Vintage 1985 Gingerbread House Recipe - Made Dairy Free!

As if this year has been not challenging enough, one way for me to cope through difficult times is to channel and transmute any negative or sad energy into a creative project. And for this, inspired by my mother who loved cooking, I decided to make a gingerbread recipe in her honor as part of my culinary creativity. 

I've recently been inspired by this off-white 1980's vintage dress that seems perfect for a white Christmas (or a white wedding). I also recently obtained a copy of the 1985 Sunset Magazine's Cookie Cookbook, and one of the chapters had holiday recipes.

Excited, I knew this had to be the ultimate authentic recipe. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Elizabeth Kovar (@erkovar)

The cookbook offered step-by-step instructions and also used extra dough to create "benches" or tiny little Santa's. Inspired by making a village, and living with a Scandinavian, I decided to create this into a little tiny Gnome village, similar to the Northwest and Norway by using rosemary and various types of pine from the local flora and fauna. 

My hope was to ignite a sense of Christmas cheer and spirit during a difficult 2020. It also ignited childhood memories of the cartoon, David the Gnome, where he inspires people to be more in touch with nature. 

​My favorite part of the project was designing the little village and sprinkling powder sugar on top to make it look like its snowing in real-time. 

“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to
keep it all the year.”
~ Charles Dickens

"Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is time for home."
 - Edith Sitwell

Born in 1985, I dedicate this post to my mother who fell ill of COVID this past week. She has always inspired my love for cooking, and the best cook I know. Nothing tastes better than mom's home-cooking. She is the best mom, and while growing up, she was always doing something crafty to bring some fun and cheer into the home. 

Winter is about the home. It's about spending time with loved ones, and bringing the light and warmth inside. I hope everyone this Christmas gets a chance to have a good meal, a nice conversation and experiences some warmth in the home. Keep bringing the light in, and keep letting the light within you shine. 

This vintage dress and cookbook and other vintage items are available on my Etsy shop, The Elizabethan Closet.

Vintage 1985 Gingerbread House Recipe - Made Dairy Free!
​Time: Several Hours
​
Ingredients: 
3/4 cup vegan buttery stick
3/4 cup cane sugar
3/4 cup molasses
2 tbsp water
3 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp each ground ginger, salt and baking soda
1/4 tsp nutmeg and all spice

Icing recipe
2 cups powder sugar 
1/4 cup water

Directions: 
Begin by making the dough. In a mixer or with an egg beaters, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy. Next, beat in the molasses and water. 

In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients until well combined. Gradually add the butter mixture and fold until a dough forms, use hands as needed. 

​Cover the bowl with a lid or cling wrap and let the dough sit for 2 hours. I made the dough in advance and it sat in the fridge for 48 hours. 

​With cardboard make the foundations of the cabin. For the base, cut a 12x12 inch pieces of cardboard and cover with foil. For the roof, cut one 4x6 inch rectangle. For the logs cut one of each size:
-2 inches long and 1/2 inch wide strip
-3.5 inches long and 1/2 inch wide strip
-6 inches long and 1/2 inch wide strip
- 1/2 inch wide square (optional to use hands instead to eyeball it)

On a floured surface, or with a floured rolling pin, take 1/3 of the dough and roll it out to a 1/8 inch depth, and cut out the two roof pieces. Use a spatula if needed to pick up the dough and transfer it to a greased baking sheet. 

​Continue to roll out the dough and cut the following at 3/8 inch thickness: 
-eight 2 inch logs
-two 3.5 inch logs
​-seventeen 6 inch logs
-30 spacers (1/2 inch squares, I formed by hands)
-Additional shapes as you'd like with the left over dough (I did small flattened balls for stepping stones)

Arrange the pieces on several greased baking trays and bake for 12-15 minutes at 350-degrees. 

Once baked, trim one edge on each of the roof pieces to make sure they'll fit and match. Cookies will Harden as they cool. Once cooled, make the icing, and begin assembling the cabin. 

​Combine the icing ingredients into a bowl and mix until smooth, no clumps. The icing will be your glue.
​
I placed the cardboard piece on a cookie sheet. With a pastry brush, cover the foil end in icing and then sprinkle/sift powder sugar on top while its drying. 

Use the below image to help with the  building of the foundation. 

Begin by making the foundation with a six in log in the back and two 2-inch logs in the front. Connect the two with a six inch log on each side, and place a spacer on each of the 2 logs (should be inside of the 6-inch logs. Repeat this three more layers. 

On the fourth layer, use 6 inch logs in all four directions. The 6 inch log facing the front, place three spacers on top of that, and then place a 6-inch log on top of the 3 spacers. Use a 3.5 inch spacer and 2 inch logs to build gables on the front and back of the cabin. Place a spacer on each gable. 

On the top of the roof, ice and powder sugar then. Ice the bottom ends of the roofs on the top and the bottom, and also ice the top gable. Press and place the trimmed edges on the roof together. Hold for 10 seconds until the roofs form. 

Use additional spaces or pieces to begin decorating your cabin, or adding a small roof. I used pine and rosemary to create 'bushes' and design how you would like! 

​Let's Connect! Enjoy my other holiday-based desserts below! 

Gingerbread Cake w. Vanilla Frosting & Cranberry-Orange Compote

Sugar Free & All Natural Christmas Punch

Vegan Vanilla Cranberry Torte