Have you ever wondered how those amazing gingerbread houses are made? Seems pretty impossible considering most kits fall apart the second you put the frosting on. Not this recipe! This construction grade gingerbread house recipe is SO strong! I made my house three weeks ago and its still standing strong. You can trim it, sand it, bake it in molds and even pour sugar windows. Keep reading for more tips! 
Ill let you in on a little secret, not all gingerbread is created equal. You might be surprised to find out that the gingerbread that is used to make those amazing houses are made with something called “construction gingerbread” meaning its not meant to be eaten and is really only for building. So if you try to build a gingerbread house from regular yummy gingerbread cookie dough, you might find your cookie dough spreading or cracking when you try to assemble the house. 
This is the gingerbread house recipe that I got from my friend Christophe Rull who is the head pastry chef at the Parky Hyatt Aviara in San Diego. We used this recipe to build a gingerbread house that was over twelve feet tall! Granted we had a structure underneath because the house had to be on display for over a month but still, it was the best structural gingerbread Ive ever used! 
Christophe has graciously shared his recipe with me so I can give it to you guys! So you can make some amazing gingerbread houses too!
Gingerbread House Recipe
The best construction gingerbread house recipe. Super strong, great for cutting out intricate templates and does not spread when baking. This recipe is enough to make three gingerbread houses using the gingerbread house template included
Prep: 15min
Total: 75min
Yield: 3
Serving Size: 1 oz
Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 oz, calories 112 kcal, Carbohydrate 19 g, Protein 1 g, Fat 3 g, Cholesterol 3 mg, Sodium 32 mg, Sugar 8 g
Ingredients:
- 28 oz AP Flour
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 7 oz vegetable shortening
- 6 oz granulated sugar
- 16 oz molasses
- 1 Large egg
- 5 crushed jolly ranchers or isomalt (for the windows)
- 16 ounces powdered sugar (sifted)
- 2 ounces pasteurized egg whites
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instruction:
- Once gingerbread is done, remove from the oven and let fully cool before moving. Your gingerbread is now ready to be assembled.
- Place the royal icing into a bowl or container with a lid. Your THICK royal icing is now ready to be thinned down to the consistency you desire.
Gingerbread House
You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to make a gingerbread house from scratch. Equipped with gumdrops, licorice, peppermint and, of course, royal icing, this recipe is as fun to make as it is delicious.
Prep: 0 1h15min0
Total: 0 1h30min0
Yield: One recipe of dough makes one
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup light molasses or dark corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons water
- Melted white chocolate or Royal Icing, recipe follows
- Gumdrops, licorice and peppermint, as desired
- 1 pound (3-3/4 cups) powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
- 1 to 2 large egg whites, or substitute 4 teaspoons packaged egg whites and 1/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon almond extract, vanilla or lemon juice
Instruction:
- Gingerbread House: In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and baking soda together until the mixture is smooth. Blend in the flour and water to make a stiff dough. Chill at least 30 minutes or until firm.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cut out the following paper patterns for the gingerbread house template: Two rectangles, 3 by 5 inches, to make the front and back of the house. Two rectangles, 3 by 5 1/2 inches for the roof. Two pieces for the ends of the house, 3 inches wide at the base, 3 inches to the roof line, and slanted to a peak 5 1/2 inches from the bottom. Four smaller rectangles, 1 1/2 by 1 inch for the roof and sides of the entryway. And one piece, 2 inches wide at the base, 1 1/2 inches to the roof line, and slanted to a peak 2 1/2 inches from the bottom for the front of the entryway.
- Roll gingerbread dough out to edges on a large, rimless cookie sheet. Place paper patterns onto the rolled out dough. With a sharp, straight edged knife, cut around each of the pieces, but leave pieces in place.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for about 15 minutes until dough feels firm.
- Place patterns on top of the gingerbread again and trim shapes, cutting edges with a straight-edged sharp knife. Leave to cool on baking sheet.
- Place royal icing into pastry bag with a writing tip and press out to decorate individual parts of house, piping on decorations, windows, door, etc., as desired. Let dry until hardened.
- Glue sides, front and back of house together at corners using royal icing. Place an object against the pieces to prop up until icing is dry (it only takes a few minutes).
- Glue the two roof pieces to the pitched roofline of the house. Then, similarly, glue the sides and roof of the entryway together with icing. Attach the entryway to the front of the house.
- Continue decorating the house, gluing on gumdrops, licorice and peppermint, as desired.
- Mix all of the ingredients together using an electric hand mixer, until the icing is smooth and thin enough to be pressed through a pastry bag with a writing tip. Add more lemon juice, if necessary.
Gingerbread House Recipe | How to make a Gingerbread House
FAQ
What do you need to make a gingerbread house?
- Honey Maid Graham Crackers – 5 per house.
- Royal Icing (see recipe below – eggs, confectioners sugar & cream of tartar)
- Paper Plate or Cardboard.
- Bread Knife or Serrated Knife.
- Disposable Piping Bag.
- Assorted Candy, Pretzels, Dried Fruit, Etc. for Decorating.
How do you make a strong gingerbread house?
What is the best ingredient to keep a gingerbread house together?
Is it cheaper to make your own gingerbread house?
