Have you ever made your own vegan gingerbread house? Although it does take a little time and patience to build, it is so rewarding to see your gingerbread construction. If you don't plan on eating it, it will last for a few weeks and makes a great Xmas decoration. You can even double the recipe and make a miniature vegan gingerbread village! Making a gingerbread house is the perfect festive activity that the entire family will enjoy - plus you get to eat it afterward.
This gingerbread house is an adaptation of my vegan gingerbread cookies recipe with some adjustments to make it a more stable biscuit recipe.
Here's what's to love about this recipe
- Completely eggless and dairy-free
- Surprisingly easy to make
- Can be adapted as gluten-free
- A great activity for the entire family
- Makes a beautiful edible Christmas decoration
- Makes an amazing Xmas gift for neighbors and friends
Ingredient notes
- Ground flaxseeds: Flaxseeds act as the binding agent and egg substitute for this gingerbread cookie recipe. When water is added, flax swells up and forms a gel-like consistency. This helps to create a more stable vegan gingerbread house recipe.
- Plain flour: Plain white flour or spelt flour works best for this recipe. For the gluten-free option, gluten-free plain flour also works perfectly.
- Vegan butter: Vegan butter is rubbed into the flour to form the base of these soft gingerbread cookies while adding favor.
- Spices: For this gingerbread recipe, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg are combined which makes them super flavorsome.
- Salt: As always, I add a little salt to this recipe as it enhances all the other flavors of the cookies.
- Coconut sugar: Coconut sugar has a deep caramel flavor and color to the gingerbread dough.
- Molasses: Molasses, blackstrap molasses or black treacle is the liquid sweetener used to give this gingerbread a deep flavor and color.
- Plant-based milk: You can use any plant-based milk of your choice here. I normally use soy or oat milk. Be mindful to take into account what milk you use if you are gluten-free.
- Orange zest: This is optional, but highly recommended! The fresh orange zest flavor really comes through and helps to balance the “spiciness” of these cookies.
- Aquafaba: Aquafaba is the viscous liquid left over from cooking chickpeas or other white legumes. Chemically, aquafaba has many of the same components as eggs, making it an ideal substitute for many recipes. The addition of aquafaba to the icing makes it hard when it’s exposed to air.
- Icing sugar: Icing sugar is the main ingredient of vegan royal icing. If you live in the US, be sure to opt for an organic variety to ensure that it’s vegan-friendly.
- Lemon or orange juice: A touch of orange or lemon juice livens up the icing with a citrus twist. This marries in well with the subtle orange zest flavor of the gingerbread house.
How to make this recipe (with step-by-step images)
(Full ingredient quantities and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post)
Make the cookie dough
First, prepare the flax egg by mixing the milled flaxseeds and 2 ½ tablespoons water and allowing them to sit and soak for at least 5 minutes.
Next, sift the flour into a large bowl and add the chunks of butter. You're going to rub the butter into the flour using the "rubbing in method" until the mixture resembles a "crumble" consistency.
Add the remaining dry ingredients (in this case the spices and salt) and stir to evenly combine the ingredients.
In a separate bowl, mix together the other ingredients (the flax egg, coconut sugar, molasses, plant-based milk, and orange zest) to form a paste. Add the paste to the dry ingredients.
Next, use your hands to knead the mixture until a dough forms. Now roll the dough into a ball and cover wrap in cling film or place in an airtight container, and place in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.
Cut out the gingerbread cookies
I used a gingerbread house kit for this design. Here are the Christmas cookie cutters that I used for this exact house. If you'd like to create your own template you can print them out and cut the cookies out using a knife. See the image below for reference to the dimensions of the house in this recipe.
Flour your countertop and rolling pin and roll out the dough to approximately ½ inch in height. If using gingerbread house cookie cutters, cut out the two end walls of the house.
Cut out windows and a door. Repeat this by re-rolling the remaining dough for the two side walls.
