Gingerbread Ingredients:

1 cup butter, margarine or shortening

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup molasses

5 cups flour

1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cloves

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 to 1/2 cup water

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Making Your Gingerbread:

In a large mixing bowl beat butter until softened. Add sugar and beat until fluffy (at least three minutes). Add molasses and beat well. Combine dry ingredients and add to the batter a little at a time, mixing in each addition. You will have to use your hands to work in the last additions.

 

Divide dough into thirds and shape into balls. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for several hours, preferably overnight.

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Create a template for your gingerbread house. You can search for templates online, but I usually just draw out my own.

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Once your dough has chilled, roll out one ball to approximately 3/16 inch thick on a piece of aluminum foil. Dough must be sufficiently chilled before rolling to prevent stickiness. Lightly flour the foil, your hands, and the rolling pin, before rolling to prevent pulling. Or roll between a sheet of foil on the bottom and a sheet of wax paper on top.

 

Position the pattern templates on top of the dough at least 1 inch apart to allow for a little spreading of dough during baking. Carefully cut out the pieces, using a pastry wheel or paring knife, and gingerly lift the scraps away from the cutout shapes, and return them to the refrigerator. If your house calls for texturized wood grain, panels, brick, etc., score these effects into the gingerbread before baking.

 

Carefully slide the foil (with the cutouts on it) onto a cookie sheet. Bake at 375° for 9 to 11 minutes. Bake until just firm, never browned. Once all of the dough as been used form the scraps into another ball and roll out again. Avoid rolling the dough out more than twice if you plan to eat your gingerbread as it makes the dough tough.

 

When all pieces have finished baking, remove from the oven and allow to cool on the cookie sheets. As soon as the pieces come out of the oven, check the edges and, if necessary, trim with a sharp knife so that the pieces will fit together. Lay the paper template over each piece to be sure the sides are square with those of the template. The dough will have spread somewhat, but the basic shape should be the same. The dough hardens as it cools, making it more difficult to trim later.

 

Allow the gingerbread plenty of time to cool on racks before you begin construction. If you can't start right away, slide the fully cooled pieces onto foil-covered cardboard or back onto the cookie sheets, wrap with foil or plastic wrap, and store flat. 

Building Your Gingerbread House:

When your gingerbread pieces are cooled, you'll need the below icing recipes to "glue" your house together and to attached any candy decorations that you plan on using.

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Almost Butter Cream Frosting (Edible for Gingerbread Houses)
Ingredients:

1/2 cup white shortening
3-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla (use clear vanilla to avoid discoloring frosting)
1/4 teaspoon almond or coconut extract
3-4 tablespoons milk or hot water
Food color (optional)

 

Directions:
Beat shortening and flavoring for about one minute, then slowly add half of the sugar, mixing in well. Add half of the milk or water and mix well. Gradually beat in the rest of the sugar and just enough milk or water to reach the desired consistency, whether for piping or spreading. Stir in food coloring.

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Royal Icing aka 'Gingerbread Cement' (It’s edible, but rock hard!)
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons Meringue Powder
4 cups (about 1 lb.) confectioners' sugar
6 tablespoons warm water*

 

Directions:

Beat all ingredients until icing forms peaks (7-10 minutes at low speed with a heavy-duty mixer, 10-12 minutes at high speed with a hand-held mixer). NOTE: Keep all utensils completely grease-free for proper icing consistency. *If using a large countertop mixer or for stiffer icing, use 1 tablespoon less water

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