Gingerbread House Template: Before you begin, you can cut download and print our free pattern, use your own! Find our free template download link above in the post.

In a small bowl, combine baking soda and water and stir to dissolve, set aside.

In a large saucepan combine molasses and shortening. Bring the molasses and shortening to a boil, stirring frequently. Once boiling, remove from heat and stir in the soda/water mixture, mixing well to combine.

In a large mixing bowl use an electric mixer or stand mixture to combine the sugar, eggs and vanilla. Add the molasses mixture to the sugar/egg mixture and mix well to combine. Add flour, salt, and spices and mix to combine.

Chill Dough: Place dough in a large ziplock bag and press into a flat disk. Chill the gingerbread for several hours, or make up to 1 week in advance.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove the gingerbread dough from the fridge and allow it to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Roll out Gingerbread: Cut dough into four equal pieces. Place a piece of parchment paper on a countertop (I like to spray it lightly with cooking spray, so it stays in place. Dust with flour and use a rolling pin to roll each gingerbread piece into a large rectangle (12 in x 12 in), no more than 1/4 inch thick.

Bake: Before you bake the gingerbread, make sure the pattern pieces you will cut from that piece of gingerbread fit on top of the dough you’ve rolled out. Watch the corners particularly. Place the gingerbread (still on the parchment paper) onto a large baking sheet or jelly-roll pan and bake at 375 degrees F for 11-12 minutes. Remove from oven.

Cut gingerbread house template pieces while the gingerbread is still warm from the oven. As each batch comes out of the oven, place pattern pieces on top and use a sharp serrated knife to cut the pattern out, pulling the scraps away from the pieces you cut. Allow gingerbread to cool completely before removing from the parchment paper. If possible, let the pieces dry out uncovered on a cooling rack overnight or at least for a few hours.

Place egg whites in a metal mixing bowl and whip them for 1 minute. Add powdered sugar and cream of tartar and beat until smooth and standing peaks (about 4-6 minutes). Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth as you use the frosting (this will help keep the frosting from drying out).

Decorate Gingerbread House Sides: Lay the side and front pieces down on a baking sheet. Use the small point frosting tip to pipe and decorate the windows, details, and the wreath. (I do this before assembling, because it's easy to do than after the house is assembled).

Melt Sugar: Place a cardboard cake round (or whatever you're using as the base to your house) on the counter next to the stove. Pour 2 cups of granulated sugar in a large skillet over medium heat. When the sugar begins to soften, stir it constantly so that it doesn’t burn. Stir until the sugar is melted (5-10 minutes).

Start with Back Piece: I recommend having 2 people for assembly, both being very careful to not burn yourself with the hot sugar! It’s best to have one person dip the pieces in melted sugar and place them on the board, and another person hold them steady together on the board while the sugar quickly dries.• Begin with the BACK PIECE of the house. Dip the bottom and one of the sides in the melted sugar. Place it on the board, positioning it towards the back, center of the board.

Add Side Pieces: Now pick up a SIDE PIECE of the house and dip the bottom and one side and stick it to the back piece of the house. Repeat with the other SIDE PIECE.

Add Front Piece and Roof: Now dip the sides and bottom of the FRONT PIECE and put it in place. Hold one of the ROOF PIECES over the melted sugar, inside edge facing up. Carefully spoon sugar onto the piece in the shape of a wide “U” (you want the sugar to stick where the house pieces will touch it.) Repeat with remaining roof piece.

Pipe Trim: CONGRATULATIONS! Your house is assembled, and now the best part begins! Cover every standing edge of the house with frosting. That includes up and down the sides, across the bottom, under the roof, around the edges of the chimney, around the front door, etc.)• As you frost, decorate with small, bright candies of different shapes and textures.(Don’t use chocolate, if you plan on storing your gingerbread house).

Necco Roof: I love the look of the singles the necco roof provides, and it is such a fun way to decorate the roof! If you want to do this, start with a horizontal line of frosting 1/2’’ up from the bottom edge of the roof.• Press Necco’s into the frosting, 1/2’’ apart. (You should be able to fit about 6 Necco’s, in a line across the roof). Alternate colors and have the “Necco” symbol face down.• In between each Necco, make a thick, vertical line of frosting. Place Necco’s gently at the top of each line of frosting and press down gently. Repeat with another thick, vertical line of frosting between each Necco. And again, place a Necco on top. Repeat until your roof is done.

Finish Decorating: Have fun with as much decorating and candy as you want. You can decorate the "yard" as well. I always like to spread some royal icing on it to look like snow and add a simple path. I have included other decorating ideas you can choose from in the notes below. To store for future years, just carefully cover it with a garbage bag and keep in the top of a closet or somewhere it will be undisturbed. Take it out and display it as a fun decoration each year!