Lastly, re-roll the remaining dough to a ¼ inch in height, and cut the 2 roof panels, as making them lighter will ensure they aren't too heavy on top of the structure of the house. For the roof panels, you can use a knife or cake scraper to carefully draw a roof tile design.
Carefully slide the cookies onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Bake the gingerbread cookies for 12 minutes until they start to brown, then place them on a cooling rack to cool completely for at least 30 minutes.
How to make vegan royal icing (glue sugar)
Meanwhile, prepare the royal icing by adding the aquafaba to a large bowl and whipping with a handheld whisk or stand mixer for 5 minutes. Once bubbly, add the icing sugar in quarter increments whilst continuing to whisk. Lastly, add the lemon or orange juice and whisk for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is thick.
Transfer the icing to a piping bag. When ready to use, snip the top of the bag with scissors. I use a clothes peg to seal the end while I'm not using it, as the icing will harden when exposed to air.
Assembling the gingerbread house
Once completely cooled, gently trim away any uneven edges of the cookie panels and ensure that all the pairs are uniform.
Get a flat piece of cardboard to use as the base for building your gingerbread house. Pipe icing on the bottom of one side panel and one front panel of the house, then pipe icing on the side ends and press them together.
Repeat this with the remaining 2 panels of the house. If needed, use some food cans as props to support the sides while they dry. Allow it to dry for at least an hour before adding the roof!
Once the outside structure of your house is complete and the icing (cement!) has dried, you can add the roof. Pipe royal icing on the top edges of all the house panels and carefully place one roof piece on top. Again, you can use a can or small glass to prop up the side of the roof while it drys.
Add a thick layer of royal icing to the top of the first roof panel, then place the second roof panel onto the house. I'd recommend using some glasses to prop up the sides and support the roof panels while they dry.
Allow your vegan gingerbread house to set for at least 2-3 hours (preferably overnight). Make sure you seal the piping bag so that the remaining royal icing doesn't dry out. The royal icing can be stored at room temperature until ready to use.
Once the house is completely dry, you can start to decorate and add any details that you'd like.
Vegan gingerbread house decorations
- Fresh rosemary: Fresh rosemary sprigs make the perfect little "evergreen trees". Simply pipe some of the vegan royal icing onto the cardboard base to secure the trees.
- Wooden lolly sticks: Wooden lolly sticks can be cut to size to create a "picket fence" and held together using a little vegan royal icing.
- Icing sugar: Sift icing sugar on top of the roof of the house for the effect of freshly fallen snow.
- Cornflour: You can also use cornflour to dust the base and around the gingerbread house to give the effect of snow.
- Fairy lights: I added some fairy lights inside and outside of the house for a homely look.
Substitutions
- Molasses: You can use pure maple syrup in place of the molasses if preferred.
- Vegan butter: If you're not able to get vegan butter you can try using coconut oil in its place. Although I haven't tried using coconut oil in this recipe, this is commonly used in place of vegan butter in cookie recipes.
- Plain flour: You can use spelt flour or whole grain flour in place of plain flour. If you're gluten-free you can opt for all-purpose gluten-free flour in place of regular flour.
More vegan gingerbread recipes
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Description
Equipment
Ingredients
Vegan gingerbread
- 1 tablespoon (1 tbsp) ground flaxseeds, *see notes
- 350 g (2.8 cups) plain flour, use GF all purpose if needed
- 150 g (5.3 oz) vegan butter, cut into small chunks, bring to room temperature for about an hour
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons (2 teaspoons) ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) ground nutmeg
- Pinch (Pinch) salt
- 150 g (⅓ cup) soft brown sugar, or coconut sugar
- 30 g (1 oz) molasses
- 30 ml (2 tablespoons) plant-based milk
- 1 tablespoons (2.5 tablespoons) orange zest, optional
Eggless royal icing
- 80 g (⅓ cup) aquafaba, unsalted
- 500 g (4 ¼ cups) icing sugar, *use organic if based in the US
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) lemon juice or orange juice
Instructions
Gingerbread cookies
- Prepare the flax egg by mixing the milled flaxseeds and 2 ½ tablespoons water and allowing them sit and soak for at least 5 minutes.
