A Gift That's Truly Homemade
For Day 6, I'm excited to share something extra special—a complete gingerbread house project! I love making gingerbread houses, and today I'm giving you everything you need: a beautiful paper gift box to present your creation, a tried-and-true gingerbread cookie recipe, and templates to cut your cookie dough to the perfect size.
This project combines the joy of baking with the artistry of paper crafting, resulting in a truly impressive homemade gift. The recipient receives not just a decorated paper box, but a delicious, edible gingerbread house nestled inside!
The Paper Gift Box
The 4.5 inch square paper house serves as both packaging and presentation, making your gingerbread creation look spectacular. I've used cardstock and glitter cardstock to create an elegant exterior that hints at the sweet surprise within. If you'd like to see an alternate design, check out my [similar house project].
Materials You'll Need
For the Paper Box:
- 12 x 12 in. White Cardstock for the house structure
- Glitter cardstock for the roof accents
- Ribbon for tying a bow at the top
For the Gingerbread House:
- See complete ingredient list below
- Aluminum foil for the base
- Frosting for assembly and decoration
- Candy decorations of your choice
Cut Files
Choose the appropriate file for your cutting machine:
- Silhouette users: (link to file)
- Cricut users: (link to file)
Note: The SVG file extends beyond the visible viewing area. Zoom out to see the entire file.
Gingerbread House Cookie Recipe
This recipe yields two houses plus some extra cookies for snacking!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup Grandma's molasses, mild flavored (yellow label)
- 1 large egg
- 2 1/2 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Dash of ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- Finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
- Finely grated zest of 1/2 orange
Instructions:
- Combine 2 1/2 cups flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside
- In another bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and molasses. Add the zest.
- Mix in the egg until well combined
- Stir the brown sugar mixture into the flour mixture and knead until all the flour is incorporated. Add up to 1/2 cup more flour if needed
- Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight
- Roll out half the dough at a time to 1/4 inch thickness
- Using your printed template as a guide, cut out the gingerbread house pieces with a knife
- Transfer pieces to a parchment-lined cookie sheet
- Bake at 375°F for 9-12 minutes, or until lightly browned
- Allow to cool completely before assembling
Cookie Template:
Print the template on your home printer and cut out the pieces with scissors. Use these as guides to cut your cookie dough pieces.
Frosting Recipe To Assemble the House
Assembly Instructions For the Gingerbread Cookie House
Assembly Instructions for Paper Box
The paper house comes together beautifully with these simple steps:
- Glue the four sides together at the tabs to form the house structure
- Attach the two roof pieces to the sides of the house
- Glue the glitter roof pieces on top for a festive sparkle
- Add the greeting to the top of the roof
- When ready to gift, place the lifter paper at the bottom of the cookie house, then lower the gingerbread house into the box.
- Thread a ribbon through the hole at the top and tie a decorative bow
This gingerbread house project is a labor of love that creates lasting memories—both in the making and the giving. Your recipient will be delighted by this beautiful, edible gift! Join me tomorrow for Day 7 of our festive series! 🏠🍪✨
Merry Christmas!
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