Name: The Best Gingerbread House Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: PT-490276H28M51S
Total time: 1 h
Yield: Enough dough to build one medium-sized gingerbread house
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8 cups All Purpose Flour; 2 tsp Cinnamon; 1 tsp Ginger; 1/2 tsp Clove; 1/2 tsp Salt; 1 1/4 cup Butter or Crisco; 1 1/2 cups Dark or Light Brown Sugar, packed; 2 cups Dark or Light Corn Syrup

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Introduction

This gingerbread house recipe is the perfect blend of warm spices and rich sweetness, ideal for crafting festive edible decorations. It yields a sturdy dough that bakes into beautifully golden pieces, ready to assemble and decorate for the holidays.

A baking tray lined with white parchment paper holds eight neatly cut gingerbread dough pieces in light brown color. The pieces include two large pentagon shapes with pointed tops resembling house walls, one with a rectangular door cutout, two large square shapes, three smaller rectangles, and one tiny tall rectangle. The dough surface looks smooth and slightly grainy, arranged flat and evenly spaced across the tray, which is placed on a white marbled texture surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

8 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup butter or Crisco
1 1/2 cups dark or light brown sugar, packed
2 cups dark or light corn syrup
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp clove
1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

Step 1: Microwave the butter or Crisco and corn syrup together until melted, stirring occasionally to combine fully.
Step 2: Transfer the melted mixture into a large mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar and mix until smooth. Stir in the cinnamon, ginger, clove, and salt until evenly distributed.
Step 3: Gradually add the flour while mixing to form a dough. When combined, shape the dough into a ball and cover it with plastic wrap. Let it rest for 30 minutes to relax the gluten.
Step 4: Roll the dough out to about 1/4 inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut into desired shapes for your gingerbread house. Place pieces on a baking sheet and bake in a 350°F (175°C) oven until edges start to brown and centers are golden, about 12 minutes.

Tips & Variations

Use parchment paper for rolling and baking to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier.
If you prefer a more intense spice flavor, increase the ginger and cinnamon slightly.
For a richer dough, consider using butter instead of Crisco; just be sure to melt it gently.

Storage

Store baked gingerbread pieces in an airtight container at room temperature to keep them crisp for up to two weeks. If you need to store assembled gingerbread houses, keep them in a cool, dry place away from humidity. Avoid refrigeration, as it can soften the pieces. Decorating with royal icing will also help seal and preserve your creation.

How to Serve

The image shows a gingerbread house with a base layer of brown gingerbread forming the walls and roof structure. The roof is decorated with multiple rows of wavy, colorful sour candy strips in green, red, and blue, creating a textured, tiled effect. Thick white icing lines run along the edges of the roof, appearing fluffy and soft. The front wall has two candy cane pillars made with red, white, and green stripes, framing a small brown gingerbread door with white icing details on top and a white dot in the center. Above the door is a white icing swirl and a small green icing wreath with a red dot in the middle. The base around the house is decorated with white icing stepped like snow and topped with an alternating line of pastel mini marshmallows. A pink and blue marshmallow stands upright near the front on the left side. The house sits on a flat surface with a white marbled texture. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the dough up to two days in advance. Just keep it tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated until ready to use. Let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before rolling out.

How do I prevent the gingerbread pieces from warping while baking?

Use a sturdy baking sheet and avoid overbaking. Baking on parchment paper or a silicone baking mat helps distribute heat evenly. Allow the pieces to cool completely on a flat surface to retain their shape.