Gluten-Free Gingerbread House
Published
If your kids are anything like mine, they’ll sneak bites of the yummy creations they’re making. That’s why it was important for me to make this gluten-free gingerbread house recipe. This version is built to hold up for decorating and eating, with warm spiced dough, a sturdy structure, and yes, a dairy-free and vegan icing option, too. With a full template for small to medium houses, you can make it as simple or as detailed as you’d like. It’s a fun and festive project that everyone can get involved in, and you’ll feel good knowing it’s completely gluten-free and safe for everyone to snack on along the way.
Perfect for Little Builders!
This was such a fun recipe to develop, and my kids had a blast testing the structure and the flavor! The dough uses brown sugar, molasses, and warm spices for rich flavor, color, and structure. We bake the cookies a little longer so they’re firm for building but still delicious to eat. I like to make the dough a day ahead so it chills and rolls out easily. Then we bake and assemble our houses together on a cozy December afternoon. It’s a fun weekend project or holiday tradition that brings everyone together and ends with something you can enjoy.
Gluten-Free Baking Tips
- Use the right flour blend. I prefer Pillsbury Gluten-Free flour or Cup4Cup, which both have xanthan gum in the blend. If your gluten-free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum, add about ¼ teaspoon. It mimics gluten’s binding property, so the house pieces hold up.
- Dough cracking when rolling. Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment and make sure it’s is well chilled. If cracks appear, gently press them back together. (Rolling on a lightly-floured surface also helps.) Many gluten-free doughs crack more easily.
- Pieces spreading during baking. Make sure the dough is chilled and rolled to the correct thickness of (¼-inch). If pieces spread, trim edges immediately after baking while still slightly warm for clean lines.
- House structure falling over. Ensure the house pieces are fully cooled and strong before assembling, use a good amount of royal icing glue, and allow each section to set before moving on. I recommend letting the base walls dry for an hour before adding the roof.
- Icing too runny or won’t hold. For glue purposes, you want thicker royal icing (stiff peaks) and grease-free piping tools because oil breaks down icing. This is crucial to the structure of the house.
Gluten-Free Gingerbread House
Ingredients
Gingerbread Dough
- 3 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour, with xanthan gum
- 1¼ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp allspice
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ⅔ cup unsalted butter, softened, for dairy-free, use dairy-free butter
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ⅔ cup unsulphured molasses
- 1 large egg
Royal Icing
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 egg whites, for vegan, use 4 tbsp aquafaba
- ½ tsp cream of tartar
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg.
- In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in molasses and egg until smooth.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to wet, mixing until a stiff dough forms.
- Divide the dough in half, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment to about 1/4-inch thick.
- Use templates to cut out house shapes (sides, roof, front, and back). Transfer pieces carefully to parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Bake 12–15 minutes, until edges are firm and slightly darkened. Cool completely on wire racks before assembly.
- Make royal icing: Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy.
- Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until thick and glossy.
- Transfer to a piping bag.
- Assemble the house: Pipe icing along the edges of the walls to “glue” them together and to the base. Hold pieces in place for 1–2 minutes until icing begins to set. Use jars or mugs to give the structure support if needed. Allow the structure to dry for at least 1 hour before adding the roof.
- Place the roof pieces on top of the house and trim the edges as needed. Then pipe icing along the edges of the walls and roof pieces and glue them together. Let it set overnight before decorating.
- Decorate with sprinkles, candy canes, chocolate chips, candies, dried fruit, coconut flakes, or naturally colored icing as desired.
Notes
- If the house pieces spread during baking: Trim the edges with a sharp knife immediately after baking while still warm for clean lines.
- Shape: rectangle with peaked roof
- Dimensions: 4″ wide × 3″ tall and 3″ each line of the peak
- Shape: rectangle
- Dimensions: 6″ wide × 3″ tall
- Shape: rectangle
- Dimensions: 6″ wide × 4″ tall
- Print or draw the template pieces on paper or cardboard and cut them out.
- Roll the dough to about ¼-inch thick. Place templates on top and cut around them with a sharp knife or pizza cutter. Use a ruler for straight lines.
- Transfer carefully to baking sheets lined with parchment.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Gluten-Free Gingerbread House Step by Step
Gather all the ingredients together.
Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together 3 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum, 1¼ tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt, 2 tsp ground ginger, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp allspice, ¼ tsp ground cloves, and ¼ tsp ground nutmeg until everything is evenly combined.
Mix the wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, beat ⅔ cup softened unsalted butter (or dairy-free butter) with ¾ cup packed brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add ⅔ cup unsulphured molasses and 1 large egg, then mix until smooth.
Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until a stiff dough forms.
Chill the dough: Divide the dough in half, wrap each portion tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to overnight) to firm up.
Roll out the dough: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Roll out one portion of dough between two sheets of parchment paper to about ¼-inch thickness.
Cut the front and back walls: Cut 2 front and back walls (a rectangle with a peaked roof). Dimensions: 4″ wide × 3″ tall and 3″ each line of the peak.
Cut the side walls: Cut 2 side walls (rectangle). Dimensions: 6″ wide × 3″ tall
Cut the roof panels: Cut 2 roof panels (rectangle). Dimensions: 6″ wide × 4″ tall.
Transfer to baking sheet: Carefully transfer the shapes to parchment-lined baking sheets.
Bake the pieces: Bake each batch for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are firm and slightly darkened. Let the pieces cool completely on wire racks before assembling.
Make the royal icing: To make the royal icing “glue,” beat 2 egg whites with ½ tsp cream of tartar in a clean mixing bowl until foamy.
Finish the icing: Gradually add 3 cups of powdered sugar, beating until the icing is thick and glossy.
Add to a piping bag: Transfer the icing to a piping bag.
Assemble the base of the house: To assemble, pipe a line of icing along the edges of each wall piece and press them together on your base to form the structure. Hold each piece in place for 1–2 minutes until the icing begins to set. Use jars or mugs for support if needed, and allow the structure to dry for at least 1 hour before adding the roof.
Add the roof: Attach the roof pieces, trimming edges as needed, and pipe icing along the seams to secure them. Let the house dry overnight before decorating.
Decorate and enjoy: Decorate with sprinkles, candy canes, chocolate chips, dried fruit, coconut flakes, or naturally colored icing, whatever fits your festive style. Display and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
This gluten-free gingerbread house is as fun to serve as it is to make. Turn it into a festive group activity with kids or friends. Roll out the dough, cut shapes, and decorate together. You can even bake extra gluten-free gingerbread cookies to decorate or enjoy on the side. Once your house has had its time as a holiday centerpiece, break it apart and serve the pieces with mugs of warm dairy-free hot chocolate. It also pairs beautifully with other holiday treats like gluten-free Dutch apple pie or gluten-free shortbread cookies.
Storage Instructions
You can make the dough ahead of time and store it tightly wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or freeze it for up to 1 month.
Thaw frozen dough in the fridge before rolling. Once baked, let the gingerbread pieces cool completely, then store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week before assembling.
After your house is built and decorated, keep it in a cool, dry place away from humidity for up to 2–3 weeks if displaying. If you plan to eat it, it’s best enjoyed within the first week while the cookies are still fresh and flavorful.
