Okay, so I’ve always wanted to make those super cute gingerbread houses, the kind you see in movies. But I’m not a big fan of using raw eggs in the icing, especially since I want the kids to help. So, I went on a mission to find a recipe for gingerbread house icing without eggs. And guess what? I found a pretty simple one, and it worked like a charm!
Getting Started
First, I gathered all my ingredients. It’s a pretty short list, which is always a win in my book:
- Powdered sugar (lots of it!)
- Water
- Light corn syrup
- Optional: Flavoring,I didn’t use.
Mixing It Up
I dumped a whole bunch of powdered sugar into a big bowl. Seriously, you need more than you think. Then, I started adding water, just a little bit at a time. I used a spoon to mix it all up, and it got pretty thick pretty fast. Keep adding water, little by little, until it’s like a thick paste. You don’t want it to be runny at all!
Next, I added a good squeeze of light corn syrup. This is the secret ingredient that makes the icing super strong and shiny. I stirred that in until it was all combined.
If you wanted to, you could add some flavoring at this point, like vanilla extract, or anything I guess. I decided to keep mine plain this time.
Building My Masterpiece (or Trying To!)
I scooped the icing into a Ziploc bag. I snipped a tiny corner off the bag to make a makeshift piping bag. It’s not fancy, but it works!
Then came the fun part – assembling the gingerbread house! I used the icing as “glue” to stick the walls and roof together. It took a little patience, and I definitely had a few messy moments, but it started to hold its shape. It helps to let each section dry a bit before moving on to the next. That corn syrup really does its job!
After the house was assembled, I used the rest of the icing to decorate. I made little swirls and dots, and the kids even helped stick some candies on. It was a bit chaotic, but super fun!
The Final Result
The icing dried pretty quickly, and it got really hard. Like, rock-solid hard. That gingerbread house isn’t going anywhere! It’s not the prettiest thing I’ve ever made, but it was a blast to put together, and the kids loved it. Plus, I didn’t have to worry about anyone getting sick from raw eggs. I’d call that a successful baking adventure!
Tip: If the icing starts to get too thick while you’re working, just add a tiny drop of water and mix it in. If it’s too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.
