RECIPES: Christmastime construction — gingerbread houses to nibble as you build

Gingerbread is nearly synonymous with Christmastime.

From simple cutout cookies to elaborate houses, it is a symbol of the season. But not all gingerbread is the same. Gingerbread typically falls into two camps: the kind you eat and the kind you build with.

The kind you eat ranges from soft and cake-like to crisp gingersnaps. Builder-grade tends to be pretty bland.

But we think if you're going to go to all the trouble of baking and building a gingerbread house, it needs to be edible because, let's face it, you know you're going to sneak a taste or two.

This recipe is sturdy and tasty — for crunchy, builder-grade gingerbread — so you can nibble as you build. It is quite crunchy, so we suggest treating it like biscotti and dipping it in a cup of coffee, tea or cocoa.

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