Gingerbread Houses
From LoveToKnow Christmas
Decorating gingerbread houses is a fun project that's guaranteed to get you in the Christmas spirit. Just remember not to sample too much of the candy while you're working!
A Fun Christmas Tradition
Ginger, a spice thought to have preservative qualities, was first used in cookies and cakes during the 15th century. Catholic monks in Europe made gingerbread treats to celebrate at holidays and special festivals. The gingerbread was often cut into shapes, such as a heart or animal figure, and tied with ribbon. In England, it was customary for unmarried women to eat gingerbread men as a ritual to help them meet suitable husbands.
By the 17th century, making gingerbread was considered a separate profession. Bakers were given the exclusive license to make and sell gingerbread, except during Christmas and Easter. At this time, rules were relaxed to allow families from less privileged backgrounds to enjoy a special holiday treat.
The Brothers Grimm fairy tale Hansel and Gretel popularized the idea of making small houses from gingerbread. This story is about two children who walked through a dangerous forest and come upon a house made of gingerbread.
Using houses made from gingerbread as Christmas decorations is a tradition that began in Germany. In some rural villages, families would bring small replicas of their home to a festival where the entire community was recreated in miniature. On New Year's Day, the children would break apart the houses and enjoy the sweet treats.
Throughout the 1600s, Nuremberg, Germany was known as the "Gingerbread Capital of the World." Master bakers were given the job of creating intricate works of art from gingerbread in preparation for the holidays. Occasionally, they would even use gold leaf to decorate the houses.
The Swiss Catholic monks who founded the St. Meinrad Archabbey in Indiana in 1854 are credited with bringing the gingerbread custom to the United States. For Christmas, they baked gingerbread as a treat for the ill patients under their care. As settlers from various parts of Europe arrived in the United States, they also helped to spread the tradition of making houses of gingerbread to celebrate Christmas.
Making Gingerbread Houses
In addition to being fun to make and eat, gingerbread houses double as festive Christmas decorations. Even if your house doesn't turn out to be a work of art, you can take comfort in the fact that you've created a one-of-a-kind holiday masterpiece!
The first thing you'll need to make your own gingerbread house is a good recipe for the dough. LoveToKnow Recipes has an assortment of gingerbread recipes for you to try. You may notice that different sweeteners are used in these recipes, but this can be attributed to various cultural differences in what constitutes the proper gingerbread formation. Although American bakers often sweeten gingerbread with molasses, Germans prefer honey and British cooks may use syrup and brown sugar. Occasionally, you will also find gingerbread recipes that incorporate cinnamon cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, or anise for an added boost of flavor.
When looking for gingerbread house decorations, it pays to be creative. Take a peek in your pantry and see what types of items you already have available. Here are a few suggestions for your project:
- Chocolate chips
- Licorice
- Tootsie Rolls®
- Marshmallows
- Gummy bears
- Candy canes
- Gumdrops
- Jelly beans
- M&M's®
- Colored lollipops
- Sprinkles
- Coconut flakes
- Unsalted pretzels
- Frosted Shredded Mini-Wheats®
- Wheat Chex®
- Raisins
- Animal crackers
- Popcorn
- Cranberries
If you're too impatient to make a gingerbread house from scratch, or simply want to skip ahead to the fun of decorating, try looking for a project kit at your local craft or discount store. These kits generally contain a pre-built gingerbread house, frosting mix, an assortment of candy, and instructions for decorating the house.
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