ROOF • Pipe on gables, bricks or tiles. • For a thatched roof, use shredded wheat to make shingles. • Stick on nonpareils for a rustic look. • Dust silver glitter or confectioners' sugar on top for fresh snow. FOR THE WALKWAY • Sketch out a curved path to the front door. • Cover the path in royal icing, and pave it with Tootsie Rolls or sliced almonds. • Line the walkway on each side with marshmallows or chocolate clusters. FOR THE LANDSCAPING • Flood the area around the house with runny icing to make a smooth coat of snow, or use coconut sprinkled on top of a layer of royal icing to make a thicker sheet of snow. • The trimmed gingerbread edges can be arranged as a wall around the yard. • The sticks of green rock candy can be trimmed down to make trees. • Fresh sprigs of pine, holly or rosemary can be tucked around the base of the house or piled to look like bushes. • Stack a log pile by the side of the house, using broken pretzel rods or whole cinnamon sticks. Glue the logs together (and make it look snowy) with royal icing.Nonpareils, sugarcoated gumdrops, mini candy canes, round red-and-white peppermints, confetti sprinkles, Gummi Bears, gumballs, cinnamon candies, Chiclets and red licorice are great options for a colorful home. Use mini candy canes, placed facing each other, to make a heart shape on the walls. You'll want also to use food coloring to tint batches of royal icing, making a true red and a dark leaf green (like a holly sprig). But for the most vibrant results, use gel coloring. FOR THE DOORS AND WINDOWS • Decorate the door with a white border and a diamond-shaped window, then add a piped green wreath with red holly berries. • Stick on a small red candy as a doorknob. • Pipe white window frames and panes, then add green shutters. • Pipe green garlands or white snowflakes over each window. FOR THE ROOF • Stick Chiclets or Twizzlers snipped into pieces to look like bricks, or make green or red shingles by cutting sticks of chewing gum into small, moldable rectangles. FOR THE WALKWAY • Sketch out a curved path to the front door. Cover the path in royal icing, and pave it with cinnamon candies or confetti sprinkles. • Line each side with green gumballs or round peppermint candies. FOR THE LANDSCAPING • Flood the area around the house with runny icing to make a smooth coat of snow. • Cluster a family of Gummi Bears near the door. • Make bushes out of green gumdrops.

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD HOUSE PETITS FOURS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13-by-9-inch baking pan. Line bottom with parchment, and butter parchment. Dust with flour, and tap out excess.
• Stir together boiling water and baking soda in a small bowl, and set aside. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, spices, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl.
• Beat butter and brown sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy. Add molasses and eggs, and beat until creamy, about 4 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the baking soda mixture, and beat until combined. Raise speed to medium-high, and beat for 15 seconds.
• Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes. (To prevent cake from falling too soon, do not open oven for the first 35 minutes of baking.) Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Run a knife around edges of cake to loosen, and invert onto rack. Remove parchment, turn cake right side up, and let cool completely. (Cake can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
• Using a serrated knife, trim edges of cake so they are straight. Cut cake into 1-inch cubes. Cut 25 cubes on the diagonal into triangles. Spread frosting on long sides of triangles, and place one triangle on top of each cube, frosting side down, to create roofs. Insert a piece of licorice in top of each roof for the chimney. Dust roofs with confectioners' sugar. Petits fours are best the day you assemble them.

GINGERBREAD MAN COOKIES /HOUSE

Steps:

• Warm molasses in a saucepan or microwave, but do not boil just to soften. Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted. Let cool.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and brown sugar.
• Add butter mixture and egg and mix well. Refrigerate at least one hour until dough becomes stiff enough to roll.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or Silpats.
• Divide dough in half. Place each half between sheets of plastic wrap and roll out to a thickness of 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick. I also roll in between sil pads. And I find just rolling out on a slip pad is easy. Refrigerate one half while you roll out the other half, so dough is kept cold.
• For Cookies:.
• Dip the plastic cookie cutter in flour and cut shapes. I found without the flour was fine and had no problem with release from the metal cookie cutter. Place on prepared cookie sheets. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until lightly browned around the edges. Cool completely on wire racks, then decorate cookies as desired.
• For houses:.
• Roll out dough right onto the bottom side of cookie pan or on a edge free cookie pan that is lined with parchment. Maximum thickness for dough should be 3/8-inch. For houses larger than 6 inches square, use 1/4-inch thickness and for smaller houses, use 1/8-inch. Weight-bearing walls should be just slightly thicker. Place the template and cut house pieces using a ruler to guide for smooth straight edges. Bake for 15 minutes.
• Proceed with decorating.

