High Altitude Gingerbread House Recipe

Ingredients

For the gingerbread dough:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup water

For the icing:

• 3 egg whites
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

For the gingerbread dough:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, molasses, and water. Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
• Divide the dough in half, wrap each half in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

For the icing:

• In a medium bowl, beat together the egg whites, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.

To assemble the gingerbread house:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the pieces of dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Use a house-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes and place them on the prepared baking sheets. Re-roll the scraps of dough and cut out more shapes until all of the dough is used.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. Let cool completely.
• To assemble the house, use the icing to “glue” the pieces together. Carefully attach the walls and roof pieces, then add decorations, such as candy and gumdrops.
• Let the icing dry completely before serving.

Tips

For a high-altitude version of this recipe, reduce the baking time to 8 to 10 minutes and increase the temperature to 375°F. You may also need to reduce the amount of molasses, as it tends to caramelize more quickly at higher altitudes.

For a vegan version, replace the butter with vegan margarine and the egg with 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water.

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