These Mini Gingerbread House Mug Toppers are so cute, delicious and make such a festive addition to your hot cocoa or coffee this holiday. They are also fun to decorate your house with (who doesn’t love mini edible décor?) and they make adorable gifts to boot!
I have wanted to make these for years, and so when the team brought this idea up again I knew this was the year to actually get’er done. This recipe is easier (in my opinion) than a regular sized gingerbread house because the pieces are small and stick together so much easier with icing. We all have had full-sized gingerbread houses collapse on them….right?!
They couldn’t look cuter nestled on the edge of you favourite mug, full to the brim of coffee and Baileys this Christmas. Plus, imagine gifting a few with a cute mug (I got these at a local store here in Kelowna called Alchemy), and some hot coco mix? Now THAT is one good homemade gift idea!!
How To Make Mini Gingerbread Houses
The most important part of this whole DIY is the mini gingerbread house cookie cutter. I ordered this one from Amazon and it was perfect! I am excited to use it for many years to come. Now, if you’re reading this and thinking “Tori Christmas is too soon for ordering this cookie cutter” well then get your hands on a free template to print and use (here) that will do just the trick! Plus….who doesn’t love free?! The second most important part is a killer gingerbread recipe. Lucky for you – I’ve got one! The final most important step is the icing. I used this Royal Icing recipe and it more than did the trick. We tried it with store-bought royal icing and it wasn’t nearly as easy to work with. Note that you will need meringue powder for your royal icing: you can usually find it at Michael’s or Bulk Barn.
Holiday Hot Drinks
What is a “mug topper” without a mug to top?! Although there is nothing wrong with a store-bought hot coco mix, I have two great recipes that are sure to make an impression this holiday. Make your own cup of Peppermint Hot Chocolate from scratch or try a creamy Holiday Steamer (a.k.a hug in a mug): both are dairy free! Nothing screams Christmas quite like either of these two recipes. I also loved cutting up some candy canes for an added flavour bomb on top. Candy canes basically come pre-crushed anyways these days LOL!
Homemade Gingerbread Spice
Making homemade gingerbread spice is one of those things that when you do it, you can’t believe you hadn’t before! You probably already have most (if not all) of these spices in your pantry. All it takes is a simple mix together and you are prepared for holiday baking my friends. And while you’re at it, multiply the recipe to make easy work of those hostess gifts you know you’ll wish you had on hand as you run out the door for a party! There are so many ways to use this spice; see all my gingerbread recipes here.
Gingerbread Recipes
You’ve made homemade Gingerbread Spice and a batch of Mini Gingerbread Houses…so why stop there? Enjoy some other of my favourite gingerbread recipes like: Gingerbread Granola, Gingerbread Pear Pancakes, Pear Gingerbread Muffins, or try your hand at a vegan full-sized Gingerbread House complete with a printable template.
Mini Gingerbread House Mug Toppers
Mini Gingerbread House Mug Toppers
The perfect addition to your seasonal hot coco or coffee is here! These Mini Gingerbread House Mug Toppers are so cute, delicious and a great festive treat this holiday.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup fancy molasses
- 2 eggs
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon all spice
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
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In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar and molasses until fluffy. Add the eggs, beating well after each addition.
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In a separate medium bowl sift together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, all spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, and mix to combine (I start using a spoon or my mixture then finish with my hands).
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Divide the dough into 2 balls, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, form into thick disk (easier to roll) and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
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Preheat the oven to 350 F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper (you can bake in batches if you only have one baking sheet).
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Roll each ball of dough out on a lightly floured clean surface until around 1/8" thick. Using a mini house cookie cutter, cut out the cookies (make sure to make two fronts, two side walls, and two roof panels for each) and use a metal spatula to lift each cookie to the baking sheet, leaving about 1/2" apart. Repeat with the remaining dough. You can re-roll the scraps once (gets too dry after that in my experience).
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Bake the cookies until they are just golden brown, around 12-15 minutes and remove from the oven. Cool on a cooling rack.
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Once cool, use icing to build the gingerbread homes, and use extra for additional decoration if you wish!
great idea