Mini Gingerbread Houses
Learn how to make mini gingerbread houses with this easy recipe and free template. Perfect for decorating and enjoying this holiday season!
Servings: 4 mini houses
Equipment
- 1 Gingerbread House template refer above for the link
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups (420 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- 1 ½ tsp nutmeg
- 2 tbsp cinnamon powder
- 1 ½ tsp ginger powder
Wet Ingredients
- 6 tbsp (84 g) unsalted butter
- ¾ cup (135 g) castor sugar
- 1 ½ cups (160 g) molasses store-bought or homemade, see recipe below in notes
- 1 tsp vanilla or almond extract
Fake Egg
- 1 ½ tsp oil
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp baking powder
Decoration & Assembly
- sprinkles, gems, m&ms, etc
- royal icing refer above for my eggless recipe
Instructions
Gingerbread Dough
- Sift together all the dry ingredients into a large bowl.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk the oil, water, and baking powder to create the fake egg, then set it aside for 2-3 minutes.
- In another large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and castor sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Add the fake egg, extract, and molasses to the butter mixture, beating until smooth.
- Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until just combined.
- Shape the dough into a rough rectangle and wrap in cling film.
- Refrigerate the dough for an hour to firm up.
Baking
- Once chilled, divide dough into 2 portions and work with 1 at a time. Roll out your gingebread dough between 2 sheets of non-stick paper. For thin gingerbread, roll to about 1/3 cm; for thicker pieces, aim for 1/2–3/4 cm.
- Use the attached template to cut out the shapes for your mini gingerbread houses. Leave 1/2 cm overhang to avoid spreading and browning.
- Transfer the cut pieces (with overhang) to a lined baking sheet and freeze for 15 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Bake the gingerbread pieces for 8-10 minutes.
- While warm, cut off the overhang from your shapes.
- Allow the cut pieces to cool completely on a wire rack.
Assembly
- Decorate your walls and rooves using royal icing, candy, and sprinkles. Let everything set completely for an hour.
- Use royal icing to attach the walls and roof pieces. Hold each piece in place for a minute or two while the icing sets. Once the structure is complete, let it dry for at least an hour.
Notes
Homemade molasses: In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, water, cream of tartar, and lemon juice. Whisk over low heat until the sugar dissolves, then bring to a gentle boil. The mixture should have a texture slightly thinner than honey. Let it cool before using in your gingerbread dough.
Notes
- Storage: Assembled gingerbread houses can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to a week.
- Freezing: The dough can be frozen for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight before rolling out.
- Decoration Tip: Prepare icing and decorations ahead of time to make the process smoother, especially if working with kids.
