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Sturdy Gingerbread House Recipe + Foolproof Royal Icing for Construction

Close-up of a dense, dark brown slice of cake, likely gingerbread, showing its moist crumb texture.
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Build a holiday centerpiece that lasts with this reliable gingerbread house recipe. This dough will not spread, and the included royal icing recipe guarantees strong assembly for your edible holiday craft.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup molasses
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 tablespoons cold water
  • For Royal Icing: 3 large egg whites, room temperature
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Instructions

  1. Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, and granulated sugar.
  2. Cut in butter: Use a pastry blender or your fingers to cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  3. Mix wet ingredients: In a separate small bowl, whisk the egg, molasses, and baking soda until combined. Pour this mixture into the flour mixture.
  4. Form dough: Mix on low speed or by hand until a shaggy dough forms. Add the cold water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing just until the dough comes together. Do not overmix.
  5. Chill dough: Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight. This step prevents spreading.
  6. Roll and cut: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly flour your work surface. Roll out one disk of dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out your desired house pieces using templates. Place pieces on parchment-lined baking sheets.
  7. Bake: Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are firm. For construction pieces, bake slightly longer if necessary to ensure they are very firm.
  8. Cool and trim: Immediately after removing the pieces from the oven, place your templates back on the hot gingerbread and trim the edges with a sharp knife to ensure straight walls for easy construction. Let pieces cool completely on the baking sheet before moving.
  9. Make Royal Icing: In a clean, grease-free bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form. The icing should be very thick for construction.
  10. Assemble the house: Use a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped) to pipe thick lines of icing along the edges of the base piece. Attach the walls one by one, holding them in place for several minutes until the icing sets enough to support them.
  11. Dry: Allow the structure to dry completely for several hours, or overnight, before adding the roof or heavy decorations.
  12. Decorate: Use the remaining royal icing to attach candies, windows, and roof shingles.

Notes

  • For the sturdiest construction, ensure your dough is very cold when rolling and bake the pieces until they are hard, not chewy.
  • If your royal icing becomes too stiff while decorating, add a few drops of water and mix well. If it is too thin, add more sifted powdered sugar.
  • Use a small offset spatula to apply a thick bead of icing where walls meet the base and where walls meet each other for maximum holding power.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.purecookingjoy.com/gingerbread-house-recipe/

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