Does anyone know the original ingredients used in making a gingerbread house?

Answer 1

Brown Bag Cookie Mold Gingerbread

1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar — not packed
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. ground clove
pinch cayenne powder (optional)

Directions paraphrased by rainey

In a small bowl, combine the dry ingredients well and set them aside.

Cream the butter & sugar together. Stir in the molasses first and then the egg. Now combine the wet and dry ingredients to produce a playdough-like dough. If the dough seems a little moist, you can add another 2 tablespoons of flour. Knead the dough lightly. Wrap in plastic and let rest in the fridge for about 40 minutes.

Roll out to about 1/4" thick and cut with templates and a sharp knife or an X-acto with a new, clean blade.

Bake on parchment covered cookie sheets at 350 ̊ for about 10 or 12 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies brown.

Let house pieces rest on the parchment for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling racks. Let them cool completely before you attempt construction.

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Oh, and the Royal icing is sooooo much easier to do if you get a product called Just Egg Whites or go to a cake decorating store and get meringue powder.

And as far as candy
Licorice
JU JU bees
sprinkles
Gold edible balls
mm's
coconut
snow caps
you can really use anything!!! Have fun with it and be creative!!

Answer 2

Original? what do you mean? anyway, here is a ginderbread house recipe:

INGREDIENTS
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg
1 cup molasses
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons warm water
1/4 cup raisins for decorating

DIRECTIONS
In large bowl, cream shortening, sugar, egg and warmed molasses. Dissolve baking soda in warm water and add to egg mixture. Beat until smooth. Mix in flour, spices and salt until well blended. Cover and chill for 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets. Roll out dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch on a floured surface. Cut out gingerbread men using cookie cutters and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Use raisins to make eyes, noses and buttons.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm. Let cool on wire racks.

Answer 3

Gingerbread and royal icing.

Candies were added when it became inexpensive to decorate with commercially made candy. (When gingerbread houses were first made, mass produced candy wasn't available.)

Answer 4

ginger bread

Answer 5

http://www.gingerbreadcontest.com/fun/history.cfm

Hope this helps...