Christmas Gingerbread House

I wish you could be here, stop on by the house smells so wonderful the christmas music is playing loudly in the back ground…lovely. I love gingerbread houses….why it brings back such sweet memories. My sweet little granny would make one each year for Christmas. After lunch on Christmas Day we could eat it? So, since I have been married I have made one. In the beginning they were not so good. Each year I would make a different one. Some years I made many and gave them as gifts. I have even made one for everyone in Thomas’ class and took them for the children to decorate. This year I took ideas from many different places. I got the really large nonpareils at Trader Joe’s and they are so cute. They are pretty tasty too which is not good why I eat them. I put lights on the inside as I do many years. I put the little flags on the house. I think it did come out really cute this year. I did put curtains in the window.

This is a little gingerbread man and red wagon. I put a Christmas tree in the window with a star on the top. You can tell in the picture the house has lights. This is great at night time you can see it much better.

This is of the front door. I used a cookie cutter to just make marks on the door to section it off like a real door. While it was still hot I mashed it again. Then after it cooled I put a wreath and door knob. I made the flags out of scrapbook paper and bakers twine. I made my own pattern for the house this year.

Gingerbread Recipe

5 1/2 + cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup soften butter
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 unsulphured molasses
2 large eggs

Mix all dry ingredients well, flour and spices. Melt butter in a small sauce pot over a low heat, add sugar and molasses let cool a bit then add the eggs. Stir mixture well and add to the dry flour mixture. Mix in a standing mixer with the paddle attachment until a ball forms.

I wrap in 2 individual packages, place in the refrigerate for one hour.

Then I roll out on a flour dusted parchment paper.

Cut out into desired shapes.

Baking depends on if they are for eating or building.
Eating, bake about 15 minutes at 325.
Building 20-25 minutes at 325.

Royal Icing

3 tablespoons of Meringue powder or dried egg whites
1 box 10x powder sugar
6 tablespoon hot/warm water

Place all ingredients in a standing mixer with whisk attachment and beat for about 12 minutes until light and fluffy. It takes about 2 ~ 3 batches of icing to do one regular house.

Gingerbread House Info
I make my patterns or I get them out of books

Once I decided on a house, I copy my pattern
Cut pattern out
Make the dough
roll out and cut out pieces 2 roof sides, back, front, 2 sides

bake dough, cool
get candy for houses ~ I collect all year
get a board for house ~ I use a thick foam board
Make one batch of icing
assemble house
make another batch of icing

decorate house

This is pretty much my process ~ on an easy scale
I do collect candy all year long
My favorite books are

I am so happy you stopped by for a visit. Please stop back by we will start our baking and have goodies for you to look at every few days. You can sign up for my e-mail so you do not miss a post. Have a great day and hurry on back. Keep your season Merry! Smiles,
Angie