Trilogy Edibles: Treat Day Wednesday–Haunted Gingerbread Houses

Ok, I have a confession and for those of you who know me shouldn’t be shocked by this at all. I’m a bit of an over achiever. There I said it! ;) From baking to quilting, I go big or I go home!

I feel much better but it doesn’t take from the fact that I’ve always wanted to make a haunted gingerbread house for Halloween. I tried last year but my kids took over and well…

It was adorable but I need to do this on my own if I want it to look the way I want.

So this year, since they are both in school full time, I did it during the day. I did a bit of research and found this really cool site that created the blueprints for the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland, CA. She put it into her computer and broke it down and made up designs and then, above all, posted it on her website.

Now if you’ve ever been to Disney and seen the haunted mansion, you know this isn’t a task to be taken lightly. A challenge as it were and I love a good challenge.

Don’t worry, this house adventure isn’t just about me. The girls will be making their own houses when they get home from school today. As I type, their house pieces are cooling on my baking rack.

I also have to say that this adventure may have been a bit too ambitious for someone who’s only ever made a single floor, pre-made house before but where’s the fun in that, hehe. I printed out the pdf file that Ray offers and then cut out and baked all the pieces. My gingerbread dough makes a big batch but I was still short by two small pieces. I had to use some sugar cookie dough that I had in the fridge for those pieces.

I wanted the house to have “glass” windows, so I used crushed Jolly Rancher candies and put the crushed pieces into the window holes and baked. The candies melt down and create a beautiful glass look.

Once cooled I piped filigree, window and door outlines before I assembled because it’s easier, at least for me, to pipe that way. Then I assembled the first floor and roof and let them dry over night. I also piped some “wrought iron” fences onto pieces of parchment and let dry. Make many, they break really really easy. This is how I had to dry the roof. Angled pieces are evil!

Day two and I added the roof to the base, let it dry for an hour or two and then put the front portico, wrap around porch and side porch. To the roof, I used black candy melts. Only doing a couple rows at a time, let dry and continue.

To the roof, I then added the front spire but I couldn’t get the roof pieces to sit. Remember I said I had to use sugar cookie for two pieces, well this is where they were for. I finally got it to dry together, placed it on top and when I came back an hour later it had fallen off and broken into many pieces. UGH. So after I composed myself, I improvised and made the roof flat :)

I then pulled out all the Halloween sprinkles I’d collected over the years and went to town. Many of the edges have black skulls and the white skulls were used as the door handle and the front steps. Now this is where my issues took place. I couldn’t walk away. I just wanted to keep adding and doing more things to it. This was the hardest thing ever. I still want to add things but have to realize that in two weeks it’s probably going into the bin.

I had a blast and now I’m excited for the girls to come home and make theirs. I’ve made grave stones and trees for them too! so much fun. For their houses, last year I found the Wilton Gingerbread house cutters at Joanns. Click the picture to get yours!

They won’t be as elaborate but they will be just as fun! I also made them out of sugar cookie dough, because I have no doubt they won’t make it to Halloween as they have already said they were going to eat them.

So although I may have been ambitious, I loved making this house. I will definitely making one for Christmas and again next year.