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Gingerbread house with colourful decorations and icing
A fairytale gingerbread house beautifully decorated for Christmas.

Traditional gingerbread house

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Cakes and Desserts
The speciality of gingerbread dough is the hygroscopic (moisture-absorbing) property of honey. This allows the dough to be hard and load-bearing after drying – ideal building material – but to soften over time by absorbing moisture from the air. Construction is engineering work: the proteins in the 'mortar' (royal icing) oxidise in the air to create a hard, cement-like bond.
🕒 Prep Time 1 hr 30 mins
🍳 Cook Time 12 mins
⌛ Total Time 4 hrs
🍽️ Servings 1 servings
🔥 Calories 3200 kcal
🌍 Cuisine German

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Kitchen scales
  • Rolling pin
  • Cardboard for templates
  • Piping bag (for decoration)
  • Baking tray with baking parchment
  • Saucepan for heating

Allergen Information

⚠️ Cereals containing gluten
⚠️ Eggs
⚠️ Milk (butter)

Instructions

1 ✓

In a saucepan, heat the honey, sugar and butter together over low heat until the sugar melts. Let it cool to lukewarm.

Tip: Do not boil! If too hot, the starch content of the flour will start to gelatinise when you pour it in, and the dough will be unmanageable.
2 ✓

Mix the dry ingredients: flour, spices, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

Tip: Salt highlights the sweet flavours and the character of the spices.
3 ✓

Add the eggs to the lukewarm honey mixture, then work together with the flour mixture into a stiff dough.

Tip: If the dough is very sticky, rest it in the fridge, don't add more flour immediately, or it will be hard and brittle after baking.
4 ✓

Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (but preferably overnight).

Tip: During resting the gluten strands in the flour relax and moisture distributes evenly (hydration), making it easier to roll.
5 ✓

Roll out the dough to 4-5 mm thickness and cut out the elements along the template.

Tip: Roll out on baking parchment so you don't have to lift the cut shapes, which could deform in the process.
6 ✓

Bake at 180°C for 10-12 minutes until the edges start to brown. Let cool and harden on the tray.

Tip: The dough is still soft when warm; if you move it now, the walls will warp and the house won't fit together.
7 ✓

Prepare the 'cement' (royal icing): whip the egg white with the icing sugar and a few drops of lemon juice into a very thick, sour cream consistency foam.

Tip: The protein structure gives the hold. The acidity of lemon juice stabilises the foam and makes the icing whiter.
8 ✓

Glue the elements together and prop them up with tins or glasses until the icing sets (approx. 1 hour).

Tip: Patience is the most important building material.

Recipe FAQ

Why did the house collapse?
The dough hadn't cooled completely, or the icing hadn't set. Patience is most important: let elements harden completely before gluing.
How do I make the dough shiny?
Brush thinly with egg before baking, or immediately with milk after baking.

Ingredients

  • 500 g Plain flour
  • 200 g Honey (mixed flower honey)
  • 150 g Granulated sugar
  • 100 g Butter
  • 2 pcs Eggs (Medium)
  • 1 tsp Baking powder (or bicarbonate of soda)
  • 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp Ground ginger
  • 1 pinch Salt
  • 200 g Icing sugar (for the icing)
  • 1 pc Egg white (for the icing - recipe originally had lemon juice, but for durable 'cement' white is better)
  • 1 tsp Lemon juice (for the icing)