This year I challenged myself and made these lovely miniature gingerbread houses! A fun twist on a tradition yet ornament size! Super fun and easy to make and the expressions from your friends when you gift them or when they see them on your tree is priceless!
TOOLS:
3-D mini gingerbread house cookie cutter from fancyflours.com about $9!
rolling pin
standing mixer fitted with paddle
measuring cups and spoons
parchment paper
large rimless cookie sheet
cooling rack
twine
pastry bag with writing tip
toothpick
candy decorations & sprinkles
INGREDIENTS
Gingerbread House:
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses or dark corn syrup
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp ground ginger
1-1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tbsp water
Royal Icing:
3-3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1-2 large egg whites
1 tsp lemon juice or any extract
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
I used a 3D mini gingerbread house cookie cutter from fancyflours.com The final ornament house size is approximately 2.5"H x 5-5/8"D x 2"W. This clever little cutter makes 6 quick easy pieces that can be 'glued' together after baking. Then you just decorate!
In a stand mixer cream the butter, brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and baking soda until the mixture is smooth. Blend in the flour and water to make a stiff dough.
Chill at least 30 minutes or until firm.
Roll gingerbread dough out on a large rimless cookie sheet over parchment paper. Position the cutter to get as many houses as you can. Carefully remove the left over dough. With a toothpick carefully puncture a hole into the two roofline pieces. This will be for the twine to go through when you are assembling the house.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes until dough feels firm.
Cool for 5 minutes then carefully transfer to cooling rack to cool down more.
Make the Royal Icing while the cookies are cooling.
Mix all of the ingredients together using an electric hand mixer until the icing is smooth and thin enough to be pressed through a pastry bag with a writing tip. Add more extract or lemon juice to thin, only if necessary.
Place royal icing into a pastry bag fitted with a writing tip and press out to decorate individual parts of house piping on candy decorations, windows, etc as desired. Let dry until hardened.
Glue sides, front and back of house together at corners using royal icing. Place an object against the pieces to prop up until icing is dry. It only takes a few minutes.
Run a piece of twine about 6-7" long to the two roofline pieces before you glue them together to the pitched roofline edges. Continue decorating the house, glueing on small candy pieces or sprinkles to your desired look. Silver dragees are very nice!
Once you are done with all the houses place in an area where they can be left alone undisturbed overnight before you handle again. Tie the twine. Hang on tree! As gifts, carefully wrap each with tissue and place in a beautiful holiday box!
Merry Christmas!
3-3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1-2 large egg whites
1 tsp lemon juice or any extract
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
I used a 3D mini gingerbread house cookie cutter from fancyflours.com The final ornament house size is approximately 2.5"H x 5-5/8"D x 2"W. This clever little cutter makes 6 quick easy pieces that can be 'glued' together after baking. Then you just decorate!
In a stand mixer cream the butter, brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and baking soda until the mixture is smooth. Blend in the flour and water to make a stiff dough.
Chill at least 30 minutes or until firm.
Roll gingerbread dough out on a large rimless cookie sheet over parchment paper. Position the cutter to get as many houses as you can. Carefully remove the left over dough. With a toothpick carefully puncture a hole into the two roofline pieces. This will be for the twine to go through when you are assembling the house.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes until dough feels firm.
Cool for 5 minutes then carefully transfer to cooling rack to cool down more.
Make the Royal Icing while the cookies are cooling.
Mix all of the ingredients together using an electric hand mixer until the icing is smooth and thin enough to be pressed through a pastry bag with a writing tip. Add more extract or lemon juice to thin, only if necessary.
Place royal icing into a pastry bag fitted with a writing tip and press out to decorate individual parts of house piping on candy decorations, windows, etc as desired. Let dry until hardened.
Glue sides, front and back of house together at corners using royal icing. Place an object against the pieces to prop up until icing is dry. It only takes a few minutes.
Run a piece of twine about 6-7" long to the two roofline pieces before you glue them together to the pitched roofline edges. Continue decorating the house, glueing on small candy pieces or sprinkles to your desired look. Silver dragees are very nice!
Once you are done with all the houses place in an area where they can be left alone undisturbed overnight before you handle again. Tie the twine. Hang on tree! As gifts, carefully wrap each with tissue and place in a beautiful holiday box!
Merry Christmas!
