easter gingerbread house
This Easter Gingerbread House is a delightful and creative project to celebrate the holiday. Made with spiced gingerbread and decorated with colorful candy, it can be a fun activity for the whole family.
Equipment
- 1 mixing bowls
- 1 electric mixer optional
- 1 rolling pin
- 2 baking sheets
- 1 parchment paper
- 1 cookie cutters or templates
- 1 oven
- 1 cooling rack
- 1 decorative piping bags
- 1 scissors
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Royal icing for assembly and decoration
- Assorted candies such as gumdrops, jellybeans, chocolate eggs, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- In another bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar together using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Beat in the egg, molasses, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until a dough forms.
- Divide the dough into halves, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Once chilled, roll out the dough on a floured surface to about ¼ inch thick. Use cookie cutters or templates to cut out the shapes for the house (front, back, sides, and roof).
- Place the cutouts onto the prepared baking sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until firm. Let the pieces cool completely on a cooling rack.
- Prepare royal icing according to package instructions or make your own by beating egg whites and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
- Assemble the gingerbread house by applying royal icing to the edges of the pieces and connecting them. Hold in place for a few seconds until set.
- Once assembled, use the royal icing as glue to attach the assorted candies for decoration. Be creative with your designs!
- Allow the assembled house to dry completely before displaying.
Notes
You can make the gingerbread pieces a day in advance. Just store them in an airtight container until you’re ready to assemble. Feel free to customize the candy decorations based on your preferences or dietary restrictions. If you want a sturdier house, consider doubling the royal icing recipe.