Construction Gingerbread Recipe

Gingerbread that is sturdy enough to make any kind of gingerbread structure you can imagine, but also tasty enough that snacking on scraps is a delight.

By
America's Best New Pastry Chefs by Food & Wine. She was the pastry editor at Serious Eats from 2016 to 2019." data-inline-tooltip="true"> Stella Parks
Stella Parks
Stella Parks
Editor Emeritus
Stella Parks is a CIA-trained baking nerd and pastry wizard, dubbed one ofAmerica's Best New Pastry Chefsby Food & Wine. She was the pastry editor at Serious Eats from 2016 to 2019.
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Updated Dec. 20, 2021
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Vicky Wasik
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Serious Eats Presents...Gingerdead Manor

Why It Works

  • A 1:4 ratio of butter to flour makes the gingerbread strong.
  • Corn syrup keeps freshly baked gingerbread pliable and soft, so it's easy to cut while warm.
  • Rolling the dough directly on parchment makes it easy to transfer to the pan.

This recipe makes enough gingerbread to fill a half-sheet pan, so, before getting started, sit down withyour templateand figure out how many trays you'll need, then multiply accordingly (up to a quadruple batch, depending on the capacity of your bowl). Construction gingerbread is foremost sturdy and strong, but my version doesn't taste too shabby—crunchy and bold, with plenty of butter, brown sugar, and vanilla, so you can still enjoy nibbling on the scraps.

Recipe Facts

4.8

(5)

Prep:30 mins
Cook:40 mins
Active:15 mins
Total:70 mins
Serves:6 to 8 servings
Makes:1 sheet

Rate & Comment

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  • 2ouncesbrown sugar(1/4 cup; 56g)

  • 2teaspoonsground cinnamon

  • 1 1/4teaspoonsground ginger

  • 1/4teaspoonground cloves

  • 1/8teaspoonDiamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much

  • 4ounceslight corn syrup(1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon; 115g) (see note)

  • 1 1/2ouncesunsalted butter(3 tablespoons; 45g), very soft (about 72°F)

  • 1/4ouncevanilla extract(1 1/2 teaspoons; 7g)

  • 6 1/4ouncesall-purpose flour(1 1/3 cups; 175g), plus more for dusting

Directions

  1. For the Dough:Trim a sheet of parchment paper to fit the interior of a half sheet pan. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, corn syrup, butter, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low until smooth, then sprinkle in flour and continue mixing to form a stiff dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Proceed immediately, or wrap in plastic and set aside at room temperature until needed, up to 24 hours. (Larger batches should be divided into 14-ounce portions.)

  2. Sprinkle prepared parchment with flour, place dough on top, and flatten into a rectangle. Sprinkle with more flour and roll to fit just within edges of parchment, leaving dough about 3/16 inch thick. Using both hands, transfer parchment to a half sheet pan. Cut according to your gingerbread house template, using an X-Acto or paring knife. Leave a narrow border of dough around cutouts to minimize spreading, but trim away larger areas of excess dough to gather and re-roll, or turn into paste (see directions below).

  3. Bake gingerbread until dry to the touch and golden brown, about 25 minutes. Immediately cut along pre-scored lines with a sharp knife or pizza wheel. Cool completely in pan, then transfer cutouts to a safe place. Scraps can be nibbled, or ground in a food processor to use in recipes that call for cookie crumbs.

  4. For the Paste:返回残渣混合搅拌碗和恢复low speed. Begin adding water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until scraps form a stiff but pipeable paste. Thoroughly scrape bowl and beater with a flexible spatula to eliminate lumps, then continue mixing until perfectly smooth. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Pipe designs, such as fences and railing, onto a parchment-lined half sheet pan and bake until pale gold, about 12 minutes. Cool completely before handling. If you like, assemble withSturdy Royal Icing.

Special Equipment

Stand mixerwith paddle attachment, rolling pin,half-sheet pan, gingerbread house template, piping bag fitted withsmall round tip(optional; for piped gingerbread)

Notes

Due to the unique viscosity and pH of each, alternative sweeteners, such as golden syrup, molasses, sorghum, agave nectar, and even dark corn syrup, can create a sticky dough that's more inclined to puff in the oven.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts(per serving)
191 Calories
5g Fat
36g Carbs
2g Protein
Show Full Nutrition LabelHide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 191
% Daily Value*
Total Fat5g 6%
Saturated Fat 3g 14%
Cholesterol11mg 4%
Sodium31mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate36g 13%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 18g
Protein2g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 20mg 2%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 43mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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