80% would make again
Gingerbread Train Buffet
A fun and unique way to deliver holiday treats to your guests! This toy train is outfitted with a gingerbread shell and equipped with candy cargo. Check out the train template to construct your buffet!
Tasty Team
January 27, 2021
Total Time
5 hr 15 min
5 hr 15 min
Prep Time
11 minutes
11 min
Cook Time
28 minutes
28 min

Total Time
5 hr 15 min
5 hr 15 min
Prep Time
11 minutes
11 min
Cook Time
28 minutes
28 min
Ingredients
for 1 train
Gingerbread
- 1 cup brown sugar (220 g), packed, plus 1 tablespoon
- ½ cup blackstrap molasses (170 g)
- ⅓ cup cold water (80 mL)
- 2 tablespoons ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, plus 2 teaspoons
- 2 teaspoons ground cloves
- 1 cup unsalted butter (225 g), cubed and softened, plus 2 tablespoons
- 5 cups all purpose flour (625 g)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Royal Icing
- 4 cups powdered sugar (480 g)
- 4 teaspoons meringue powder
- 6 tablespoons water
- 5 brown food colorings
Assembly
- 1 cup gum drops (180 g)
- 1 cup peppermints (255 g)
- 1 cup wrapped truffles (200 g)
Special Equipment
- 1 mechanical train
Preparation
- Make the gingerbread: In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar, molasses, water, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Melt over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, 1–2 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the butter until completely melted and the mixture is glossy. Let cool completely.
- Add the flour and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed to combine for 30 seconds. Pour in the wet ingredients and mix until the dough comes together, about 2 minutes.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
- While the dough is chilling, make your templates for the train pieces. The gingerbread will fit snugly over your mechanical train. Find template here: https://tasty.co/article/tasty/gingerbread-train-template
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to ⅛ inch thick. Cut out the shapes from the template. Transfer the shapes to the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 24-28 minutes, until the shapes are stiff to the touch. Let the shapes cool completely, about 45 minutes.
- While the gingerbread is cooling, make the royal icing: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water. Mix on medium-low speed for 1 minute, until no lumps remain and mixture is shiny and glossy.
- Transfer ¼ of the icing to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. This will be the icing to decorate the outside of the train.
- Add the brown food coloring to the remaining icing in the mixer and mix until homogenous in color.
- Using the brown icing, assemble the train pieces according to the template. Let dry for at least 2 hours.
- Once all 5 pieces of the train have dried, use the white icing to decorate the train as desired. Let the icing set until hardened.
- Gently slide decorated gingerbread pieces over the cars of the mechanical train and place on the track.
- Fill the cargo cars with the gum drops, peppermints, and truffles.
- Enjoy!
