
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



i would really like to win because it would help me a lot with my own bussiness, plus is the best stand mixer ever!
KitchenAid Mixer!!! I want one so badly!!!
I would love to have this mixer!!!
I would LOVE to win the red one!
I would love to win! It would make it so much easier for Christmas candy making!
I would so love to win! The Candy apple red is really pretty.
I want to win this sooooooooo bad. I want the Candy Apple Red one 🙂
I would Love to win a Red Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer. There are so many things I cannot make that require a powerful stand mixer. Thanks for giving me and others the Chance to win one.
Love the Awesome Gingerbread Houses.
I would really like to win!!! Just start baking and love it 🙂
Would love to win this! Would help greatly since I don’t have a mixer at the moment.
Would love to win!!!! Pick me!!!
I would love to win the candy apple red one! I love the 7 quart bowl! I have wanted a KitchenAid mixer for years!
I love your gingerbread houses. I love the colors. If I had a KitchenAid mixer, I would love to create dishes that I can share with my friends and family. Mixing by hand is not fun. Especially when trying to do it at a fast rate. Please, I want to win a mixer!
i would love to win. the black is my favorite!
thank you for the chance to win a 7 qt. Kitcheaid Mixer.
My top item on my Christmas list! Oh, please, Santa! heheheh
One day I WILL own one of these! 🙂
I would LOVE to win this!
I’d LOVE to win this! Crystal Biehl sent me!
I would love to win this 7 quart KitchenAide Mixer. I read great reviews about Kitchenaide but have not had the luxury of owning one as of yet. It would be a great replacement of my mixer I use now. I would love to have the canday apple red.
I want one!! =) I would love the Apple Red One! It’s gorgeous..
Ooooooooh this would MAKE MY CHRISTMAS! It’s been a rough year and this might just completely save it.
I would love to win!
I would love to win the mixer in Cherry Red!
Pick me pick me
Would love a new mixer for the holidays!
Love your blog.
I would love to have a KitchenAid mixer in black! I have recently discovered that I love to bake and a stand mixer would make things so much easier!
I would love to win!
FB name Josh-And Tabitha Kesterson – Would absolutely love to win!
I would love a KitchenAid, nothing works better!!
Oh my goodness! Those are adorable! I love the fact that you made them so they can be played with.
I’d love the silver Kitchen Aid.
these gingerbread houses are adorable!! i would love this mixer, since after finding your website and others like you I have become a heavy duty ameteur baker/decorater!
I would LOVE to win this!
This would be awesome!!!
I would LOVE one of these!! I’m just starting out and this would heaven sent!!thank you!!
I’ve always wanted one!!
I would love to win (the red one!)
Those gingerbread houses are so cute! I’d love it in red. Thanks!
I have bought my daughter a kitchen aid and I’ve always wanted one but cannot afford one for myself. So I would love to win!!
Truly, this post is breathtakingly beautiful. Kudos to you!!!
I’d really like to win one! They are beautiful machines. Merry Christmas. 🙂
love the little houses so inspired!!!
I would LOVE to win!! It would make all my holiday (and year round) baking so much easier and more fun!
I like KitchenAid on facebook.
Oh how a mixer would make my baking much easier
The little houses are just darling!!
I need one of these badly!!! 🙂 I love staying in the kitchen and baking during the Holidays, and this mixer would make things sooooo much faster and easier!
I’ve wanted one for over 20 years but could never justify it. It would be a great help during the holidays!
I like Sweetopia on facebook