1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. molasses
3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/3 c. water

Cream butter and sugar thoroughly with electric mixer. Beat in molasses. Blend all dry ingredients. Alternately add blended dry ingredients and water to the butter-sugar mixture. Dough will become stiff, so that the last dry addition may need to be blended by hand. Work dough until it is smooth in consistency. If dough sticks to your hands, lightly dust them with flour. Carefully though, too much flour makes dough dry and hard.

When dough is easy to work, you're ready to roll it out and make your gingerbread house pieces. If you're not going to make your gingerbread house right away, wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate (up to 1 week). Bring to room temperature before rolling (3 hours).

Note: You may need to make up to 3 recipes to make your gingerbread house. Make each separately and cover with plastic wrap. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Patterns for gingerbread houses may be of your own design or found in Gingerbread kits. Be sure to cut two front-back pieces, two side walls and two roof pieces.

Gingerbread House Notes:

1. The secret to a perfect Gingerbread House is to roll out the dough on the back of your cookie sheet and cut around the pattern (removing only the dough from around the pattern). Bake on back of cookie sheet.

2. After baking the house pieces, place the pattern over each part while they are still warm and trim to pattern size any puffy or out of shape lines.

3. After baking, remove from cookie sheets and let dry overnight on oven racks in a 200 degree oven. You want all pieces to be solid and dry (like bricks).

4. Use stiff consistency Royal icing to glue walls together and decorate with candies.