Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
1/2 recipe Royal Icing
Preparation
Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt in a bowl; set aside.
Cream butter and sugar with the paddle attachment on high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and molasses; mix 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and gradually mix in the flour mixture. Halve dough; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out to slightly thicker than 1/8 inch. Using a 1 1/4-inch scalloped square cookie cutter, make 80 pieces for roof, walkway, and small window; use a 1 1/2-inch scalloped square cutter to make 2 pieces for large windows. Using a scalloped pastry wheel, cut out 8 pieces trim (9 by 1/2 inch each), a 3-by-2-inch door, 2 squares (2 inches each) for doghouse roof, and a 1-inch arched door for the doghouse. Transfer to lined sheets; refrigerate 30 minutes.
Use a wooden skewer to make decorative holes along edges of trim, doors, and windows. Bake until set and edges are just beginning to darken, about 12 minutes. Transfer on parchment to a wire rack; let cool completely before decorating. Let icing dry at least 3 hours.
