If you want to make a structure based on gingerbread, you cannot use the same recipe you would use for cookies. I know. I tried it once. The result was a fail. A complete and total fail. But here you have the recipe for making structures. Just remember that you have to cut out your pieces while the dough is raw. So in doing this, I recommend that you cut it out on the same sheet tray you plan to use to bake it on, this avoids any shifting of the dough that moving raw dough can cause. I also recommend pricking the raw dough with a fork or, if you're not lazy, a toothpick over and over and over again.
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 3/4 cups well-shaken buttermilk
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 6 tbsp butter or margarine
- 1 large egg
- 5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Heat the butter and buttermilk until the butter is melted.
- Remove from heat.
- Add in the brown sugar and molasses.
- Beat in the egg.
- Whisk the spices, salt, and baking soda together with 1 cup of the flour and add to the wet mixture to incorporate.
- Add the remaining flour, 1 cup at a time until it forms a smooth, stiff dough.
- Wrap in plastic until ready to use. Allow it to sit out until it becomes pliable again.