Haunted Gingerbread House
Create a creepy gingerbread house decorated with your favorite candies and cookies. It's a fun project for the entire family!
Gingerbread and Decorations:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup shortening
3/4 cup full-flavor molasses
1/3 cup cold water
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Assorted candies and cookies
Frosting:
1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon full-flavor molasses
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon full-flavor molasses
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 9-inch square pan and 15x10x1-inch rectangular pan. In large bowl, mix brown sugar, shortening and molasses until well blended. Stir in cold water. Stir in remaining gingerbread ingredients except candies. Press one-third of dough into square pan; press remaining dough into rectangular pan.
2. Bake 1 pan at a time about 15 minutes or until no indentation remains when touched in center. Cool 5 minutes; turn upside down onto large cutting surface. Immediately cut as shown in diagram below (cut windows if desired). Cool completely, about 25 minutes.
3. In medium bowl, mix 1 cup of the powdered sugar and remaining frosting ingredients until smooth. Stir in enough remaining powdered sugar to make stiff frosting. (If frosting becomes too stiff, stir in additional milk.)
4. Decorate front of house as desired using frosting and assorted candies and cookies. For windows as shown in photo, cut yellow tissue paper slightly larger than outline of windows. Brush paper with vegetable oil and "glue" to back side of windows, using frosting. Use frosting to attach supports to back of house, sidewalk to front of house, door and sign to front of house and fence to sidewalk. Complete decorating as desired.
