
6 batches of my gingerbread recipe…

4 batches or 4 kg of royal icing…

and goodness knows how much candy later…

is what it took to make the 7 simple and whimsical gingerbread houses & gingerbread dollhouse facade I had planned to make this year.

I’m so happy I just managed to get them all done!

They’re why I haven’t posted in a while, but I wouldn’t have managed to even make them as fast as I did without my new, 7-quart bowl-lift KitchenAid mixer.

Sigh. It is a thing of beauty.

Not only is it pretty to look at, it’s pretty powerful too. It had no problem mixing the 6 batches of gingerbread I mentioned earlier. Amount-wise, with this mixer, I only had to make the dough twice! (3 batches at a time). For the royal icing, I only had to make 2 double-batches and still have leftover icing which I’ll use for decorated cookies.
To show you how I made the icing in my new mixer, I finally made another video – here’s a how-to on making royal icing for your gingerbread houses:
{Video} How to Make Royal Icing for Gingerbread Houses
Click here if you can’t see the video.
If you’d like to make royal icing for your gingerbread house(s), and would like printable recipes, I’ve included a single and double batch recipe here for you, as well as a classic royal icing recipe made with egg-whites especially for those of you who can’t find meringue powder. The first two recipes listed here are adapted from cakecentral.com’s user Antonia74. The recipe made with egg whites is adapted from the author of Gingerbread for All Seasons, Teresa Layman.
You can find a template for a gingerbread house and a video on how I put the house together, HERE.
I bought most of my candy at Old Thyme Confections HERE.
Royal Icing Recipe for Gingerbread Houses (One or Two Batches)
Click here for the Printable Recipe

Royal Icing Recipe Made with Egg-Whites
Click here for the Printable Recipe THE PRINTABLE RECIPE HAS A TYPO! IT SHOULD SAY 1 KILOGRAM (KG) ICING SUGAR, NOT 1 pound (lb).

A quick note about royal icing – if you’d like more information on how to store it, how long it lasts etc., please click here and for a video on find royal icing consistency for decorating cookies, please click here.
It was completely worth the one hour’s drive to Toronto to buy the mixer (I had to drive there to get one as it’s a new model and the residential model is exclusively available to Williams-Sonoma right now. The NSF commercial mixer is more readily available. You can find it on Amazon here), as the amount of icing I went through for the houses and the facade was really something!
You might be wondering by now what a ” gingerbread dollhouse facade” is. In fact, I didn’t know what to call it, so I just kind of made the name up. I know you’re not supposed to play with your food, but I couldn’t resist making a little gingerbread “house” that our H-banana could play with this Christmas. Truth be told I had wanted to make an all edible interior too, but time-wise, that was just not going to happen. I can’t wait to see how she reacts.

And another confession, I’m not sure who’s going to enjoy her gift more, her or I. Lol. I think I’ve fallen in love with miniatures.

I mean, really. Those little cookies are barely 1 cm long.

And oh my goodness, a little sieve and whisk! I want to try sifting flour with it! (No, haven’t done it yet… stress the yet).

By the way, there’s a tiny version of something in the ‘gingerbread dollhouse facade’ that I’ll possibly be giving you for Christmas – except it will be adult size. Can you guess what it is? Chances are, if you’ve read the title of this post, you already know 😉 .

You got it!

Ultimate 7-Quart KitchenAid Mixer Giveaway!
To celebrate the Holiday season and help you with your Christmas baking, I am hosting a giveaway for TWO 7-quart Ultimate KitchenAid Mixers!
You’ll be able to chose from the following available colours:

I am so excited and thankful that KitchenAid is sponsoring this giveaway for you! Good luck!
Here’s how to enter:
You have at least five chances of winning – each option below gives you one chance, and you’re about to see how there are even more possibilities.
Either use Facebook or your name and email to enter the contest below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The contest is not running on Facebook and although I appreciate your comments on my Facebook page, those comments will not be entered into the draw. Again, you must leave your comments here.
*
Announcing the Winner of the *TWO* 7-Quart KitchenAid Mixers!
First of all, thank you to all of you who entered; I was delighted and touched by your sweet, funny and passionate responses.
I really WISH I could give away as many mixers as there were entries; you dedicated bakers and sweet-tooths deserve it!
There is one winning comment number though, and it is:
Congratulations!!

