My Love for Gingerbread Houses
I just want to say, I am IN LOVE with gingerbread and Gingerbread Houses! I fell in love with them accidentally through looking up cookie posts on Pinterest for some Christmas cookie trays I decided to make one year. OH MY GOSH! I had NO IDEA that such beautiful Gingerbread existed!
People from all over the world post absolutely gorgeous Gingerbread Cookies and Gingerbread Houses online! I was so in awe! The cool thing too is that once you start researching Gingerbread, you realize how long it’s been around! I love history, so I was enthralled!
I decided to try making one!
Sooooo, I decided to try and make a European style Gingerbread House for myself. About a year or so before this, I had already started making Royal Icing Sugar Cookies, so I had a little experience with piping. So when I decided to make the house, I thought, well, it can only give me more practice with my piping skills.
I Had Lot’s of Amazing Inspiration!
In all of the posts I found , I was inspired by the works of many, including Teri Pringle Butler Wood, Julia Usher and many Czech women who make beautiful Pernicky Gingerbread and designs. So when I started looking at which recipe and which design to use for my house, I went with Teri’s.
Teri did a ton of research and spoke to many European women, and along the process she came up with her own gingerbread dough recipe. Thank you Teri for sharing your artwork, recipes and teachings with us all! If you haven’t heard of her, look up her work! It is AMAZING!!
My very first Gingerbread House was pretty much a copy of one of Teri’s. I loved the shape and the design! It was so pretty and so different than the Gingerbread Houses I had seen here in the U.S. That was back in 2018 for Christmas. It took me quite a while to do this house.
Christmas season was in full swing, and it’s pretty busy for everyone, so I didn’t get to spend the time I wanted to and actually didn’t get it finished until after Christmas that year. But…I was pretty thrilled with the outcome. It’s not perfect, but I did it, and I finished it!
My sweet husband John, who is my biggest fan, was so sweet about it! He was pretty complimentary, which always fills my heart! My family was pretty amazed too. So several years later, on Easter of 2023, I decided to do another one. On that one, I used the same template, but I came up with the design on my own.
You Can Get The Free Gingerbread House Template
I wanted to do a house that would give glory to Jesus for what He came and did for us! In the process of making the house pieces, I decided to design a template for it with the dimensions I had found on Pinterest.
That way, if I ever wanted to make another one with different designs or for a different holiday or celebration, I would have it, and I could also share it with others!
You can actually download the template below, so that if you want to make one, you will already have the template! I have also included a link to Teri’s WONDERFUL Gingerbread Recipe below as well.
GET TEESA’S FREE GINGERBREAD HOUSE TEMPLATE
My Trails And Errors
These are some trials and errors I have experienced and learned along the way. I hope these will help you to not make the same mistakes that I have! Lol!! When you see pics, they may be from one of the two houses.
At the time of doing them, I had no idea I would be starting a blog, so I am just grabbing from the photos I took along the way. I’m hoping to make another one soon, so I can film the whole process.
When you print these template sheets out, MAKE SURE they are to size. The best way to do this is to print out one page then take a measuring tape or ruler and measure to make sure they are the same size that it says on each piece. If they are off, you may need to adjust your printing settings. I use the “Do Not Scale” setting on my printer.
Some Helpful Tips
Once you get going, cut each of these 2 panels out of the same roll-out of dough. That way, the thickness will not change and they will stay closer to the same exact size when baked.
You don’t want two walls being different thicknesses, because when you go to put the house together, that can throw everything off. Try very hard to make sure you roll each piece to the same thickness all the way around.
The 2 Roof Panels (Roll out of same piece of dough)
The 2 Side Wall Panels (Roll out of same piece of dough)
The 2 Back/Front Panels (Roll out of same piece of dough)
Once all of your template sheets are double-checked for correct size and printed, cut each template out with scissors. Once they are all cut out, roll out your gingerbread dough, then lay the templates on top.
Gently hold them in place not pressing into your gingerbread dough while you use a small sharp knife or exacto-knife to cut around your templates, cutting out your gingerbread pieces. You can even sprinkle a little flour on top of your dough to help make sure your template pieces don’t stick.
On the round base, you will cut out one side, then pick up the half circle template piece of paper, gently laying it on the remaining side, and finish cutting it out (Or if you prefer, just print out 2 of the half circle templates – pg 5, then tape together).
