Gingerbread Exchange Community

Construction Grade Gingerbread Dough

This is an adaptation of the recipe by Allen Blair. 
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2011/nov/29/dream-house-gingerbread-experts-share-secrets-trad/

1/2 cup Honey
2 cups granulated Sugar
4 Eggs

6 cups all-purpose Flour
2 teaspoon Cinnamon
2 teaspoon ground Cloves
2 tablespoon ground Ginger

Heat honey in microwave for 20-30 seconds, and pour into mixing bowl. Add sugar and mix. 

Add eggs and mix well. Add 1 Tablespoon of warm water and mix well.

Add dry ingredients to your wet mixture and mix for 2 minutes to start the gluten in your flour. 

The dough may appear crumbly and not hold well together. At this point, put dough hook on and knead for 4 minutes.  The dough should now come together and easily form a ball.  If needed, sprinkle a few drops of warm water into the dough and mix.

Chill dough for a couple of hours before cutting into pieces.

Lightly flour surface and roll your gingerbread the desired thickness, depending on if it's wall or roof sections, or accessories for your house.

Bake at 325 for 15 - 20 minutes, depending on the thickness.


Gingerbread Dough Tips:

There is no fat (butter, margarine, etc), so this dough does no stick together very well, but this dough is great for a gingerbread house once it's baked.

Between rolling out pieces, it helps to microwave a chunk of the dough for 10 - 15 seconds to soften the honey.

You can also color your gingerbread dough before baking by using paste color.  A teaspoon of ground cloves will also add a deeper color to your gingerbread dough and can be added without changing the texture of the dough.

Molasses can be substituted, but the dough will not be as stiff.

Oh, and I meant to add that I think you earned serious blog karma points for referencing your source.  Thanks for setting a good example!