One holiday tradition that has withstood the test of time is making gingerbread houses. These houses, made with gingerbread dough, candy, and royal frosting, have become a staple in many homes during the Christmas season. In this blog post, I will be sharing a delicious gingerbread house recipe, a royal frosting recipe, and how preschoolers can help make this fun holiday activity even more meaningful.

Gingerbread House Recipe

What you need:
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting)
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup molasses
  • Parchment paper
  • Candy for decoration
    • Gumdrops
    • Peppermint sticks
    • Licorice strings
    • Small candy canes
    • Sprinkles
    • M&Ms
    • Chocolate chips 
  • Gingerbread House Cookie Cutters
What to do:
In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and salt.
In a separate large bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, and egg until smooth. Stir in molasses.
Gradually stir in the dry ingredients, mixing well.
Divide the dough into 2 equal parts and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour or until firm.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
On a liberally floured surface, roll out each part of the dough to ¼ inch thick. Cut out shapes such as walls, roofs, doors, and windows with cookie cutters or a knife.
Transfer the gingerbread shapes to the parchment-lined baking sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.
Allow the gingerbread pieces to cool before assembling the gingerbread house.

Royal Frosting Recipe

What you need:
  • 2 egg whites
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • food coloring of your choice (optional)
What to do:
In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites and lemon juice until frothy.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing well after each addition, until the frosting becomes glossy and stiff peaks form.
If desired, add food coloring and mix until the desired color is achieved.


How Can Preschoolers Help?
Getting preschoolers involved in gingerbread house making can be a fun and exciting experience for the whole family. Here are some age-appropriate ways preschoolers can help:

  • Decorating: Set out a plate of candy and let preschoolers use their imagination to decorate the gingerbread house.
  • Measuring: Have preschoolers measure out ingredients, with adult help, and add them to the bowl.
  • Cutting Shapes: Depending on their age, preschoolers can use cookie cutters or a plastic knife to create gingerbread shapes.
  • Making Frosting: With adult supervision, preschoolers can help mix the royal icing ingredients together.
  • Assembling the Gingerbread House: With adult help, preschoolers can place candy and gingerbread pieces together to create the gingerbread house.
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Happy baking!



Xx Jeni

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