Tips and Tricks for Building a Gingerbread House (2024)

There’s nothing better than a beautiful gingerbread house. But building it can be tricky. Get some helpful tips and tricks from at C&H® Sugar.

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Categories: Do-It-Yourself / EASY / dessert / Christmas

C&H® Gingerbread House Hacks

Who doesn’t love a good gingerbread house? This beautiful treat is fun for kids to make and is a classic staple in homes during the holiday season. Now building it, on the other hand, that can be a different story. Despite your best-laid plans, sometimes, these holly jolly creations just don’t turn out the way you had envisioned. But have no fear. With the rightC&H®recipesand a few tips and tricks, you’ll be crafting your merry and bright masterpiece in no time at all.

Five Gingerbread House Hacks You Have to Know

1. Start with a Plan

Gingerbread houses take careful preparation and a clear vision. So, before you get started, you may want to draw it out on paper first. We recommend measuring your gingerbread house on parchment paper, so you know how much cookie batter you’ll need. This will ensure you don’t run out of supplies midway through building and decorating your sweet creation.

2. Make the Perfect Gingerbread

Your gingerbread house is only as good as the materials you use to make it. We recommend creating your walls and roof with ourGingerbread Cookiesrecipe. This festive recipe made withC&H®Dark Brown Sugarwill give your structure plenty of strength. Just cut your cookies to the desired shape, toss them in the oven, and ta-da, you’ve created the rich, flavorful foundation for your winter wonderland.

3. Fit Everything Together with Melted Sugar or Royal Icing

When it comes to sticking your walls and roof together, there are two great approaches. The traditional technique is to use icing, such as ourRoyal Icing (with Meringue Powder). Generations of home bakers have used this tried-and-true method, and it works like a charm and tastes amazing. The second way is to use burnt sugar as your glue. Just meltC&H®Pure Granulated Cane Sugarin a pan on the stove, dip the gingerbread parts in and hold them together for a few seconds. Then, presto! You’ve created a solid house.

4. UseRoll-up Fruit Leatherfor Stained Glass Windows

We’ve all spent too much time trying to create frosting windows in the past. Instead, try usingRoll-up Fruit Leather. This creative gingerbread house hack looks just like stained glass.

5. UseButtercream Frostingfor Paint

Filled with the delightful flavor ofC&H®Powdered Sugar, our Buttercream Frosting is wonderful for decorating gingerbread houses. You can color it with food dye to transform your yuletide creation into any hue you want, or leave it white to turn your gingerbread house into a snow-covered winter cottage.

More C&H® Sugar Holiday Recipes

Gingerbread houses are just the start. Prepare one of these winter recipes, and you’re sure to whip up some holiday cheer for your loved ones.

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FAQs

Tips and Tricks for Building a Gingerbread House? ›

Fit Everything Together with Melted Sugar or Royal Icing

The second way is to use burnt sugar as your glue. Just melt C&H® Pure Granulated Cane Sugar in a pan on the stove, dip the gingerbread parts in and hold them together for a few seconds. Then, presto! You've created a solid house.

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.

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What holds gingerbread houses together the best? ›

there's one key thing you should do if you want your house to stay put right off the bat – get the glue right. It's royal for a reason because royal icing is the king of glues for gingerbread houses. As my go-to choice for edible cement I can't really fault it's versatility and strength.

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What is the trick to putting gingerbread house together? ›

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!

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What is the best material for a gingerbread house? ›

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.

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Should you decorate or assemble gingerbread house first? ›

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.

How to judge a gingerbread house competition? ›

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.

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How do you attach decorations to a gingerbread house? ›

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.