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Holly Jolley Gingerbread House

Prep Time:

2 days

Cook Time:

20 Minutes

Serves:

1 House

About the Recipe

My mother Kay Jolley perfected through years of trial and error this homemade greatness. Guaranteed memories and a house that smells like Christmas!

Ingredients

Gingerbread House

  • 4 1/4 Cups of Flour

  • 3/4 Tsp Salt

  • 1 1/2 Tsp Ginger

  • 1 1/2 TBS Baking Powder

  • 1 1/2 Tsp Cinnamon

  • 1/4 Tsp Cloves

  • 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

  • 1 Cup Molasses

  • 3/4 Cup Oil

  • 1 1/2 Eggs


Icing:

  • 3 Egg Whites

  • 4 Cups of Powdered Sugar

  • 1 Tsp Cream of Tarter


Candy:

  • Any candy you want to use to decorate: candy canes, M&Ms, longer thick pretzels, peppermints, vanilla wafers, sweet tarts etc.


Cookie Sheets:

  • Sheet 1 (Will use for house) 17 1/4 x 11 1/2 cookie sheet

  • Sheet 2 (Will use for roof) 15x10 in cookie sheet


Pattern:

  • Draw a pattern of a gingerbread house on paper. Make sure your pattern fits onto the two specific cookie sheets. That's all of the gingerbread you will have.




Preparation

Gingerbread

Step 1:

Mix well and chill overnight.


Step 2:

Preheat oven to 300. Divide the dough into thirds.


Step 3:

Cover 2 cookie sheets (17 1/4 x 11 1/4 cookie sheet and 15x10 in cookie sheet) with foil and oil them. Divide the dough into thirds. Spread/roll out 2/3 of the dough on the 17 1/4in cookie sheet and the other 1/3 onto the 15/10in. Use the 15x10 cookie sheet for the roof and the other for the remainder of the house. You must have these exact sizes of cookie sheets or it will not provide the house walls to be thick enough and the house will crumble.


Step 4:

Bake at 300 for 20-30 minutes. Typically it takes 25 minutes. IMMEDIATELY lay pattern pieces on the cooked dough and CUT GINGERBREAD TO MATCH THE PATTERN. DO NOT LET GINGERBREAD COOL BEFORE CUTTING.


Step 5:

Do not remove the gingerbread from the cookie sheets. Allow the cut gingerbread to dry out for 2 days. If you're making more than one house and need the cookie sheets, gently slide the gingerbread laying on the foil off of the cookie sheet and allow to dry on a flat surface.


Step 6:

Icing:

Beat egg whites on high in a mixer for a couple of minutes. They will start looking foamy. Then mix in remaining ingredients. Beat until icing stands in peaks. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth immediately and while decorating the houses.


Step 7:

Gently remove each part cutting away from the dried gingerbread. Assemble the house. Use the icing as glue. Decorate with your favorite candy.


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