Gingerbread for Houses

Gingerbread houses are a fun tradition in the Cowan family.  The cookie pieces can be made ahead and ready for fun decorating.   If the gingerbread is undercooked, the pieces will be too soft to work with for building the house.

1 cup molasses

1 cup shortening

1 egg

1 cup sugar

1 t. vanilla

2 t. soda dissolved in ½ cup warm water

6 cups flour

1 t. salt

1 t. cinnamon

½ t. cloves

½ t. ginger

Bring molasses and shortening to a boil and simmer 2 minutes.  Cool.  Cream egg, sugar and vanilla.  Add soda and water.  Mix flour, salt and spices.  Add dry ingredients and molasses mixture alternately to the sugar mixture.  Mix well.

On a floured surface, roll out dough to ¼ inch thick.  Cut into desired shapes and place on greased baking tray.  Bake at 375º for 6 to 8 minutes.  If making house pieces, bake 10 minutes.

This recipe makes enough for 3 houses with the cookie cutters.  If the dough becomes stiff while rolling it out, put it on a plate and warm in the microwave for 10 to 30 seconds.

Hard Royal Frosting

4 egg whites (about ½ cup)

1/8 t. cream of tartar

¼ t. lemon extract (optional)

5-7 cups powdered sugar

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until very stiff.  Add the powdered sugar a little at a time until the frosting is firm but not too stiff. Makes enough for two houses.

The frosting can be made ahead, placed in piping bags without the tips cut and stored in a Ziploc bag in the freezer for a few days.