Name: Sturdy Gingerbread Recipe for Building House
Prep time: 4 h
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 10 h 25 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: ½ cup (113 g) of butter - 1 stick; ¾ cup (190 ml) of molasses; 4 teaspoons of ground cinnamon; 4 teaspoons of ground ginger; 1 ¼ cups (250g) of dark brown sugar; 6 ½ cups (810 g) of all-purpose flour; 1 ¼ cups (310 ml) of milk; 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

Jump to Recipe

Building a gingerbread house starts with the right dough. This gingerbread recipe for building holiday houses makes a sturdy dough that holds its shape and supports candy decorations.

The recipe uses pantry staples and bakes to create strong, even pieces that won’t warp or crack. You’ll learn how to mix, roll, and bake the dough so every wall and roof section fits together perfectly.

Whether you’re creating a classic cottage design or a more elaborate house, this dough will make the process easy from start to finish. Follow the steps below for a gingerbread house dough recipe that will help your house last through the holiday season.

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Ingredients for gingerbread recipe for building houses

Gather these ingredients before you begin—they’ll help you create a gingerbread dough for houses that’s strong and easy to work with.

½ cup (113 g) of butter – 1 stick
¾ cup (190 ml) of molasses
4 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
4 teaspoons of ground ginger
1 ¼ cups (250g) of dark brown sugar
6 ½ cups (810 g) of all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups (310 ml) of milk
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

Note: There is no baking soda or baking powder in this recipe. Gingerbread house pieces need to stay flat, and any rising ingredient can distort their shape as they bake.

Tools you’ll need

Gather these tools so that the whole process flows smoothly.

A rolling pin
Parchment paper or a silicone mat
Baking sheet
Very sharp knife
Cooling racks
Template for your gingerbread house

I like to use a marble rolling pin. It is heavy, which makes the stiff gingerbread easier to roll.

Making the gingerbread house dough

Now that you have your ingredients and tools ready, it’s time to make the dough. Follow these step-by-step instructions.

Heating the wet ingredients

Place a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter, molasses, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and dark brown sugar.
Heat the ingredients, stirring occasionally, until the butter has melted and the ingredients are well combined.
Remove the saucepan from the heat.
Stir in the pure vanilla extract.

Adding the dry ingredients

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the all-purpose flour with the butter mixture and the milk.
Fold the gingerbread dough together with the mixer. It will be very stiff and have a sticky consistency.
Cover the bowl and place the dough in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours until it is cold and firm.
Chilled gingerbread cuts more easily.

Note: If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can use a large mixing bowl and a wooden spoon to add the dry ingredients. Be sure to use a very large bowl, since the recipe calls for a lot of flour.

Rolling the gingerbread dough

Now that the dough has cooled, it’s time to roll and cut it into shapes for your gingerbread house.

Remove the gingerbread dough from the fridge.
Scoop out about a cup of the dough and place it on a piece of parchment paper.
Cover the dough with a second piece of parchment paper to keep it from sticking to the rolling pin.
Roll the gingerbread dough to about ¼ in (6 mm) thick.

The dough will be very hard to roll out at first, since it has just come out of the fridge. Patience is the key. Keep checking the thickness of the dough as you roll it out.

Gingerbread house template printable

Before you start cutting, it helps to have a template ready. If you’d like a head start, you can use my free gingerbread house template. It includes patterns for the front, back, sides, roof sections, and chimney.

Print this gingerbread house pattern PDF and use it to trace each piece, so everything fits together perfectly. Prefer to customize your own design? This recipe is very versatile and will work well with any gingerbread house layout.

Cutting the gingerbread pieces

Now that you have your dough chilled and your template ready, it’s time to cut out the walls, roof, and chimney pieces for your gingerbread house.

Before you cut the dough, place it on a baking sheet in the freezer for 5 minutes, or in the fridge for 15 minutes. The dough should be as cold as possible before cutting.
Lay your template piece on top of the chilled, rolled-out gingerbread.
Cut out the shapes for your gingerbread house with a very sharp knife.
It’s best to use a large knife so that you don’t have to make as many cuts.
Continue this process until you have all of your gingerbread house pieces cut out.

I like to use any leftover gingerbread house dough to make gingerbread cookies. Because of the extra flour in the recipe, they aren’t as soft and chewy and a normal cookie recipe. They are ideal for shaped cookies that will be decorated since they dough won’t spread as much.

Baking the gingerbread house pieces

Once your gingerbread pieces are cut, it’s time to bake them. Proper baking ensures that each piece stays flat and will be sturdy when you assemble the house.

Place the pieces back in the fridge for 15 minutes before you bake them. This keeps the gingerbread from shrinking in the oven.
Preheat the oven to 350° F (180° C).
Place the pieces on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 15-20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges of the gingerbread start to brown.
Depending on the size of your pieces, you may need to bake the gingerbread in several batches.
Remove your gingerbread pieces from the oven.
Let them cool completely for at least 6 hours before you try to assemble your gingerbread house.

