Easy Gingerbread House Recipe for Kids

Ingredients

• 0.75 cup butter
• 0.88 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1.5 tablespoons lemon juice
• 0.5 cup molasses
• 2 eggs eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground allspice
• 6 egg whites
• 4 (16 ounce) packages confectioners' sugar, sifted

Instructions

1. First, create templates by cutting the house shapes from thin cardboard: a side wall (4 ½ x 8 inches), an end wall (4 ½ x 5 inches), a triangular gable (4½ x 3 x 3 inches), and a roof rectangle (4 ½ x 9 inches). Attach the rectangular end wall to the triangular gable by taping the long side of the triangle (4 ½ inches) to one of the 4 ½ inch sides of the end wall.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and molasses. Gradually add the 2 eggs, beating until combined. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, ginger, and allspice. Stir the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture. Wrap the dough in parchment paper and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
3. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4. Turn the chilled dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide it into 6 portions, with 2 portions slightly larger than the others. On the floured surface, roll out the 4 smaller pieces to roughly match the size of the side wall and end wall with gable templates; cut out 2 of each shape.
5. Roll out the remaining dough and cut out 2 rectangular roof pieces. Transfer the gingerbread pieces to greased baking trays.
6. Bake the gingerbread in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until crisp. Remove from the oven and let the gingerbread cool on the baking trays for a few minutes to set. Then, transfer the gingerbread to wire racks and allow it to harden for 8 hours or overnight.
7. In a large bowl, lightly whisk 2 egg whites. Gradually beat in approximately 5 cups of confectioners' sugar until the icing is smooth and forms stiff peaks.
8. Pipe a 9-inch line of icing onto a cake board. Press one of the side walls firmly into the icing so it stands upright. Add extra icing along either side for support if needed. Take an end wall and ice both side edges. Pipe a line of icing on the board at a right angle to the first wall, and press the end wall into position. Repeat with the remaining two walls until all four walls are in place. Let the walls harden together for at least 2 hours before adding the roof.
9. Apply a thick layer of icing to the top of all the walls. Position the roof pieces so they overlap the walls to create eaves. Pipe a small amount of icing along the crest of the roof to secure the two pieces together. Let the structure set firmly for 8 hours or overnight.
10. When you're ready to decorate, prepare the remaining icing: In a large bowl, lightly whisk 4 egg whites and mix in the remaining confectioners' sugar. Use this icing to create snow on the roof and to adhere various candies for decoration. Finish by lightly dusting the gingerbread house with sifted confectioners' sugar.

Nutrition

• Calories: 736 kcal
• Fat Content: 10 g
• Fiber Content: 1 g
• Sugar Content: 136 g
• Sodium Content: 172 mg
• Protein Content: 5 g
• Cholesterol Content: 49 mg
• Carbohydrate Content: 160 g
• Saturated Fat Content: 6 g
• Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g