- Sieve the flour into a large bowl and add the chunks of butter. Rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles a "crumble" consistency. Add the ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt and stir to evenly combine the ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, mix the flax egg, coconut sugar, molasses, plant-based milk, and orange zest (if using) to form a paste. Add the paste to the dry ingredients and knead until a dough forms. Roll the dough into a ball and cover wrap in cling film or place in an airtight container, and place in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F).
- Flour your countertop and roll out the dough to approximately ½ inch in height. If using gingerbread house cookie cutters, cut out 2 of each part (2 sidewalls, 2 end walls and cut out windows and a door. Lastly cut the 2 roof panels at ¼ inch in height, as making them lighter will ensure they aren't too heavy on top of the structure of the house.
- Note: If you don't have gingerbread house cookie cutters, alternatively you can download a gingerbread house template online and use this as a guide to cut out the parts. I have listed the gingerbread cookie cutter set that I've used in the equipment section of this recipe so that you can refer to it for size guidelines.
- For the roof panels, you can use a knife to carefully draw a roof tile design.
- Place the cookies on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Bake for 12 minutes until they start to brown, then place them on a cooling rack to cool completely for at least 30 minutes.
- Once completely cooled, gently trim away any uneven edges of the cookie panels and ensure that all the pairs are uniform.
Royal icing
- To make the royal icing, add the aquafaba to a large bowl and whip with a handheld whisk or stand mixer for 5 minutes. Add the icing sugar in quarter increments whilst continuing to whisk. Lastly, add the lemon or orange juice and whisk for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is thick.
- Transfer the icing to a piping bag. When ready to use, snip the top of the bag with a scissors. I use a clothes peg to seal the end while I'm not using it, as the icing will harden when exposed to air.
Assembly
- Get a flat piece of cardboard to use as the base for building your gingerbread house. Pipe icing on the bottom of one side panel and one front panel of the house, then pipe icing on the side ends and press them together. Repeat this with the remaining 2 panels of the house. If needed, use some food cans as props to support the sides while they dry. Allow it to dry for at least an hour before adding the roof!
- Once the outside structure of your house is complete and the icing (cement!) has dried, you can add the roof. Pipe royal icing on the top edges of all the house panels and carefully place one roof piece on top. Again, you can use a can or small glass to prop up the side of the roof while it drys.
- Add a thick layer of royal icing to the top of the first roof panel, then place the second roof panel onto the house. I'd recommend using some glasses to prop up the sides and support the roof panels while they dry.
- Allow it to set for at least 2-3 hours (preferably overnight). Make sure you seal the piping bag so that the remaining royal icing doesn't dry out. The royal icing can be stored at room temperature until ready to use.
- Once the house is completely dry, you can start to decorate and add any details that you'd like. You can use the remainder of the royal icing to create a snow effect on and around the gingerbread house.
- To decorate, you can use fresh sprigs of rosemary to resemble evergreen trees and a picket fence made from wooden lolly sticks. Dust the roof of the house with some icing sugar for the feel of freshly fallen snow.
Notes
- Flax egg: Mix 1 tbsp milled flaxseeds and 2.5 tbsp water and sit for at least 5 minutes before stirring.
- Molasses: You can use pure maple syrup in place of the molasses if preferred.
- Vegan butter: If you're not able to get vegan butter you can try using coconut oil in its place. Although I haven't tried using coconut oil in this recipe, this is commonly used in place of vegan butter in cookie recipes.
- Plain flour: You can use spelt flour or whole grain flour in place of plain flour. If you're gluten-free you can opt for all-purpose gluten-free flour in place of regular flour.
Nutrition
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