How to build a gingerbread house
From rolling the dough to the last candy: the order of work, the thicknesses and times that matter, and what to do when something goes wrong. Pair it with a template made to your size.
1. Roll the dough to one thickness
Use rolling-pin guides or two wooden rulers either side of the dough so that every piece is the same thickness, usually ¼ inch (6 mm). The pieces in the template are sized for the thickness you enter, so a house cut from ⅜ inch dough will not fit a ¼ inch template.
2. Cut with a paper template
Print the pattern at 100%, check the 1 inch square, and cut the paper pieces. Lay them on the rolled dough, leave a finger-width between pieces, and cut round them with a sharp knife. Lift the scraps out; do not pull the shapes.
3. Bake flat
Bake on parchment at 350°F (175°C) until the edges are dry, about 12 to 15 minutes for ¼ inch dough. Bake pieces of similar size together so they finish at the same time.
4. Cut while warm
Straight from the oven the pieces are soft enough to trim. Lay the paper template on the warm gingerbread and cut along its edge with a knife or pizza wheel to straighten spread edges. Cut window openings now; once cool the dough is brittle. Cool everything flat on a rack.
5. Royal icing is the glue
Beat powdered sugar with egg whites or meringue powder to stiff peaks: it should hold a peak, not droop. Keep the bowl covered with a damp cloth; it crusts quickly. Pipe it generously along every edge you join.
6. Assembly order
- Pipe a line of icing on the board and stand the front wall in it.
- Add a side wall, piping the corner edge. The front and back walls are the outer pieces; side walls fit between them.
- Add the back wall and the second side wall; hold each corner a minute and prop with cans.
- Let the box set for an hour.
- Pipe the top edges, set one roof panel, then the other, and fill the ridge with icing.
- Add a chimney, steeple or porch last.
7. Drying times
An hour for the walls, then at least two to four hours before the roof takes decorations, overnight for a large house. Humid days make it longer.
8. Troubleshooting
- Walls lean: the icing is too soft or the pieces are not dry. Prop them and wait.
- Roof gaps: fill with icing; it is cement as well as glue.
- Pieces do not fit: check the dough thickness you entered against the thickness you rolled.
- Broken piece: glue it with icing and cover the seam with candy.
Questions
How thick should gingerbread house dough be?
About ¼ inch (6 mm) for a standard house. Thinner dough bakes crisp but breaks; thicker dough is strong and heavy. Whatever you choose, enter it in the generator so the walls and roof allow for it.
How long do I bake the pieces?
At 350°F (175°C), about 12 to 15 minutes for ¼ inch dough, a few minutes less for thin pieces and a few more for thick ones. The calculator gives a time for your thickness. The edges should be dry and slightly darker.
How long should the house dry before decorating?
Let the icing glue set for at least two to four hours before the house takes any weight, and overnight for a large house or a heavy candy roof.
Why did my pieces spread or puff?
Dough that is too soft or has too much leavening. Chill the cut shapes for 15 minutes before baking, and use a recipe meant for building.
Why does the roof slide off?
The icing was too thin or the walls were not dry. Use stiff royal icing, hold the panels for a minute and prop them until the ridge sets.
Does the template allow for the thickness of the dough?
Yes. Enter the thickness you roll to. The front and back walls stand outside the side walls, so each side wall is shortened by two thicknesses; the roof panels are sized to the sloped gable edges. The house you describe is the outside size you get.