Sturdy Gingerbread House Recipe (with Template Measurements)

By Warm Oven Bakes Editorial Team · Updated 2 November 2026

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The gingerbread you eat and the gingerbread you build with aren't the same thing. Soft gingerbread cookies are delicious but bend, spread and crack under the weight of a roof. This gingerbread house recipe makes a firm "construction" gingerbread: no leavening, a sturdy dough that rolls flat, and a long bake that dries the pieces out so the walls stand straight.

You'll also find measurements for a simple house template you can draw on cardboard or paper, royal icing "glue," and step-by-step assembly tips. It's a standard construction-gingerbread approach, so bake a test piece before cutting a whole house. For a softer cookie to eat, use our soft gingerbread cookies.

Why this gingerbread is strong enough to build with

• No baking soda or powder. Leavening makes gingerbread puff and spread, which warps straight edges. Without it, pieces bake flat and keep their size.
• A stiff dough. More flour relative to butter and sweetener gives a firm, dense dough that holds sharp edges.
• Molasses and brown sugar. They add color, flavor and a hard, set texture once baked.
• Even thickness. Rolling to an even ¼ inch (6 mm) means every piece bakes at the same rate and walls line up.
• A long, thorough bake. Baking until firm and dry, not soft, gives pieces strength. Trimming while warm keeps edges straight.

Ingredients

Makes enough for one small house (template below) plus scraps for cookies:

Gingerbread

• 750 g (about 6 cups) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp fine salt
• 170 g (¾ cup / 1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 200 g (1 cup lightly packed) dark brown sugar
• 340 g (1 cup) unsulphured molasses or golden syrup
• 2 large eggs

Royal icing glue

• 480 g (about 4 cups) powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp meringue powder
• 5 to 6 tbsp water

Molasses vs golden syrup

Molasses gives the classic dark color and deep, slightly bitter flavor. Use unsulphured mild or "original" molasses; blackstrap is very strong and bitter. Golden syrup gives a lighter, more golden house with a milder, buttery-caramel flavor. Swap it one for one if you want a paler house to show off colored icing. Honey isn't a great substitute for construction: it can make pieces softer and stickier in humid weather.

Spices

Ginger and cinnamon are the base, with a little clove for warmth. You can add nutmeg, allspice or cardamom. Since display houses are often not eaten, some bakers cut back on spices, but a fragrant house is part of the fun, and the scraps make good cookies.

Equipment

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• Stand mixer (recommended; the dough is very stiff)
• Kitchen scale
• Rolling pin and parchment paper (rolling guides help)
• Cardboard, card stock or paper for the template
• Sharp knife or pizza wheel and a ruler
• Large baking sheets
• Piping bags and a small round tip
• Cans or jars to prop walls while the icing sets
• A cake board, tray or cutting board for the base

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Step-by-step instructions

Make and chill dough

1. Whisk the flour, spices and salt in a bowl.
2. In a stand mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar until combined, then beat in the molasses and eggs.
3. Add the flour mixture gradually on low speed until a stiff dough forms. If the mixer struggles, finish by kneading by hand.
4. Divide into 3 or 4 portions, flatten into disks, wrap and chill for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days.

Cut pieces from the template

1. Cut your template pieces out of cardboard or card stock (measurements below).
2. Roll each disk of dough directly on a sheet of parchment to an even ¼ inch (6 mm). Rolling on the parchment you'll bake on means you don't have to move the cut pieces.
3. Lay the templates on the dough and cut around them with a sharp knife or pizza wheel. Pull away the scraps, leaving the pieces on the parchment.
4. Slide the parchment onto a baking sheet and chill or freeze for 10 to 15 minutes. Cold pieces hold their shape better.

Bake hard and trim warm

1. Bake at 350°F (175°C) until the pieces are firm, slightly darker at the edges and no longer soft in the center. Small pieces may take about 12 to 15 minutes; large wall and roof panels often need 15 to 20 minutes or more. Under-baked pieces will bend.
2. As soon as the pieces come out, lay the template back on top and trim any edges that spread with a sharp knife. Gingerbread trims cleanly while warm but cracks once it cools.
3. Cool on the sheet for 10 minutes, then move to a rack to cool completely. For extra strength, let pieces dry overnight uncovered.

