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    Home » Recipes » Miscellaneous

    Daring Bakers’ Gingerbread House

    Published by Melissa on December 23, 2009 | Updated June 15, 2022 | 43 Comments

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    Gingerbreadhouse

    The December 2009 Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to you by Anna of Very Small Anna and Y of Lemonpi. They chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ everywhere to bake and assemble a gingerbread house from scratch. They chose recipes from Good Housekeeping and from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book as the challenge recipes.

    I was planning on sitting out this challenge because I had so much on my plate. But my 19 year old son said his date wanted to make a gingerbread house. So I asked if I could make the dough using the DB recipe and they could bake it and decorate it. I used Y’s recipe and I didn’t have the problem many other DB’s had with it being too dry.

    It was my son’s first time making a gingerbread house and using a pastry bag. He and his date had fun creating this cute gingerbread house and they did a great job!

    Y’s Recipe:

    Featured Image for post Daring Bakers’ Gingerbread House (ID 164)
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    Gingerbread House

    Author: Melissa Griffiths
    Prevent your screen from going to sleep

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup butter room temperature [226g]
    • 1 cup brown sugar well packed [220g]
    • 2 tablespoons cinnamon
    • 4 teaspoons ground ginger
    • 3 teaspoons ground cloves
    • 2 teaspoons baking soda
    • ½ cup boiling water
    • 5 cups all-purpose flour [875g]
    • ROYAL ICING:
    • 1 large egg white
    • 3 cups 330g powdered sugar
    • 1 teaspoon white vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon almond extract

    Instructions

    • In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until blended. Add the cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Mix the baking soda with the boiling water and add to the dough along with the flour. Mix to make a stiff dough. If necessary add more water, a tablespoon at a time. Chill 2 hours or overnight.
    • Cut patterns for the house, making patterns for the roof, front walls, gabled walls, chimney and door out of cardboard.
    • Roll the dough out on a large, ungreased baking sheet and place the patterns on the dough. Mark off the various pieces with a knife, but leave the pieces in place.
    • [I rolled out the dough on a floured bench, roughly ⅛ inch thick (which allows for fact that the dough puffs a little when baked), cut required shapes and transferred these to the baking sheet. Any scraps I saved and rerolled at the end.]
    • Preheat the oven to 375’F (190’C). Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the cookie dough feels firm. After baking, again place the pattern on top of the gingerbread and trim the shapes, cutting the edges with a straight-edged knife. Leave to cool on the baking sheet.
    • ROYAL ICING:
    • Beat all ingredients until smooth, adding the powdered sugar gradually to get the desired consistency. Pipe on pieces and allow to dry before assembling. If you aren’t using it all at once you can keep it in a small bowl, loosely covered with a damp towel for a few hours until ready to use. You may have to beat it slightly to get it an even consistency if the top sets up a bit. Piped on the house, this will set up hard over time.
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    « Thanksgiving Side Dishes – Caramelized Corn and Green Beans with Pecans and Blue Cheese
    Apple Cranberry Streusel Pie »
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    About Melissa & Barbara

    As of June 2022 Melissa Griffiths now is the one adding recipes. So think of it as Barbara Bakes, and Melissa too! Melissa and Barbara have been blogging friends for over 10 years and when Barbara was ready to retire and spend more time with her family, Melissa took over the site. Read more...

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      Recipe Rating




    1. glamah16

      December 29, 2009 at 7:29 pm

      Im glad you found time to make it. Looks great. I could really go for a slice of thst Cranberry Apple Streudal however.

      Reply
    2. The Double Dipped Life

      December 29, 2009 at 5:34 pm

      You are daring! What a fun date idea, and what a wonderful mom you are!

      Reply
    3. Michelle

      December 29, 2009 at 8:24 am

      Oops forgot to mention how gorgeous your candy cane sweet rolls are! Perfection…absolute perfection!

      Reply
    4. Jaime

      December 29, 2009 at 2:59 am

      how funny that his date wanted to make one! glad you didn't sit this one out, that's a cute house 🙂

      happy holidays to you, too, Barbara!

      Reply
    5. Mimi

      December 28, 2009 at 7:46 pm

      Very cute GB house. Your son and his date did a great job.
      Mimi

      Reply
    6. Yasmeen

      December 28, 2009 at 7:05 pm

      Wonderfully done 😀

      Reply
    7. bake in paris

      December 28, 2009 at 11:08 am

      Very cute little house! It brings out festive mood and joy to everyone 🙂

      Sawadee from Bangkok,
      Kris

      Reply
    8. kristenly

      December 28, 2009 at 4:29 am

      your house turned out great but even more importantly it sounds like you're a great mom. hope that you and your family had a wonderful holiday.

      Reply
    9. Anna

      December 27, 2009 at 6:15 am

      Aw, how sweet! I love how many families built their houses together 🙂

      Reply
    10. shaz

      December 26, 2009 at 11:54 pm

      Oh how sweet. That is such a cute gingerbread house and it looks like they had lots of fun with it:) Very pretty.

      Reply
    11. Jamie

      December 26, 2009 at 6:01 pm

      Too cute and very romantic… a house for two. Great job!

      Reply
    12. Aux délices des gourmets

      December 26, 2009 at 5:23 pm

      la maison est superbe bravo pour ton fils
      bonnes fêtes de fin d'année

      Reply
    13. Donna-FFW

      December 26, 2009 at 2:08 pm

      Oh they did a lovely job!! Happy Holidays to you.

      Reply
    14. Katy ~

      December 26, 2009 at 1:17 pm

      Oh this does look like fun! These evoke so many feelings of Christmas. Well done!

      Reply
    15. Lorraine @NotQuiteNigella

      December 26, 2009 at 7:42 am

      Mum you did an awesome job and very smart splitting the chores! I wish I could have come for that delicious ham 😀 Merry Christmas to everyone in my "family"! 😀 xxx

      Reply
    16. Deeba PAB

      December 26, 2009 at 4:27 am

      What a lovely festive house Barbara…yay you did it! I had fun with it oo!
      Merry Christmas girlfriend & hope 2010 is as wonderful as can be.
      Catch you in Hawaii(was it???), and we will still make Ednah walk the plant with Hugh Grant…no matter what!!
      {HUGS & KISSES}

      Reply
    17. Jill

      December 26, 2009 at 2:54 am

      Love your festive gingerbread house! I love the colors of the little path up to the house. 🙂
      Merry Christmas!!

      Reply
    18. Nitsie

      December 25, 2009 at 10:32 pm

      Awww looks cute.I loved the candy cane fence…looks beautiful:)

      Reply
    19. Pontch

      December 25, 2009 at 10:13 pm

      Cute gingerbread house 🙂

      Reply
    20. Daniela

      December 25, 2009 at 6:11 pm

      E' bellissima questa casetta versione dolce.
      Buon Natale e Felice 2010,
      Daniela e Diocleziano.

      Reply
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