Gingerbread House

Name: Gingerbread House
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 12 min
Yield: Yield: makes one house (8 inches wide x 10 inches long x 14 inches tall) plus fence, two trees, and Hänsel and Gretel
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: Nonpareils, candy corn, gummy bears, candy-coated chocolate, hard candies, licorice, gumdrops, small cookies, shredded coconut, sprinkles, dried fruit, nuts; Nonpareils, candy corn, gummy bears, candy-coated chocolate, hard candies, licorice, gumdrops, small cookies, shredded coconut, sprinkles, dried fruit, nuts; Nonpareils, candy corn, gummy bears, candy-coated chocolate, hard candies, licorice, gumdrops, small cookies, shredded coconut, sprinkles, dried fruit, nuts; Nonpareils, candy corn, gummy bears, candy-coated chocolate, hard candies, licorice, gumdrops, small cookies, shredded coconut, sprinkles, dried fruit, nuts; Nonpareils, candy corn, gummy bears, candy-coated chocolate, hard candies, licorice, gumdrops, small cookies, shredded coconut, sprinkles, dried fruit, nuts; Nonpareils, candy corn, gummy bears, candy-coated chocolate, hard candies, licorice, gumdrops, small cookies, shredded coconut, sprinkles, dried fruit, nuts; Nonpareils, candy corn, gummy bears, candy-coated chocolate, hard candies, licorice, gumdrops, small cookies, shredded coconut, sprinkles, dried fruit, nuts; Nonpareils, candy corn, gummy bears, candy-coated chocolate, hard candies, licorice, gumdrops, small cookies, shredded coconut, sprinkles, dried fruit, nuts; Other ground spices like ground star anise, ground fennel, mace, and cardamom are also complementary in small amounts.; Other ground spices like ground star anise, ground fennel, mace, and cardamom are also complementary in small amounts.; Other ground spices like ground star anise, ground fennel, mace, and cardamom are also complementary in small amounts.; Other ground spices like ground star anise, ground fennel, mace, and cardamom are also complementary in small amounts.; 2 teaspoons ground ginger; 4 teaspoons cinnamon; ¼ teaspoon nutmeg; ¼ teaspoon cloves; 19 teaspoons (30 grams) lebkuchengewürz (German gingerbread spice) (two 15-gram packets are best); 19 teaspoons (30 grams) lebkuchengewürz (German gingerbread spice) (two 15-gram packets are best); 12 ounces ground almonds (technique if grinding yourself); Hirschhornsalz and potash are both German leavenings for gingerbread; substitute 3 teaspoons baking powder if potash and hirschhornsalz are not available (see note 1 at end of day one’s directions).; Hirschhornsalz and potash are both German leavenings for gingerbread; substitute 3 teaspoons baking powder if potash and hirschhornsalz are not available (see note 1 at end of day one’s directions).; Hirschhornsalz and potash are both German leavenings for gingerbread; substitute 3 teaspoons baking powder if potash and hirschhornsalz are not available (see note 1 at end of day one’s directions).; Hirschhornsalz and potash are both German leavenings for gingerbread; substitute 3 teaspoons baking powder if potash and hirschhornsalz are not available (see note 1 at end of day one’s directions).; 1½ teaspoons (7 grams) potash (potassium carbonate); 1 teaspoon (4.6 grams) hirschhornsalz (in English, called hartshorn or ammonium hydrogen carbonate); 1½ teaspoons (7 grams) potash (potassium carbonate); 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature; 12 to 13 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (protein 3 grams per ¼ cup) (start with 1 cup less; add more as needed when working and rolling out the dough); 3 cups sugar; ¼ teaspoon salt

Preparation info

Yield: makes
one
house ( 8 inches wide x 10 inches long x 14 inches tall ) plus fence, two trees, and Hänsel and Gretel

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
15 min

Appears in

German Heritage Baking

By Heidrun Metzler

Published 2024

About

The Gingerbread House is both a recipe and an activity. It is great fun for a crafty baker, but if you don’t enjoy crafting, it may get frustrating. The recipe, assembly, and decoration all require investments of time—several hours of it. But the work is enjoyable; you will feel like a baker, a master carpenter, and a great artist all in one. And when finished, the wonder makes it worth the while. The Gingerbread House can stand for a month, so you can make it after Thanksgiving and keep it

Ingredients

Europe
Germany
Cookies
Vegetarian

Ingredients

Method