Vegan Gingerbread Houses for the Mug

You can see how I make them in this video. Either use a cookie cutter set, I have this one or print out the shapes, see here. For the gingerbread dough, bring molasses, water and sugar to a boil in a larger pot, add vegan butter and take off heat, stir and let cool. Add all other ingredients and mix well with a mixer until it forms a ball. I do this directly in the pot. Chill covered for at least one hour in the fridge or overnight. The dough will keep in the fridge for about a week. It will get darker over time, which is normal.

Roll out dough thinnly on a generously floured surface, place your cookie cutters on it and cut out all pieces for the little houses, you will need each shape two times. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the pieces on it. Bake for about 7-10 minutes or until brown. Let cool.

For the royal icing mix the brine of a can of chickpeas with about 180 grams of icing sugar with a mixer for about 5 minutes. The consistency should be of a toothpaste. If it is too thick, add a little bit of water, if it is too runny, add a bit sugar. Transfer to a piping bag with a tiny hole.

First glue the front and the sides of the house together, once dry, you can add the roof. Decorate as desired with royal icing, fruits, nuts, sweets, etc. Tip: you can use the icing the following day, if you keep it inside the piping bag and make sure to clip off the ending with e.g. a clip or rubber band. If you want to use the houses just for decoration, I have successfully stored them for an entire year. Be sure to store them in a cool and dry place. If you want to eat them, I recommend doing it within two weeks. These houses can be shipped and are a perfect gift.