This is a recipe from Steve Stellingwerf for a tasty yet strong gingerbread. I’ve used it many times for houses and it works beautifully. Remember, humidity is the enemy of Gingerbread.
Gingerbread for Houses
Ingredients
5 Cups Flour
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp EACH cloves & nutmeg
2 tsp EACH cinnamon and ginger
1 Cup Shortening
1 Cup Sugar
1 1/4 Cup Molasses
2 Eggs, Beaten
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend the dry ingredients together. In a large saucepan, mel the shortening. Cool slightly. Add sugar, molasses and eggs. Mix well. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Bake 10-15 minutes. Edges should be light brown.
This looks like a great recipe, I really want to try a gingerbread house this year. Living in the UK I get frustrated by 'cup' measurements. Can someone point me in the right direction for accurate conversations please? Also, is molasses treacle or syrup? Thank you :)
Molasses is a very different taste than honey. Gingerbread is dependent upon molasses for a good part of the flavor. In Spanish it is melaza. In some countries it is only considered a byproduct of sugar production and is used in animal feed due to it's bitter taste. Molasses, however, is quite a health tonic being very high in sulfur and complex B vitamins. It has been given to stimulate the appetite of cancer patients after chemo. Molasses is an interesting sweetener in it's own right.
Hello I am a novice gingerbread maker but have 3 kids and a niece and nephew so I want to do this to make the memories. I would like to know if this recipe is enough to make (6) 2in x 4in houses? and what type of texture does the cookie have? Also is the cookie edible because the kids want to eat it when their dry.
I forgot also can I make this without the ginger,molasses, and spices or will that completely jack the taste? We want to make gingerbread house just don't want the gingerbread taste.
I don't see the point in making this recipe if you don't want gingerbread. Just use a firm sugar cookie recipe, you can add food color if you want a brown cookie or add cocoa to make a chocolate sugar cookie.
This looks like a great recipe, I really want to try a gingerbread house this year. Living in the UK I get frustrated by 'cup' measurements. Can someone point me in the right direction for accurate conversations please? Also, is molasses treacle or syrup? Thank you :)
Molasses is more like the treacle that we have over here. I hope this helps.
550g flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp each of cloves & nutmeg
2 tsp each cinnamon & ginger
225g trex white fat
225g sugar
295ml treacle
Can I use honey instead of molasses?
Molasses is a very different taste than honey. Gingerbread is dependent upon molasses for a good part of the flavor. In Spanish it is melaza. In some countries it is only considered a byproduct of sugar production and is used in animal feed due to it's bitter taste. Molasses, however, is quite a health tonic being very high in sulfur and complex B vitamins. It has been given to stimulate the appetite of cancer patients after chemo. Molasses is an interesting sweetener in it's own right.
How big of a house does this recipe make? I was just going to make a small one using the Wilton Ginger bread house cutters.
Depends on which wilton cutters you are using. The latest metal cutters I got from them a year or two ago this recipe made 1 house easily.
Hello I am a novice gingerbread maker but have 3 kids and a niece and nephew so I want to do this to make the memories. I would like to know if this recipe is enough to make (6) 2in x 4in houses? and what type of texture does the cookie have? Also is the cookie edible because the kids want to eat it when their dry.
Thanks.
I forgot also can I make this without the ginger,molasses, and spices or will that completely jack the taste? We want to make gingerbread house just don't want the gingerbread taste.
Thanks
I don't see the point in making this recipe if you don't want gingerbread. Just use a firm sugar cookie recipe, you can add food color if you want a brown cookie or add cocoa to make a chocolate sugar cookie.