The winner is Nicole Irwin Cross, entry #16,754!
Please contact me with the best way to reach you so that you can claim your prizes.
Thank you to ALL of you how entered! Blessings to you this holiday season!
xo,
Marian



Red is my favorite color and I’ve been lusting over a new (larger) mixer now that I have kiddos!
PS: Heather Angelle pointed me your direction!
The Candy apple Red so totally needs to decorate my counter tops!!
Great job on the houses :~)
I would love to win a bright red or blue one! The gingerbread house is fantastic.
Amy Rouse sent me! 🙂
I would love to win! I’m already thinking who I will share it with. Merry Christmas!
WIN WIN WIN!!! I would LOVE to Win 🙂 hehe
Would love to have a new KitchenAid mixer.
Would love to win an upgrade on my KitchenAid. Have been using the one I have since I was newly married. My DD would get mine as a hand me down if I won.
I would love to be able to make all my cookie batches in one batch! I would love to win this mixer!
Wow! Those houses are amazing…..might have to give it a try next year! And I would love to get a new mixer, mine is DUN =)
I could definitely use the black one in my kitchen. Good job on the gingerbread house.
I could definitely use the black one in my kitchen. Good job on the gingerbread house.
Would I ever love to win one of those mixers!!!
Oh what beautiful gingerbread houses!
I enjoy baking cookies & the mixer would make the process so sweet!
I would love a mixer! It would definitely speed up my baking process!
I would love to win a stand mixer. I have been inspired by you to decorate cookies and it would be so much easier to make royal icing with a stand mixer…and i love all cookies, cakes, cupcakes and esp the gluten free recipes.
Kitchenaid mixers rock!! It would make baking alot easier.
I would love this in Red!
Amy Rouse sent me so that we can both win this great mixer!
@ Lynx:
Awesome houses
Amy Rouse sent me and I would love to win!
I would love to walk into my kitchen every day and see a bright red candy apple red kitchen aid. Darling houses…of course!
Your houses are gorgeous! Would love to win this little piece of perfection!
This is what I asked for for Christmas!!! I have always wanted one. And then I, too, could make gorgeous gingerbread houses!
I would love to win this. Thank you.
I would definitely love to win this mixer so I can bake cakes and share it to other people.
I want to win a kitchenaid mixer
I would LOVE to win this! Thank you!
I would love to win the mixer for my daughter! Beautiful site!
I would love to win such a fantastic mixer. Your gingerbread houses are so imaginative and beautiful! Thanks so much for sharing!
Cutest gingerbread houses I have ever seen! Love it!
Kim
I would wish to win a Kitchen aid mixer ,loved ur gingerbread house it’s amazing.hope u pick me,Merry Christmas !!
I may be boring but, since there isnt a pink option for the mixer, I guess I’d have to choose the white!
“I would love to be able to give this mixer to my caking mum. I am willing to pay all the shipping costs.”
holy cow!!! i won something in second grade. so i know it’s possible to win things!!!! i think it’s my turn again!! oooh ooooh oooh!!! pick me pick me pick me!!!! 😉 giggle…
this win would be a dream for our whole family
I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to win this! I am a sugar cookie baker and decorator, and you have taught me so much that my “business” is booming, and my 3 quart KitchenAid is just not enough anymore. Hope I win!
kathi pinkston told me about this entry process. I want to win!
This would help me so much in my cooking and baking. You just don’t know.
I am a pastry chef student, and this would come in quite handy as I start to mass produce my goods.
I really, really, really want to win this KitchenAid mixer!!!! 🙂
Awesome drawing!
What a great prize! Thank you for having the contest.
Great contest
Thank you for the chance to win a mixer and happy holidays to you. The Gingerbread houses are gorgeous…I am inspired by your work.
Wow, what inspiring Gingerbread houses!!
I would love to win, so pretty!!
I love these mixers!!! Amazing prize
Love your blog & the houses are beautiful! Merry Christmas!
I hope my wish comes true for Christmas and win a black kitchen aid mixer,plz pick mee!!
Marian!
These houses are darling! The epitome of SWEET! Thanks for sharing with us all 🙂 PICK ME! PICK ME! My mixer is on it’s last legs, and 3 sets of beaters later 😛
Holy Moly…I would think I had died and gone to heaven if I won the mixer!!!! Also, I love all of the miniatures for the dollhouse facade!! I’m fascinated with them and could browse the miniature aisle at the craft store for hours!