How to Make a Gingerbread Barn

From start to finish, the project will take three to four hours, so spread it over a few days and take your time. The results are worth it, as this Gingerbread Barn makes an enchanting centerpiece for a party or a wonderful gift.

• Rolling pin
• Cookie sheets
• Pastry bag and tip
• Sharp paring knife
• Scissors
• Cardboard for patterns and barn base
• Recycled potato chip can or other tall can (for silo)
• Red construction paper (for silo)
• Tennis ball (for silo top)
• Aluminum foil (for silo top)
• Double-stick tape (for silo)
• Toy barn animals (for decor)
• Printable Gingerbread Barn pattern (see below)
• Gingerbread recipe (see below)
• Royal icing recipe (see below)

• One package of 5 Flavor Life Savers (for Barn Hex)
• One package Wint-O-Green Life Savers (for cupola)
• Two packages of Hubba Bubba Gummi Tape Shocking Strawberry (for barn siding)
• Five to 10 licorice pieces, cut in small pieces (for pathway)
• Chocolate graham crackers (for cupola)

1. Make your favorite gingerbread dough recipe according to instructions. While chilling and before rolling dough, cut out barn patterns from sturdy cardboard. (See below for pattern downloads.)
2. Roll out one-third portion of the dough 1/4 inch thick on a surface dusted lightly with flour. Place cardboard patterns for barn front and two sides on rolled dough. Using a sharp knife, cut around patterns. Remove excess dough; reserve with remaining dough for rolling other barn pieces.
3. On barn front cut two doors using a sharp paring knife but do not remove dough. Lightly cut a circle outline above front barn doors.
4. On side pieces, cut doors, again keeping dough in place. Cut side windows completely; remove dough pieces and add to reserve.
5. Cut red and green Life Savers candies (one of each) into small pieces and place inside circle to create hex. Be sure to place into dough above door before baking.
6. Repeat process; roll and cut barn back, four roof pieces, and base with remaining dough.
7. Bake pieces according to instructions. Remove gingerbread from oven. When gingerbread is still warm, recut the doors from front and side and remove; cool on pan for a few minutes. Finally, transfer all pieces to a wire rack to cool completely. Let all pieces dry completely, preferably overnight.
8. Meanwhile, using scissors to trim to size, cover potato chip can with red construction paper. Join seams by using double-stick tape along edge of paper. Cover tennis ball with aluminum foil and place in top of can.

1. Cut a 14x11-inch piece of cardboard for the base of the barnyard. Cut two pieces of cardboard from the barn back pattern for roof supports.
2. Prepare royal icing according to instructions and insert small amount into bottom of pastry bag with tip. Refill pastry bag with icing as needed throughout project, never filling bag too full. As it's the "glue" for the house and candy, always use generously.
3. Assemble four barn sides onto gingerbread base. To join barn sides to back and front pieces, pipe icing cleanly along edges to be joined. Press barn pieces together and hold for several minutes. Once four walls are firmly together on gingerbread base, adhere to cardboard base with frosting. Then insert your two cardboard cutouts into center of barn. Secure with icing to sides of barn. Let dry completely, preferably overnight.
4. Using scissors cut sour tape into strips to create vertical barn siding. Carefully using icing like glue, apply siding to barn sides. Using royal icing, apply doors to front and sides, adding zigzag barn pattern to doors.
5. Using small amount of icing on feet, add cow to inside of barn so she's peeking out of side window.
6. Pipe frosting on top edges of barn and center supports. Press roof pieces into place, holding for several minutes to ensure proper fit. Pipe frosting into seams between roof pieces. Let roof dry completely before adding cupola.
7. Using sharp knife cut several chocolate graham crackers into quarters. With four pieces, use icing to adhere cupola walls to roof. Then cut four triangle pieces of graham cracker. Using icing, adhere triangles to form peak. Once completely dry, add Life Saver candy to peak.
8. Cut licorice into small pieces and make licorice pathway. Using scissors cut a small heart from Sour Gummi Tape and adhere to center of hex.

Copyright © 2009 Meredith Corporation.