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Building Gingerbread

SUBMITTED BY: JBS BOX PHOTO BY: HappyHousewife

"Every Christmas I design a new pattern and make a gingerbread house for the holidays. The kids love to help decorate."
PREP TIME  30 Min
COOK TIME  15 Min
READY IN  3 Hrs
Original recipe yield 1 gingerbread house

SERVINGS

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Servings
 

INGREDIENTS

  • 5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup shortening
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup molasses
  •  
  • 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  2. Melt shortening in a saucepan large enough for mixing the dough. Mix in sugar and molasses. Combine the flour, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, and ginger; gradually stir into the pan, using your hands to work in the last bit. Dough should be stiff.
  3. On a floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness, and cut out as desired. Make sure the gingerbread is of uniform thickness, or the edges may burn before the center is done. Place pieces onto cookie sheets.
  4. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Let cool for several minutes on the cookie sheet, then remove to racks to finish cooling.
  5. When the gingerbread has cooled completely, make the frosting cement. In a medium bowl, mix together confectioners' sugar and cream of tartar. Add egg whites and vanilla. Beat on high speed until frosting holds its shape. If necessary, add more confectioners' sugar to thicken the icing. Cover frosting with a damp cloth to prevent drying.
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REVIEWS

The reviewer gave this recipe 5 stars. This recipe averages a 0 star rating.
Reviewed on Jan. 10, 2004 by Rebekah
My mom & I make approximately 40 gingerbread houses each year, so I know what I am saying when... MORE
The reviewer gave this recipe 5 stars. This recipe averages a 0 star rating.
Reviewed on Jan. 10, 2004 by hosta53
Lost my old recipe and had to try several until I found this one-it is really good. This... MORE
The reviewer gave this recipe 5 stars. This recipe averages a 0 star rating.
Reviewed on Dec. 5, 2005 by kats_snguyen
To all those who have tried this recipe and ended up with a crumbly mess (like me!) I have... MORE
The reviewer gave this recipe 4 stars. This recipe averages a 0 star rating.
Reviewed on Dec. 20, 2003 by THUNDERINGOAK
This recipe is great, but to make it easier for the beginner to work with, I'd suggest taking... MORE
The reviewer gave this recipe 5 stars. This recipe averages a 0 star rating.
Reviewed on Dec. 19, 2003 by BJUBC
Thanks, this was a perfect recipe for a beautiful gingerbread house......it was easily... MORE
The reviewer gave this recipe 3 stars. This recipe averages a 0 star rating.
Reviewed on Dec. 4, 2002 by Julie
The icing was fantastic, but the gingerbread wasn't. I rolled it thicker than suggested, and... MORE
The reviewer gave this recipe 4 stars. This recipe averages a 0 star rating.
Reviewed on Dec. 18, 2005 by JENSPIN
This recipe goes against all "rules" of typical rolled cookies. This dough needs to be *hot*... MORE
The reviewer gave this recipe 5 stars. This recipe averages a 0 star rating.
Reviewed on Dec. 10, 2003 by schutzie
This was my first attempt at making a Gingerbread house. This is an excellent, easy recipe.... MORE
The reviewer gave this recipe 5 stars. This recipe averages a 0 star rating.
Reviewed on Dec. 19, 2003 by M-DRAGON
This was my first attempt at building a gingerbread house and this recipe worked really well. ... MORE
The reviewer gave this recipe 1 stars. This recipe averages a 0 star rating.
Reviewed on Dec. 16, 2003 by TISHMURPHY