There is something so magical about making a gingerbread house during the holiday season! Whether you're starting a new Christmas tradition with your family or simply looking for a fun afternoon baking project, this gingerbread cottage is such a sweet way to celebrate the season.
The best part? You don't need to be an experienced baker or decorator to make one! This beginner-friendly gingerbread cottage uses a printable gingerbread house template to make cutting out the pieces simple. We'll also use gelatin sheets to create beautiful, translucent window panes that give the cottage an extra special touch.
Gather the family, put on some Christmas music, and let's get baking!
What You'll Need
Before getting started, gather your supplies:
- Gingerbread dough
- My printable gingerbread house template
- Parchment paper
- Rolling pin
- Sharp knife or pizza cutter
- Baking sheets
- Gelatin sheets (unflavored)
- Royal icing
- Piping bags
- Small scissors
- Your favorite candies and decorations
Step 1: Print Your Gingerbread Cottage Template
Start by downloading and printing my gingerbread house template. The template includes the shapes you'll need to cut out the walls, front and back of the cottage, and roof pieces.
Print the template on regular paper and cut out each shape. These paper pieces will serve as your guides when cutting the gingerbread dough, helping you get evenly sized pieces that fit together.
I recommend keeping the paper templates nearby throughout the baking process.
Step 2: Roll and Cut Your Gingerbread Dough
Prepare your favorite gingerbread cookie dough and roll it out onto a lightly floured piece of parchment paper. Aim for an even thickness so your house pieces bake consistently.
Place your paper templates over the dough and carefully cut around each shape using a sharp knife or pizza cutter.
Transfer the pieces to a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving a little space between them. Bake according to your gingerbread recipe and allow the pieces to cool completely before assembling.
Beginner tip: If your pieces spread or lose a little shape during baking, you can carefully trim the edges using your paper templates while the gingerbread is still slightly warm.
Step 3: Make the Gelatin Window Panes
This is my favorite part! Gelatin sheets create beautiful, translucent windows that look like real glass.
First, cut your gelatin sheets into pieces slightly larger than your window openings. Make sure your gelatin sheets are food-grade and intended for culinary use.
You can attach the gelatin to the inside of your gingerbread walls using a small amount of royal icing around the edges. Allow the icing to dry and hold everything in place.
The translucent panes let light shine through, giving your gingerbread cottage such a charming appearance!
Step 4: Assemble Your Gingerbread Cottage
Once all your pieces have cooled and your windows are ready, it's time to assemble!
Use thick royal icing as your edible glue. Start by attaching the walls together, holding each piece in place until the icing begins to set. Once the walls are sturdy, carefully attach the roof pieces.
Give your cottage plenty of time to dry before decorating.
Step 5: Decorate Your Cottage!
Now comes the fun part! Use royal icing, powdered sugar, candy, and sprinkles to bring your gingerbread cottage to life.
You can add snowy roof details, little icing borders around the windows, a decorated front door, or even a dusting of powdered sugar to create a winter wonderland.
There is no right or wrong way to decorate. Let everyone add their own creative touches!
A Fun Christmas Activity for All Ages
Making a gingerbread cottage is such a wonderful holiday activity for the whole family. Little ones can help with decorating, older children can help cut out the dough with supervision, and adults can enjoy putting all the pieces together.
Using a printable template makes the process much less intimidating, especially if this is your first time making a gingerbread house.
I hope this little gingerbread cottage inspires you to slow down, get creative, and enjoy some sweet moments with the people you love this Christmas!
Don't forget to download and print my free gingerbread house template before you get started. Happy baking!
Photo by Isabela Kronemberger on Unsplash
There is something so magical about making a gingerbread house during the holiday season!
Gingerbread House Recipe
A beginner-friendly gingerbread cottage with a printable template and gelatin window panes. A fun Christmas baking project for the whole family.
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
Instructions
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F. Prepare your baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper so your cookies are easy to remove after baking.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and baking soda. Mix the dry ingredients until the spices are evenly distributed throughout the flour.
In a separate bowl, combine the softened butter and brown sugar. Add the molasses, vanilla extract, and eggs, mixing until everything is well incorporated.
Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until a cookie dough forms. Be careful not to overmix the dough.
Roll out the dough and use either the Merry Madden Gingerbread Cottage template or a Gingerbread house cookie cutter to cut out all the pieces of the house. Place the cookies on your prepared baking sheets, leaving a little room between each one.
Bake at 350°F for approximately 11 minutes. Baking times may vary depending on the size and thickness of your cookies, so keep an eye on them as they bake. Allow the cookies to cool before decorating or serving.
Roshel's notes
After the gingerbread house pieces have baked and cooled, let them firm up a bit for a few days. This will make them sturdier when assembling the house.
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Roshel Madden
Wife, mom, and the baker behind Merry Madden, sharing decorated sugar cookies, royal icing tips and cozy family bakes.
