Tips and Tricks for Building a Gingerbread House (2024)

FAQs

What is the trick to building a gingerbread house? ›

Just melt the sugar in a pan over low heat. You want to allow it to turn brown, but make sure not to burn it (otherwise it won't taste so great). Then take your gingerbread house pieces, dip the edges in melted sugar and hold them together for a few seconds. That's it!

So to make sure our walls could stand strong, we sandwiched melted marshmallow cement between two graham crackers. The marshmallow adds weight, which helps stabilize the structure. It also acts as a sealant, ensuring that the cracker won't crumble.

Keys to gingerbread house success

Make the pieces as straight as possible for easier assembly. Use a royal icing recipe that holds up well and dries hard. Follow the recipe exactly for best results. If you double the recipe, expect it to take twice the time to make.

Caramelized Sugar Works Like 'Magic Glue' To Hold a Gingerbread House Together.

To achieve crispy, sturdy gingerbread, Lomas recommends letting the baked gingerbread pieces dry out for a day or two. Don't put the pieces in the refrigerator or keep them in a closed container, as this keeps the moisture in. “The longer it dries out, the easier it is to work with for construction purposes,” she said.

Undercooked pieces will be too soft to assemble and overcooked pieces can snap when assembling. Store cooled pieces, if you're not assembling the house on the same day as baking, between sheets of non-stick baking paper in a large airtight container so they don't go soft.

Festive wreaths and garlands are great for adding extra details, textures and color to your gingerbread house. Garlands can be used to decorate the roof or you can use them to dress up your side or front windows. Go more modern with your décor with a cute pom-pom wreath.

Should gingerbread house be hard or soft? ›

Gingerbread houses

The gingerbread for houses needs to be hard and dry so it keeps its shape well – it's unlikely you'll want to eat it on the day you make it after all your hard work! Gingerbread quantities for houses are quite large.

Royal icing is the edible "glue" or mortar that holds a gingerbread house together and can be used to make fancy sugar decorations. It's the best option for projects like gingerbread houses since, unlike buttercream frosting, royal icing will harden once dry and keep your gingerbread house from falling apart.

Pick a solid base for your gingerbread house - either a flat cookie sheet, or a thick, sturdy piece of cardboard. If you want, line the base with aluminum foil or wax paper. Mortar the sides of the house with royal icing: Pipe a thick line of icing along a short end of one of the side pieces.

A 1:4 ratio of butter to flour makes the gingerbread strong. Corn syrup keeps freshly baked gingerbread pliable and soft, so it's easy to cut while warm.

Decorate the house pieces before assembly.

It is easiest to decorate the sides and roof of the house before assembling, although you can add details after the house is assembled as well. Trace the doors and windows, you can add a border or white icing along the bottom of each piece to create snow drifts.

Bestgingerbreadhouses.com stated that the tradition of gingerbread houses began with the making of gingersnap cookies and was started in Germany. Gingerbread houses in Germany originated from bakers interpreting the description of a house from the story Hansel and Gretel.

Determine the Winner

By awarding prizes in multiple categories, the gingerbread builders can also be the judges. Give each participant a ballot with three or four categories for which to vote, such as Most Creative, Most Delicious-Looking, Largest Structure and Most Festive.

To attach the decorations, turn them over to their flat side and use the Royal Icing as glue. They're very light, so just a touch will do it. Gently press the decoration into place and hold it for a minute or so. It should stick right in place.