Gingerbread Barn

gingerbread barn

Give this gingerbread barn some country character with an almond slice shingle roof, rosemary trees, Rice Krispies Treats hay bales, and more edible elements.

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1 serving(s)

Total Time:

Ingredients

Directions

Make the Dough

  1. Step 1 Beat butter, brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and baking soda with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add flour and water alternately, beginning and ending with flour, just until combined. Divide dough among four large pieces of plastic wrap and press into rectangles. Chill until firm, at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days.
  2. Step 2 Preheat oven to 375°F. Working with one piece of dough at a time, on floured parchment paper, roll dough to 1/4-inch-thick. Place as many pieces of the paper pattern as will fit onto the rolled dough. With a sharp paring knife, cut around the pattern. Remove scraps; reserve. Repeat with remaining dough and paper patterns. Chill cutout pieces, on parchment, until firm, at least 15 minutes and up to 2 days. Press scraps into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill.
  3. Step 3 Transfer chilled dough, on parchment, to a cookie sheet. Bake, in batches, until firm, 14 to 16 minutes. Place patterns on hot gingerbread and carefully trim shapes (as needed) with a sharp paring knife. Transfer pans to a cooling rack and cool completely.
  4. Step 4 Roll scraps on floured parchment to 3/8-inch-thick. Use cookie cutters to cut out desired animal shapes. Cut out a 1 1/2- by 1-inch rectangle and use a skewer to poke two holes in the long side (this is for the barn sign). Chill until firm, at least 15 minutes and up to 2 days. Transfer chilled dough, on parchment, to cookie sheets. Bake until firm, 11 to 12 minutes.
  5. Step 5 Mix dry royal icing mix according to package directions.

Decorate and Assemble

  1. Step 1 Decorate roof: Attach sliced almonds to roof pieces with royal icing.
  2. Step 2 Decorate animals and barn sign: Decorate animals and barn sign, as desired, with royal icing. Create a sign post from large pretzel rods and attach sign with loops of red string licorice.
  3. Step 3 Decorate front: For the beam, attach large pretzel rods along the widest point with royal icing; decorate with thyme sprigs and flaked coconut. For the door, draw on frame and crosshatches with royal icing; once dry, decorate with a red string licorice bow. For the windows, attach mini pretzel sticks with royal icing and pipe royal icing to create crosshatches; once dry, decorate with rosemary sprigs and red mini M&Ms. For the barn quilt, draw an outline and then fill in with royal icing. Create tree with dark and light green nonpareils and outline quilt with red string licorice and edible red confetti.
  4. Step 4 Decorate sides: Attach mini pretzel sticks with royal icing and pipe royal icing to create crosshatches. Attach mini horse head cookies where desired.
  5. Step 5 Decorate trees: Attach rosemary sprigs to sugar cones with royal icing. Top with candied pineapple.
  6. Step 6 Assemble barn: Construct barn with royal icing directly on display surface.
  7. Step 7 Assemble silo: Attach pairs of large pretzel sticks together with royal icing that has been dyed brown with brown food gel coloring. Once dry, stand pairs upright, directly on display surface, in dabs of royal icing and attach together with brown royal icing. Top with a flattened jumbo marshmallow, a mini powdered donut, and a white chocolate-covered raisin.
  8. Step 8 Create fence: Attach cinnamon sticks and mini pretzel sticks with royal icing. Once dry, stand upright, directly on display surface, in dabs of royal icing.
  9. Step 9 Create path: Use Crispix cereal to create a path to the barn doors. Line edges with crushed peppermint candies.
  10. Step 10 Embellish scene: Scatter animals and barn sign (stand them up with dabs of royal icing) and trees around scene. Stack Puffed Rice Hay Bales and cover display surface with flaked coconut.