GINGERBREAD HOUSE DOUGH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars. Beat in the molasses and eggs.
• In another large bowl, sift dry ingredients. Combine mixtures and knead into a smooth ball. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
• On a well-floured surface, roll out a small amount of the dough until it is 1/4 inch thick.
• Place one of the paper pattern pieces on the dough and cut around the edges. Gently, using the spatula, lift the dough and place it on the foil-lined, prepared cookie sheet.
• Put all scraps into a bowl and cover. Save these to make gingerbread men.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until slightly firm.
• Let cool on racks until firm enough to handle.
• Peel the foil off the sections and set the pieces aside to dry thoroughly overnight.

GINGERBREAD HOUSE AND ORNAMENTS

Steps:

• For Honey Dough:
• In a large saucepan, bring the honey to a boil over medium heat. Immediately remove the pan from the heat. Pour the honey into the large bowl of a stand mixer and slowly add the bread flour, using a bread hook. Continue mixing until dough is smooth, about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Allow the dough to cool, then wrap with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature. This dough needs to set up overnight at least, but can rest up to 2 months.
• For Spice Dough:
• Dissolve the baker's ammonia in the water in a large mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Add the eggs and corn syrup and mix until combined.
• Sift the flour and spices in a separate large mixing bowl and gradually add the flour mixture to the wet mixture using a bread hook on the electric mixer. The dough will become very stiff; do not overmix, simply incorporate the flour.
• Cut the honey dough into 3 portions and add it into the spice dough, 1 portion at a time. You need to make sure that the honey dough and spice dough's are completely combined. To make sure that they are, you must knead the dough by hand in a fold-and-press motion on a lightly floured work surface. This will take a long time, but is totally necessary.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Divide dough into 4 equal portions. Lightly flour your work surface and work with 1 portion at a time. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out until it's about 1/4-inch thick. While rolling, flour the work surface and rolling pin, as needed.
• Using your gingerbread house template, cut out desired shapes with a floured butter knife. Transfer the shapes to a greased cookie sheet or sheets, using a large floured spatula, placing them 1-inch apart. Reroll the scraps to make the additional cookies or decorations used for the gingerbread house.
• Lightly brush dough with milk and bake until firm to the touch in the center and the edges begin to darken, 10 to 14 minutes. If the dough begins to bubble at all, pierce it with a toothpick to remove the air, and then carefully smooth out the surface. Remove the house pieces from the oven and allow to completely cool on the cookie sheet.
• For Royal Icing:
• Do not begin to make the icing until the gingerbread house pieces are completely cooled and you are prepared to assemble the house.
• Beat the egg whites until light and fluffy, about 5 to 7 minutes, in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed.
• Gradually add the confectioners' sugar and cream of tartar; beat until combined.
• Add the lemon juice and beat on high until the mixture forms stiff, glossy peaks, at least 5 to 7 minutes.
• When finished, cover the icing with plastic wrap, making sure that the wrap touches the icing completely.
• For Gingerbread House:
• Cut out a large cardboard base that is large enough for your gingerbread house and strong enough to hold the weight. Cover it with aluminum foil or wrapping paper.
• Spoon some of the royal icing into a pastry bag fitted with 1/4 to 3/8-inch diameter tip. Keep the remaining icing covered so it does not dry out.
• Assemble the walls of the house, piping thick lines of the icing onto the sides of the walls that meet. Use cans of food to support the walls when drying. If the edges of the pieces are not straight, you will need to cut them. If they are not smooth, you can run a nutmeg grater over the edge to smooth it out. Allow the icing to dry completely before attaching the roof pieces.
• Once the roof is secured and the icing is dry, you may decorate the house with the remaining icing, cookies and candies as desired.
• Cook's Notes:
• You will need to set aside a few days to make the house. The honey dough needs to rest overnight. Once the gingerbread pieces are baked, we suggest you allow them to cool for at least 4 hours. Once they are cooled completely, you can assemble the house. Allow the icing to totally dry and harden, then decorate the house as desired.
• Baker's ammonia is also known as ammonium carbonate, and can be found at drugstores. It must be finely ground. You may notice an odor of ammonia while baking, but this will quickly dissipate and will not have an odor or taste when completed.
• When preparing the royal icing, you MUST make sure that the bowl and all utensils used are free from any traces of grease. The smallest trace of grease will not allow the icing to firm up.
• When you are deciding on a gingerbread house template, please keep in mind that it cannot be larger than the cookie sheet you are using to bake the pieces.
• When combining the honey dough and spice dough, it is very important that you combine them completely. Otherwise, the house pieces will cook uneven and the flavor will not be consistent. This process will require a lot of "elbow grease" when combining. Because the dough is so thick, you will need to do it by hand.