
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 love to win this mixer. I have a very old kitchen aid with only a 4 qt bowl and I just love the new 7 qt bowl it would make my christmas baking so much easier.
I’ve been dreaming of owning a KitchenAid Mixer for years now – I’m really hoping that this is finally the year that one comes to live with me!
My sister, Dorothy R, told me about your blog and this giveaway. We both really want Kitchen Aids!
Id LOVE to win this to make my baking so much easier!!
Love the “sweet treats” and the recipe. My daughters and I love to create in the kitchen so I guess this weekend is gingerbread houses.
What a great giveaway for the holidays! Love the miniatures in the gingerbread house, neat!
I want this mixer so badly!
I would love to win this mixer in candy apple red
Oh my goodness, I would LOVE one of these babies! I would definitely up the ante on the next gingerbread house I make.
I would love to win one in red. Your gingerbread houses are beautiful. We decided to try and make one this weekend for our Christmas party. Sure would be easier with a KitchenAid stand mixer, but we are so impressed that we decided to try anyway. Wish us luck!! Thanks again…
Would make a lovely Christmas present to myself! yes, it’s greedy but I don’t care…LOL
A Kitchen Aid mixer would be a great addition to my kitchen. I would love to win!
It would be awesome to win a Kitchenaid mixer and your gingerbread houses are adorable!
Oh, what a wonderful giveaway! I’ve always wanted a red KitchenAid stand mixer 🙂
I wouldn’t like to win…I’d LOVE to!!!
I WOULD DIE IF I WON!!! :”D <3
I LOVE the all pink gingerbread house. So sweet!
I would love to win a mixer!!
@ Erin Becker: Almost forgot to mention that Crystal Biehl of Biehl Adventures sent me over!
WOW! What amazing gingerbread houses! I’d love to try making that icing with a mixer! Hope to win it!
I would just be the happiest woman on earth if I were to win this mixer in any clor you choose. I bake everyday and really have wanted one for a long time, but since losing my job in 2008 I really can’t afford it.
Love your blog and visit it quit often to get special recipes. Thanks for the great recipes
My daughter=in=law’s twin (Dawn Kruis Know) is an awesome young mother and fantastic baker. She would be so thrilled to win so she could continue turning out wonderful baked goods.
I would love it in candy apple red!
I would like to win this!
Those mini cookies were so stinkin cute! Woo Hoo I want a shiny red new mixer!!! 🙂
I would love this!!!
I would love to have a new KitchenAid mixer. Mine is over 9yrs old and is starting to make weird noises when I use it :O(. I would love to have that beautiful RED one :O)
I really love the gingerbread houses…would love to make one for each grandchild but with 14 grandchildren, it would take forever. I really NEED that 7 quart Kitchenaid to make the job easier! :o)
My girlfriend looks at KitchenAid stand mixers nearly everyday in envy. She would love this!
Oh and Stacy Justice shared this cool link on FB!
Omg I hope I win sooooooo bad!!!
[email protected] told me about this contest and I’m so happy she did! This mixer could definitely help make some delicious desserts for my wedding next year!! I will definitely be on sweetopia a lot more often if i win this mixer!
Those gingerbread houses are adorable!
I would love to win the red mixer.
I have the 5 quart mixer but when I bake I make lots of cupcakes…..like 200+. This would make it a breeze! Love the red!
Santa would make all of my Christmas wishes come true if he put one of these under my tree this year!!!
Love your Gingerbread houses – so cute!!! And I would love a Candy Apple Red KA stand mixer…..
Your website is my go to place for how to’s and tips on baking. You have already made me a better baker, and a new kitchenaid mixer would make me and even better baker 🙂
I would love a red stand mixer!
love all the details in the gingerbread dollhouse! would love to make a gingerbread house myself with a new mixer 🙂
Oh PLEASE let it be me. My old KA is on it’s last legs!
I’d LOVE to be able to make a gingerbread house that looks like one of those… Also, would LOVE a Kitchen Aid stand mixer!
I would so love to win a 7 quart mixer. Mixing one batch at a time is so time consuming. This is a great give away!
I just found your blog and am already loving it. Great giveaway…thanks for the chance to win!
Also, got this forwarded from Crystal Looker
I WOULD LOVE TO WIN THIS KITCHENAID MIXER. MY MOM PASTED AWAY A FEW YEARS AHO AND TJIS WOULD HELP OUT LIKE A DREAM RECREATING MY MOTHERS OLD RECIPES.I WOULD GET IT IN RED AS THAT WAS MY MOTHERS FAVORITE COLOR!
Would love, love to have a new mixer. Mine is on it’s last leg :(.
Super cool giveaway!
I need one!
I already have a great kitchen aid mixer but I would love to give a red one to my mom.
I just found your blog and I’M IN LOVE!