Build a Gingerbread House
Build a Gingerbread House
The Black Cat Cafe's Vanessa Daou knows her way around a gingerbread house. Follow her cinchy step-by-step photo guide, using the recipe and printable templates on the page below and build a sweet little home of your own.
Black Cat Cafe & Bakery
Step 1
Assemble your ingredients.
Black Cat Cafe & Bakery
Step 2
Combine sugar and molasses.
Black Cat Cafe & Bakery
Step 3
Add the dry ingredients.
Black Cat Cafe & Bakery
Step 4
Combine the dry ingredients.
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Step 5
Mix until well-blended.
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Step 6
Roll out the dough.
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Step 7
Add flour as needed.
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Step 8
Roll dough to 1/4 inch thick.
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Step 9
Print and cut out templates.
Template 1
Template 2
Template 3
Template 4
Black Cat Cafe & Bakery
Vanessa's Gingerbread House
by the Black Cat Cafe & Bakery
Gingerbread:
Time to make: 35 minutes
Construct & decorate: 45 minutes
Start-to-finish (incl cooling) 4hrs
Yield: 1 house, plus some extra dough
Download and print:
Gingerbread
1 Cup Shortening
1 Teaspoon Baking soda
1 Cup Brown sugar
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 Cup Molasses
4 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
2 Eggs 4 Teaspoon Cinnamon
6 Cups Flour
1 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350F.
Either by hand or with an electric mixer, cream together shortening, brown sugar and molasses. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined (if mixing by hand it may be necessary to knead the dough a bit at the end).
Divide dough in half. Roll out each on the parchment paper to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out templates and place on top of the gingerbread. Cut around template outline. Remove and save the extra dough for another use (make some gingerbread men!)
Bake 15-20 minutes rotating twice during cooking.
Re-cut outlines after removing from oven. Let cool completely (at least 2 hours) before assembling.
Royal Icing
3 Egg whites
1/2 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
3 1/2 cups Confectioner?s Sugar
Mix together egg whites and cream of tartar. Add confectioner?s sugar and mix until combined.
Store icing in a zip lock bag.
Assemble the house per photos.
Decorate with your choice of candies.
Leave overnight to set.
Recipe courtesy of the Black Cat Cafe & Bakery
