Homemade vegan gingerbread house including easy step by step instructions and my egg-free royal icing. This recipe makes a perfect holiday project that the entire family can enjoy.
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.