Build a Gingerbread House in Five Easy Steps

The holidays are the perfect time to gather with loved ones and create lasting memories together. One of our favorite ways to get into the spirit of the season is building a gingerbread house! Not only is this the perfect group project for people of all ages, it's actually easier than you think. Especially when we've done the trial and error for you! Read on for our ultimate tips and hacks to create the perfect gingerbread house.

Step #1: Start with Good Ingredients

When you start with good ingredients, your homemade treats not only taste better—you'll find it's easier to get them right the first time! Our premium Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour is made from the finest North American wheat, expertly milled for homemade perfection, every time. But did you know you can also use our trusted Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour for the same great results? This innovative blend of gluten free flours is a foolproof swap for cookies (like gingerbread), cakes, quick breads and more!

Step #2: Use Our Easy Gingerbread House Recipe

For the gingerbread houses pictured here, we went to the expert: our Research & Development Chef, Sarah House, who created the ultimate Gingerbread House recipe! The spicy-sweet dough uses our Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour or Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour and is incredibly easy to roll, bake and build with, especially when you use the following #HolidayHacks:

• Err on the side of too much dough: Unlike a recipe for, say, 2-inch cookies, gingerbread houses come in all shapes and sizes, so it can be difficult to judge how much dough you need! If in doubt, make more, and use any excess for gingerbread people.
• Remember to chill: Your dough, that is! Place your cut-out pieces in the fridge for 10–15 minutes before baking to help keep their shape.
• Build in some extra time: Make your gingerbread house over a few days, if possible. We've found that letting your baked pieces air dry on a wire rack overnight can add extra stability!
• Give everyone a job: Even the littlest hands can help pour flour into the mixer or hold a wall steady while you pipe the frosting; remember to let everyone in on the fun!

Step #3: Choose Gingerbread House Cookie Cutters

Gingerbread house cookie cutters are the ultimate #HolidayHack—not only do they make it so much easier to build the house of your dreams, but they come in multiple sizes and styles. From larger traditional houses to whimsical mini cabins that look like tiny ski chalets, there are options for virtually anyone.

Here's everything else you'll need:

Tools:

• Mixer, measuring cups and spoons
• Large cutting board or flat countertop and rolling pin
• Parchment paper (if working with Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, you'll roll the dough between two sheets)
• Baking sheets
• Gingerbread house cookie cutters, or a template and sharp knife
• Piping bags and tips

Ingredients:

• Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour or Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• Ground spices: cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg
• Baking essentials: baking soda, baking powder, salt
• The sweeteners: brown sugar, molasses and powdered sugar
• Eggs for the dough, and egg whites or pasteurized egg whites for the icing
• Decor: sparkling sugar, candy, food coloring

Step #4: Build with Care (and Lots of Icing)

Your pieces are baked, your loved ones are assembled—let's build your house! Here are our best tips for success:

• Start with plain cardboard as a base: Not only is cardboard readily available (especially around the holidays) and easy to work with, but the color matches the gingerbread.
• Use good, thick construction icing: Our Gingerbread House recipe has all the deets! This will help your walls stand tall and keep your roof from sliding off.
• Start by piping a line of frosting onto your base: Use a ¼–½ inch tip, depending on the size of the overall house.
• Insert your first wall into the icing: You should be able to let it go temporarily, but if you're working with friends, have them lend a hand. Pipe a perpendicular line on the base for your second wall, then pipe icing onto the side of the second wall where it will connect to the first. Add your second wall.
• Continue to build all four walls: Once you're done, take this opportunity to treat your crew to some Hot Chocolate while you wait for the icing to set up.
• Add your roof: Slow and steady—and plenty of icing—is key here. Pipe along the tops of all your walls, and don't forget to use icing to connect the two roof pieces at the top!
• Take a break to play a game or wrap some presents together: Let the icing dry before decorating!

Decor is where you can really let your creativity fly, but it doesn't have to be complicated to be absolutely delightful. Sometimes all you need is a simple round piping tip and some white sugar "snow," as shown here. However, if your kids like things to be a little extra, here are our favorite ways to take it over the top:

• Spice drops: They're gum drops. They taste like cinnamon. They are perfect for gingerbread houses.
• Mini candy canes and peppermint drops: The MVP candy of the holiday season! Use to create wall decor, or build a fence with the candy canes.
• Colored sprinkles: Make it rain!
• Wafer cookies: Great for details like window shutters, see how we used them when we built a replica of our Bob's Red Mill Whole Grain Store and Bakery.
• Pretzel twists and sticks: Wonderful for windowpanes, fencing, making a tiny Santa's sleigh and more.

Step #5: Enjoy the Moment

At Bob’s Red Mill, we believe that the best holiday memories are made with love. It's so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays, because seriously—there's a lot to do. So we're especially honored to be part of these special moments as we make a little magic together.

We hope these tried-and-true tips help you create a magical holiday season! And by tried-and-true I mean that I, your tipster, tried them all out as I baked all of the gingerbread houses in this article for our holiday shoot. In June. (Just a peek behind the curtain.) But if you discover additional wisdom this year, please share it below in the comments!

Happy Holidays!