Ever wanted to make your own Gingerbread House for the holidays, but were afraid to try? One of our favorite masters of pastry, Vince Pianalto, is sharing his personal gingerbread recipe with some photos to inspire your decorating.
Gingerbread Houses. Photo: Vince Pianalto.
Chef Vince knows his way around the kitchen. He’s a pastry instructor at Brightwater, A Center for the Study of Food in Northwest Arkansas. There, he hones his craft and shares it with future culinarians on a daily basis. He’s also one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet.
A Gingerbread Whoville. Photo: Vince Pianalto.
Pianalto is a native of Springdale, Arkansas, and has more than 30 years of culinary experience. You can see our profile on him here. Prior to teaching at Brightwater, he owned his own Italian restaurant, as well as a bakery. So, you’re in great hands with his gingerbread recipe.
Let your creativity reign for the holidays with your own gingerbread creation. It’s a perfect way to get the whole family in the kitchen. For some decorating ideas, get some tips from the decorating pros at Wilton.
Ingredients
- 4-1/2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
- 1/2 teaspoon clove, ground
- 3 teaspoons ginger, ground
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, ground
- 1 cup vegetable shortening
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup molasses
Preparation
- 1 Into a large bowl, sift together flour, spices, baking soda, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- 2 In a large saucepan, melt shortening over medium-high heat, about 4 minutes. Whisk in sugar and molasses until well combined. Remove from heat. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined but still crumbly. If dough is still sticky, add a bit more flour.
- 3 Turn out dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Wrap to enclose completely. Let cool slightly, about 10-15 minutes.
- 4 Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- 5 Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- 6 Divide dough into two equal parts, and place on prepared baking sheets. While dough is still slightly warm, roll out gently, but firmly, to a 3/8-inch thickness.
- 7 Cut out desired shapes and remove excess dough from around cutters or templates.
- 8 Bake 30 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.
- 9 Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
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