Haunted Gingerbread House

Create a creepy gingerbread house decorated with your favorite candies and cookies. It's a fun project for the entire family! MORE+ LESS-

By Betty Crocker Kitchens

August 25, 2008

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 Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour

teaspoon baking soda

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

1 1/2

to 2 cups powdered sugar

1/3

cup butter or margarine, softened

1/4

teaspoon vanilla

tablespoon milk

tablespoon full-flavor molasses

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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 (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.

Didn’t use up all of the frosting and decorations? Spread leftover cookies with frosting for a sweet treat.
Invite neighborhood kids over for a “house decorating” party. Have the gingerbread base made and assembled, and set toppings out in separate bowls. Make a batch of gingersnaps to serve to your crew. Decorating a house can be hard work!
Your haunted gingerbread house is made from natural ingredients so should be kept for one holiday only. It's so simple to create, you’ll want to make it bigger and better next year.