I tried to make gingerbread for the first time the other day. I followed the directions and everything looked good up until I put it in the refridgerator. The recipe I was using didn't say how long to leave it in there for and I was behind schedule to get to a party, so I left it in the fridge overnight and was planning on rolling it out and cutting patterns the next day. When I went to get it out, it was rock hard and once it warmed up it crumbled. Had to throw it in the trash. It was also a double batch since I am making (planning on making) 2 houses. Can someone please give me some advice? DId this happen because I left it in the fridge to long or made 2 batches at one time, both or neither? I want to try again tonight so any advice is greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Neither doubling the recipe nor chilling it should cause it to crumble.
What is your recipe?

1 cup butter
1 cupsugar
1 cup molasses
4 1/2- 5 cups flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon each cimmamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt.
Instructions
Melt butter, add sugar and molasses and stir until sugar disolves. Remove from heat and cool till lukewarm.. Place the 4 1/2 cups flour, spices, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Pour in warm butter -molasses mixture. Blend well using a large spoon and then kneading with hands until dough forms a balls. If dough is too soft add remaining flour. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate then roll out and cut.

I found it on this site when searching for a gingerbread recipe...

Check out these recipes:

http://web.archive.org/web/20050126064911/http://frankysattic.com/

I use Loreta's and sub honey for a lot of the molasses because honey reacts less to humidity than molasses does.

Ok I will try it out. Thank you!

When my dough crumbles (and it does at times), I gather up all the crumbs and knead it until it's pliable again. Either place between two pieces of parchment/waxed/freezer paper and roll out(if the dough is stiff) or dust my work area lightly with flour (if the dough is tacky) and roll out, or wrap it back up and refrigerate it until needed.

I've noticed when I knead my rollout doughs a few times before divvying it and wrapping to chill, I don't get crumbling (I don't always remember to do that though).

Sounds like a little too much flour. When I need to store gingerbread dough I roll it out onto cookie sheets and stack them with a layer of plastic wrap between. That way it is rolled while softer and solidified when ready to cut.. no hassle.

no eggs in this recipe? i've only recently started researching gingerbread cookie recipes, but so far i've always seen eggs in them.

LOL! I hadn't even noticed about the eggs! Funny

I tried again last night. Used the same recipe but subbed 1/2 cup molasses for honey and rolled out immediately between to waxed paper sheets and put in the fridge for only 10 minutes this time. When I took it out to cut it, it worked great. Most pieces baked up awesome except for 1 which had bubbles in it. but i think it is one of the pieces you wont be able to see once it's built! Thanks for all the advice! So excited to make my first house! Thanks again

Awesome!! I was having the hardest time with gingerbread dough too before the lightbulb came on about rolling it out while soft. You're gonna have super fun!