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Homemade Christmas Gingerbread House with intricate decorations on a festive table.

Christmas Gingerbread House

A fun and cozy project to create a gingerbread house from scratch, complete with robust walls and delightful decorations, perfect for holiday festivities.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 16 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 16 minutes
Servings: 1 house
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American, Holiday
Calories: 2000
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Gingerbread Dough
  • 4 cups All purpose flour
  • 1 cup Molasses For deep gingerbread flavor
  • 1 cup Brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup Butter Softened
  • 1 medium Egg
  • 2 teaspoons Ground ginger Spice
  • 2 teaspoons Ground cinnamon Spice
  • 1 teaspoon Ground cloves Spice
  • 1 teaspoon Baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
For the Royal Icing
  • 4 cups Powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons Meringue powder Or use egg whites
For Decoration
  • assorted Gumdrops, mini candy canes, chocolate rocks, sprinkles, little cookies Choose what you like
  • as needed Pomegranate arils Optional but decorative
Tools
  • 1 Rolling pin
  • 1 each Sharp knife or pizza cutter
  • 1-2 Cans or cups To prop walls while drying
  • 1 Piping bags or zip top bags With a corner snipped
  • 2 Sheets of parchment paper
  • 3-4 Sheet pans

Method
 

Preparation
  1. In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set it aside.
  2. In another bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add the molasses and egg, and mix again.
  3. Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. Mix until you get a thick dough, adjusting with flour if sticky or letting it sit if dry.
  4. Wrap the dough and chill for at least 1 hour for easier rolling and cutting.
Baking
  1. Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to about 1/4 inch thick.
  2. Cut template pieces and place them on sheet pans.
  3. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 12 to 16 minutes until dry and set.
  4. Trim the warm pieces with your template for clean edges and let cool completely.
Assembly
  1. Prep your base with a sturdy board or flat tray, piping a thick outline of icing.
  2. Attach and prop the walls with cans or cups, allowing them to dry for at least 30 minutes.
  3. Add the roof pieces with a thick line of icing along the top edges, holding until it sets.
  4. Once the structure is stable, decorate with candies and icing.

Notes

If you made gingerbread pieces ahead of time, they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a week. Use thick royal icing for building stability and consider letting your walls dry longer for a secure structure.