How to Make a Gingerbread House

Everything you need to make a classic gingerbread house.

The warm flavors of molasses, cloves, and ginger meld together in these classic holiday cookies. Bring the family together for holiday fun to build and decorate your gingerbread house using ornamental frosting.

Ingredients

Directions

• 1. Step 1 In large bowl, whisk flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
  2. Step 2 In second large bowl, using electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and brown sugar until creamy, 3 minutes. Beat in molasses, vanilla and egg until well blended, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Reduce speed to low and gradually add in flour mixture, mixing until incorporated (dough will be soft).
  3. Step 3 Divide dough into portions, and roll each between 2 sheets parchment paper to 1/4-inch thickness for main walls and 1/8 thickness for doors, shutters and other pieces. Cut out pieces (but leave them in place). Refrigerate, on cookie sheet, until firm and cold, at least 30 minutes (or up to 1 week, wrapped).
  4. Step 4 Preheat oven to 350º F. Pop out and arrange similarly sized pieces of dough on parchment-lined baking sheets spacing 1 inch apart. Reroll, cut and chill as necessary.
  5. Step 5 In batches, bake cookies, rotating baking sheets halfway through, until firm, 8 to 15 minutes (depending on the thinness and size of cookies). Let cool on cookie sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to on wire rack to cool completely.
  6. Step 6 Reduce oven temp to 175ºF. Arrange cookies on wire racks about 1/4 inch apart. Transfer to oven and allow to dry 1 hour.
  7. Step 7 When cookies are cool, prepare Royal Icing. Decorate cookies before assembling into houses. Once set, use Royal Icing as glue, placing only 2 cookie pieces together at a time and letting set before adding another.

You may need to use some cans to help support walls while the icing glue is setting!

Kate Merker (she/her) is the Chief Food Director of the Hearst Lifestyle Group, overseeing the team that produces food content for several Hearst titles, including Good Housekeeping, Women’s Health, Prevention, Woman’s Day and Country Living. She has clocked nearly 20 years of experience in food media and before that, worked at some of New York City’s finest restaurants.