Transfer your cut out pieces onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Make sure after they are moved that they didn’t get out of shape. I f they have, kind of straighten them. You can use a ruler to gently push on each side of the house to help straighten them. After they are cut, pop them in the fridge to chill at least 20 minutes before baking.
This template does not include windows or doors. That way you can create your own shapes and designs and place them where you would like. Gingerbread experts say it’s best to cut out shapes before baking, but to leave the cut out dough in place until after baking, then gently cut it out and remove it. That way the edges will be more crisp. I personally have not tried this.
Things I Learned Along The Way
On my Christmas house, I cut everything out before baking. The holes on the roof for your ribbon definitely need to be cut out before baking. I think it makes them stronger. I use the large end of a piping tip to do this.
On my Easter house, I did it differently. I cut everything out after baking. I wanted to have a thicker ledge for the door and windows. It’s harder to cut out once baked, but it leaves a nice edge. Be careful if you do this not to crack your pieces! Gentle, gentle!!
I coated the inside of the windows and door with egg wash, so as to seal it from crumbs, plus it makes it shiny and I like that. (I should have cut the roof ribbon holes out before baking, but I forgot. So even if you prefer cutting out after baking – I recommend cutting ribbon holes beforehand).
When you flood your pieces, try and get the edges as straight as possible. This will give you a much better finished look. ( I learned this from not doing it and getting in a rush. UGGG!)
Decorate Before Gluing Your Gingerbread House Together
Decorate all of your pieces, and let they dry completely BEFORE putting them together! This is very important! You risk ruining it if all your pieces are not completely decorated & dry. I use a dehydrator on the lowest setting for drying my royal icing as I go. This helps a lot! It’s not problem if you don’t have one though, it will just take longer.
I use many different consistencies of royal icing as I go, for different parts of the house/design. However, for the glueing together of the house, I use a thicker royal icing, but not as thick as you would use for leaves or flowers.
Writing Words Is My Challenge
For the writing, I use a projector. I HAVE too, as I am “writing” challenged! I will tell you, writing is always my struggle. Getting the perfect consistency of royal icing is SO IMPORTANT when writing, and I have always had a hard time getting it just right! Ugggg! Kudos to all of you great writers out there! Practice makes perfect!
Shave Some Of The Edges
When I glue my pieces together to build the house, I usually shave/cut the edges that need it with a serrated knife and/or a shaver/micro-grater to get a smoother edge to make them fit together better. Be gentle when doing this! This helps because when the dough bakes, it swells a bit ,and it just fits better when you cut or shave the edges smooth that need it.
I even do it on the edges that are on the bottom of the house. It makes it sit flatter and makes it more stable. Below is a photo of me grating the edges of my Mom’s Gingerbread Mother’s Day Shadowbox. I will post a blog about that soon. I use can goods to help keep the house stable while drying. Whatever works right! I
usually leave it overnight to dry before attaching it to the base. Remember, don’t glue the roof on. This will just sit on top and be help together by ribbon. Then, if you fill it with cookies, you can just lift one side of the roof up. Kids and adults alike love this!
For the ribbon, I think cloth ribbon is better. It is softer on the cookie, and it seems to me that paper ribbon has more tendency to cut into the cookie and weaken it. Cloth also lays prettier than paper. In saying that, I used paper on my Christmas house, because that’s all I had at the time, and it was no problem.
My Gingerbread House Evolved Along The Way
On my Easter Gingerbread House, it pretty much came together as I decorated it. It may be that way for you too. Of course I planned it out before starting because that’s huge to your success, but some changed as I went! I made a lot of small cookies, so that I would have extra if I messed one up. I like to make a lot of cookies/pieces I “think” I may use in my design, but I usually don’t use all of them. On this one, I didn’t use a lot of them, so I put them inside to be eaten. You can decorate those too if you like.
That’s it! Please let me know if you have any questions. I am certainly no expert! I’’m sure there are many of you out there that know way more than I do, but I do love sharing info that I have learned to help make us all successful! If you have any tips, please share them with with me! I’d be honored to pass them on. Here are several photo’s of all sides of the house!
Happy Baking!
Teesa 🙂
Here is a list of Czech Cutters I used for my Easter House if you would like them. Some of the same ones are sold in different sets, so I included them all in case one is sold out. I sell them in my store, Teesa’s Baking Supplies. Please check me out!
Love all your work! You are so artistic but I knew that when you were growing up!!! Thanks fir all thr fun and beautiful things you have made for me through out thr years! I cherish them all!!! Love Mom!
Thank you my sweet Momma! I get it from you! Love you!:-)