Gingerbread Houses

  

 We make gingerbread into houses to decorate each Christmas.  

It is so much fun and making it yourself means you can add your own personal touch - and it makes your house smell so good!  Its really not too hard- just like making sugar cookies!  Kids love to help too-

Gingerbread

1/2 Cup ( 1 stick) Butter

1/2 Cup Dark Brown Sugar

1/4 Cup Molasses

1 Tbsp.  Cinnamon

1 Tbsp. Ginger

1 1/2 tsp. Cloves

1 tsp.  Baking Soda

2 Cups Flour

2 + Tbsp. Water

Cream butter with sugar, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and baking soda until smooth.  Blend in your flour and alternate with some water to make a smooth and soft dough.  Allow dough to chill in your fridge for at least  30 minutes or firm.

Preheat oven to 375.  Roll out half of your dough and cute house shapes to bake.  Bake until slightly browned.  Allow to cool and harden uncovered and you are ready to decorate!

Gingerbread Tips:

-Roll out your Gingerbread and cut out your house shapes on top of some parchment paper.  Once you cut your shapes and remove excess dough, you can move your whole parchment paper with your shapes to your cookie sheet- then you don't have to bother with moving the actual cut outs and possibly breaking them.

-When your dough is first out of the oven and warm, trim off any unwanted edges- it will cut right off.

-Frosting can hide anything!

-I use store bought creamy style frosting- stay away from whipped or fluffy kinds as they don't hold candies well.

-I have been known to break out a glue gun when needed!  

-Allow your gingerbread to cook until firm and I often leave mine out over night to harden up.  It makes your house more sturdy.  Leave some extra dough to cut out cookies that can be eaten!

-Be careful to not overload your roofs- too much frosting and candy can cause a roof to collapse!

-I buy cake boards from Michaels for the Gingerbread houses to be displayed and decorated on.  

We had fun this year inviting some friends over to decorate with us!  The kids had a great time decorating (and eating).  The houses turned out great!

Print your recipe for gingerbread {here}