Directions

1. In a large bowl, sift all dry ingredients (3 cups flour, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, salt, baking soda, cloves, saffron, and nutmeg). Set aside remaining flower.

2. In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes until fluffy and pale in color. Reduce speed to medium and add eggs, one at a time, mixing well between additions. Add molasses (or pure cane syrup) and vanilla, mixing until well incorporated.

3. On a lower speed, add flour mixture slowly (about a half-cup at a time) and mix until a dough is formed. Once a nice sticky dough as formed, remove dough from bowl and knead gently a few times to form a smooth ball (dust the work surface with flour if necessary).

4. Once dough is well blended and not too sticky, divide into 2 portions, flattening each into a disc and wrapping in plastic wrap. Chill discs of dough for at least 2 hours in the fridge (you can keep it overnight).

5. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325F. Remove one dough disc from plastic wrap and place on a floured surface. Flour the top of the disc and roll out the dough with a rolling pin, making sure to add flour whenever dough is sticking to the rolling pin. Make sure to flip the dough over halfway through (adding flour to the rolling surface) to smoothly and evenly roll it out. To ensure an even thickness throughout the dough, use two 5 mm dowels on either side of the dough (or you can get creative and use rolling pin rings or whatever else you find to be the right thickness). 

   [Repeat these steps with remaining dough disc whenever you are ready to cut out more shapes.]

6. Cut out the shapes for the gingerbread house. 

   First portion – walls and half of roof. 

   Second portion – walls and remaining half of roof. If you are daring, feel free to freehand the pieces. Otherwise, find a template online and print/cut out the pieces you want. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes from the leftover scraps of dough.

7. Place the gingerbread cut-outs on a cookie tray (lined with parchment paper) with at least 1 inch of space between them. Bake in the oven for the following times, until the edges JUST start to brown: 7 mins for smaller cookies 10 - 12 mins for the walls 15 - 18 mins for the roof (largest pieces)

8. Cool the cookies on tray for about 20 minutes after baking, then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

9. Use royal icing to stick pieces of the house together and decorate with candy. To make sure your house doesn’t fall apart, let the house sit for at least 30 minutes before starting to decorate.

For the royal icing:

1. Add meringue powder and water to a mixing bowl and whisk until foamy. Add sifted confectioner's sugar about one cup at a time and mix on low until well incorporated. Once all sugar is added, continue to mix on medium-high until icing becomes thick and glossy.

   (Tip: Use the paddle attachment of your stand mixer, or mixer attachment of your hand mixer to not incorporate too much air.)

2. Place the royal icing in a pastry bag and tie tightly shut to avoid crusting before use.