Common gingerbread dough issues (and how to solve them)

Even with the best preparation, a gingerbread recipe for building houses can be tricky. Here are some quick fixes for the most common problems.

Dough is too sticky: Chill it a little longer, or add a tablespoon of flour at a time until it’s firm enough to roll.
Dough is too hard to roll: Let it come to room temperature for 10-15 minutes before rolling. It also helps to press it gently with your fingers before you roll it.
Dough is too dry or cracks: Knead in a teaspoon of milk at a time until the texture is smoother.
Pieces losing shape in the oven: Be sure that the baking sheet is cool, and the dough is well chilled before you bake.
Uneven baking: Roll the dough evenly, and rotate the baking sheet halfway through baking to achieve a consistent color and texture.
Pieces break after baking: Be sure to let the gingerbread dough cool completely—at least 6 hours—before decorating.
Uneven or rough edges after baking: Use a fine grater, or microplane, to gently smooth the edges after they are fully cooled.
Darker or thinner pieces: Cover them with icing or decorations to even out the appearance.

Help for building your gingerbread house

Bring your gingerbread house to life with these tips and recipes:

Royal icing recipe—the perfect “glue” for assembling your gingerbread house.
Gingerbread house tips—expert tricks for building and decorating the perfect gingerbread house.
Gingerbread house designs—creative inspiration for your next holiday house.

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If you enjoyed learning how to make homemade gingerbread dough, why not share this recipe with a friend? Here is a post to get you started:

🏠🍪The perfect gingerbread house dough starts here! Learn how to roll, cut, and bake your dough for strong, sturdy walls and roofs for your holiday gingerbread house. Head to Recipes Just 4U to learn how to make… Share on X

Pin this recipe for gingerbread dough for building houses

Would you like a reminder of this sturdy gingerbread dough? Pin this image to one of your Christmas boards on Pinterest so that you can easily find it later

You can also watch this YouTube slideshow video that shows how to make gingerbread for a house!

Yield: Enough gingerbread dough for 1 house

Sturdy Gingerbread Recipe for Building House

This gingerbread dough recipe makes a sturdy dough that holds up well to support your decorations.

It creates strong, even pieces that won't warp or crack as you create your gingerbread house.

Prep Time 4 hours

Cook Time 25 minutes

Additional Time 6 hours

Total Time 10 hours 25 minutes

Ingredients

½ cup (113 g) of butter - 1 stick
¾ cup (190 ml) of molasses
4 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
4 teaspoons of ground ginger
1 ¼ cups (250g) of dark brown sugar
6 ½ cups (810 g) of all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups (310 ml) of milk
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

Instructions

In a small saucepan over medium heat and add the butter, molasses, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and dark brown sugar.

Heat the ingredients, stirring occasionally, until the butter has melted and the ingredients are well combined.

Take the saucepan off the heat.

Stir in the pure vanilla extract.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a very large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour with the butter mixture and the milk.

Fold the gingerbread dough together with the mixer or a wooden spoon. It will be very stiff and have a sticky consistency.

Cover the bowl and place the dough in the fridge for 3-4 hours, or overnight until it is cold and firm.

Remove the gingerbread dough from the fridge. Let it come to room temperature for 15 minutes.

Scoop out about a cup of the dough and place it on a piece of parchment paper.

Cover the dough with another piece of parchment paper to keep it from sticking to the rolling pin.

Roll the gingerbread dough to about ¼ in (6 mm) thick.

Use your own template, or print out this free gingerbread house pattern PDF template.

Cut the pieces for your gingerbread house using your template with a very sharp knife.

Transfer the cut-out gingerbread house pieces along with the parchment paper to a baking sheet.

Continue this process until you have all of your gingerbread house pieces cut out.

Place the dough back in the fridge for 15 minutes before you bake the gingerbread.

Preheat the oven to 350° F (180° C).

Place the cut gingerbread house pieces in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the edges of the gingerbread start to brown.

Depending on the size of your pieces, you may need to bake the gingerbread in batches.

Remove your gingerbread pieces from the oven.

Let them cool completely for at least 6 hours before you try to assemble your gingerbread house.

Notes

For best results, roll the dough to an even thickness (about 1/4 inch) to ensure uniform baking.
Dough can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
Use a sharp knife or cookie cutter to get clean edges on your shapes.
Chill the dough after cutting shapes to help them hold their structure in the oven.
Allow baked pieces to cool completely before assembling or decorating to prevent cracking.

Sturdy Gingerbread Dough for Building Houses: Easy Recipe and Tips draft

Ingredients for gingerbread recipe for building houses

Tools you’ll need