Low-Carb Gingerbread House - Step By Step Guide

Step 1Prepare the gingerbread dough from the original Decorated Gingerbread Cookies but instead make two batches as per this Keto Gingerbread House recipe.

Step 2Mix all of the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl (You could add 2 tsp xanthan gum for easier rolling although we made this house without it.) Melt the butter and add it, along with the eggs and vanilla, to the mixing bowl.

Step 3Beat on low until a soft dough forms. Tip out onto a sheet of cling-wrap and shape into a thick disc. Refrigerate for two hours or overnight.

Step 4Now the fun part begins — let's make the Gingerbread house! Preheat the oven to 170 °C/ 340 °F (fan assisted), or 190 °C/ 375 °F (conventional).

Step 5Working on one piece of dough at a time and storing the remainder in the fridge, roll out between two sheets of silicone mat or parchment paper until about ¹/₂ cm (¹/₄ inch) thick. Note: If the dough starts to feel a bit soft and difficult to handle, just pop it back in the fridge for five minutes or so.

Step 6For this part it's best to use ready-made gingerbread cookie cutter. You could do it by knife but it could get tricky. When you cut the doors and windows out of your dough, leave the section in while you bake the gingerbread. This will help the lines to stay clean.

Step 7Bake for 8 to 12 minutes (the exact time will depend on the thickness on the cookie). Once the gingerbread comes out of the oven (it should be light golden, not too dark), use your cutters to re-cut the shapes while the gingerbread is still soft. Be careful, this is NOT a rock steady gingerbread house. (For a crunchier gingerbread house, check the tips in the post for crisping up the cookies at a lower temperature setting.)

Step 8Make the icing from half of the ingredients: 1 egg white, 1 ¹/₂ cups powdered sweetener and ¹/₄ tsp lemon juice. Sift the powdered sweetener into a mixing bowl and add the egg white and lemon juice. Mix on low until combined the beat until smooth.

Step 9To test your consistency, do an eight-second test; trace a pattern in the top of the icing with a knife and then count down the seconds until it disappears back into the surface. Eight seconds will give you perfect piping consistency. If you need it thinner, add a very small amount of water at a time.

Step 10To make the roof, cut a piece of baking paper slightly smaller than the finished roof size, covered it in icing and pressed the roof pieces firmly onto it.

Step 11This makes it so much easier to sit the roof in place.

Step 12Spread some of the icing on where you plan to assemble the gingerbread house (It can be an upside down baking tray or a cake stand). Be generous with your icing at the base of the walls to help to hold them in place. Start by laying a base of icing down and piping a line along the end of your wall.

Step 13Put the end wall and one side together and pipe a thick line of icing along the inner join, then gently insert a toothpick to create a corner support. Repeat with the other two walls and leave it to set for about half an hour.

Step 14I put fairy lights inside mine at this stage but that is completely optional.

Step 15Make the chimney by sticking the pieces together as shown and leaving it upside down to set.

Step 16Pipe a thick line around the top of the walls and gently fold the roof into shape, leaving the paper attached to the underside, and lower it into position. Don’t press hard as the house may collapse!

Step 17Pipe a line of icing around the base of the chimney and place on top of the roof. Leave to set for a further half an hour.

Step 18Make your second batch of icing to decorate the outside of the house.

Step 19Be careful not to go overboard with your icing or it will run down the side of the house like mine did... (Oooops) Any leftover icing can be used for decorating other keto cookies.

Step 20Finally, scatter shredded coconut over the wet icing to give it a snow-like appearance.

Step 21This house won’t keep for more than a few days as the cookie will start to soften (check tips in the post above for crunchier texture) and it’s almost impossible to cover it to store, unless you have a cool room to store it.