Make royal icing glue

1. Beat about 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar with 3 tablespoons meringue powder and 5 to 6 tablespoons water until very thick, glossy and stiff, about 5 to 7 minutes. For glue, it should hold a stiff peak, much thicker than icing for decorating. This is a common home ratio; adjust the water carefully.
2. Keep the bowl covered with a damp towel; royal icing crusts quickly.

Assemble walls then roof

1. Pipe a thick line of icing along the bottom and side edges of the front wall and one side wall. Stand them on the base at a right angle, pressing gently. Prop with cans.
2. Add the back wall and the second side wall the same way, piping icing along every joint, inside and out.
3. Let the walls dry for at least 1 to 2 hours, ideally longer, before adding the roof.
4. Pipe icing along the top edges of the walls and the gable peaks. Press on one roof panel and hold it for a minute or two, then add the second, piping icing along the ridge where they meet. Support the roof if it slides.
5. Let the whole house dry for several hours or overnight before decorating.

Gingerbread house template (measurements)

Draw these shapes on card stock or a cereal box and cut them out. They make a small classic house about 6 by 7 inches at the base and 8 inches tall. Cut two of each piece.

To draw the front and back walls: draw a rectangle 6 inches wide by 5 inches tall. Mark the center of the top edge, measure 3 inches straight up from it and mark the peak. Connect the peak to the top corners of the rectangle.

The roof panels are slightly longer and wider than needed so they overhang the walls. Add a door or windows by cutting them from the front wall before baking; keep openings away from corners so the wall stays strong.

Assembly tips so it doesn't collapse

• Bake the pieces hard. Soft gingerbread bends under the roof. If a piece flexes, return it to the oven for a few more minutes.
• Let the pieces dry overnight before building. Drier pieces are stronger.
• Use stiff icing. Glue that's too thin slides and never sets properly.
• Build in stages. Walls first, dry, then the roof. Rushing is the main reason houses collapse.
• Prop everything. Cans, jars or small boxes hold walls and roof in place while the icing sets.
• Pipe joints inside and out. A second line of icing inside each corner adds a lot of strength.
• Decorate after it sets. Heavy candy adds weight; let the structure dry first.
• Watch humidity. Gingerbread softens in humid rooms. Keep it away from steamy kitchens and dishwashers.

For decorating inspiration, see our easy Christmas cookie decorating ideas; and our gingerbread house ideas cover 25 designs.

Edible vs display gingerbread

This recipe is edible, but a house that has been on display is usually too hard and dry to enjoy after a few days, and it may have collected dust. Decide early:

• Edible house: decorate with fresh candy and royal icing, display for a short time, and break it apart within a few days.
• Display house: expect it to be a decoration for the season. Some bakers seal display houses with a clear coating; if you do, it's no longer food.
• Scraps: bake the trimmings as cookies to eat while you build.

Make-ahead, storage and freezing

Display life

A gingerbread house kept in a cool, dry room away from direct sun and steam can usually stand for several weeks as a decoration. For eating, enjoy it within the first few days. Cover it loosely with plastic wrap or a box when not on show to keep dust off.

Storing dough

• Refrigerate wrapped dough for up to about 3 days; let it soften slightly before rolling.
• Freeze wrapped disks for up to about 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge.
• Baked pieces can be stored flat, wrapped, at room temperature for about a week before assembling, which also helps them dry.

Recipe notes

• The dough is very stiff; a stand mixer helps.
• Bake scraps as cookies for 8 to 10 minutes.
• Contains wheat, milk and egg.

About the author: This recipe was written by the Warm Oven Bakes Editorial Team using established construction-gingerbread technique. Use the doneness cues and bake a test piece before cutting a whole house.

Read next: 25 Gingerbread House Ideas (Plus How to Choose a Kit) →