Haunted Gingerbread House

This Haunted Gingerbread House is a spooky, creative Halloween treat made with homemade gingerbread, royal icing, and festive candies. It's fun for the whole family and perfect as a party centerpiece. Build and decorate your own edible haunted house with this easy, customizable recipe.

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 15

Assembly and decorating 1

Total Time 1 45

Serving Size House

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Gingerbread Dough:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup molasses
1 egg

For the Royal Icing:

3 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons meringue powder
6 tablespoons water adjust for consistency

For Decoration:

1/2 cup candy corn
1/4 cup licorice strips
1/4 cup marshmallow ghosts
1/4 cup gummy spiders
1/4 cup shredded coconut
Gel food coloring black, purple, green, orange

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, ginger, cinnamon, and baking soda. In a separate bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until smooth. Mix in molasses and egg. Gradually add dry ingredients to form a firm dough.
Roll out dough on parchment paper to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use templates or cutters to cut 2 walls, 2 roof panels, and 2 gable pieces.
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Transfer gingerbread pieces to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12–15 minutes. Let cool completely.
In a mixing bowl, combine powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water. Beat until stiff peaks form. Adjust consistency as needed.
Use royal icing to glue the walls to a flat surface. Hold or support until stable. Add roof pieces and allow the structure to set for 15–20 minutes before decorating.
Use piping bags or sandwich bags to add icing details. Stick candy corn, licorice strips, marshmallow ghosts, and gummy spiders onto the house. Color icing with gel food coloring for spooky effects. Let dry at least 1 hour.

Nutrition