
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



KitchenAid makes me drool! I would love to win a mixer!
Angie Vinez sent me. Awesome giveaway!
UH!! I’d die with a mixer that big! so awesome that you are doing this giveaway!
What a great Christmas present that would make, would love to have it decorating my kitchen!!! 🙂 Thank you for your work!!
I would LOVE to win. Your reader, Amy Rouse, sent me to your blog.
I would LOVE to win this!!!
would love to win this awesome mixer
What a fabulous giveaway!
Candy Apple Red, please!
I want to win this fantastic giveaway!
i would love to win. kitchenaid is my favorite company ever!
I purchased a 4 quart YEARS ago, then a 6 quart about 6 years ago. It would be very nice to have a 7 quart for myself, and give one to my daughter. Even if I don’t win, thanks for the chance. The thought of it makes me smile.
Sincerely,
Teresa Cook
Love that gingerbread house!
I would love to win a new Kitchen Aid! I lost my beloved one in a nasty divorce from a spiteful ex and it’s probably still in the same box he packed it away in. 🙁
This is a FANTASTIC giveaway!!!
What a wonderful giveaway! Thanks for the change to win such a beautiful and useful product.
What an amazing giveaway!! I’d LOVE to win!
I would LOVE to have one of those mixers!!
I’d love to win! We have a Kitchen Aid but it’s getting older and worn out. I’d love to win this!!!
Shared with my friends on Facebook!
Forgot to mention that Evelyn Ripple sent me!
What a wonderful opportunity! Thank you for hosting this contest.
I’d love to win a red one.
Great contest! Amy Rouse sent me.
Pick me!!! I would absolutely love to have one of these!!!
I would love to win a big mixer like this one! Thanks!
Nancy
I want to win the red one!!! 🙂
Amazing gingerbread houses!!! And great giveaway 🙂
I would love to have the Red Candy Apple, I would go with my kitchen!!
I would like the red candy apple also. I got one 26 yrs ago when I got married and it still is working great but would really love to have a brand new one.
Yay! Love Kitchenaid mixers!!! 😀
Such beautiful gingerbread houses! You have a lot of talent!
Wow these gingerbread houses look amazing, I can’t wait to try making one when I get home.
Would love to have one of these!
I want to eat your blog! I love coming here! Awesome stuff, as usual!
p.s. Candy Apple Red has my ever lovin’ name on it! 🙂
I would die if I won this!! I have been saving for one for a year and it would totally make my day! Especially a pretty red one like yours!!
Great giveaway!! Thanks for the chance to win!
Pick me pick me!!! 🙂
I would love to win!! I heard about this from my friend Schurie!
This would make the PERFECT present for me for Christmas!! I have been dying for one!!
These mixers are the best! I really don’t know of another that performs as well. Thanks for offering such a great give-away.
I would LOVE to win!!!
I WANT THIS SO BADLY!!!!
Starting my own business and a Kitcnen Aid 7 quart mixer would be a wonderful assistant.
What an AWESOME giveaway!!!
I would LOVE to win this, as would my kiddos 🙂
This would be amazing to win, but theoretically I never win stuff but hey…. it’s worth a try. I wouldn’t even know where to begin if I won this… I guess there would be endless possibilities. I seem to be the only one who enjoys my own baking, but maybe a Kitchen Aid mixer would help. He he he. Good luck everyone and congratulations to the two winners whoever you are! 🙂
I would love to be one of the winners
I would love love love a kitchenaid….they are the most amazing mixer ever!
What an awsome giveaway. Your tips, tricks and cookies are awsome.