How To Make A Gingerbread House: Complete Instructions And Photos

About 20 years ago I had the pleasure of attending a Christmas Party at the home of a friend and saw the most beautiful gingerbread house she had made for the occasion. As soon as I entered the house, I could smell the wonderful aroma of gingerbread. My Mother made gingerbread when I was a child, and it was always a favorite of mine. My friend, Patty, had decorated her home beautifully for the holiday season. She had a large decorated Christmas tree in front of the living room window, complete with many lights.

In the middle of her dining room table there was a beautiful gingerbread house. Patty had adorned the house with candies. There was a chimney made of marshmallows, and there were trees made from ice cream cones full of colored sprinkles. She had made a curving path with candy M & M’s that looked like flagstones. There was a fence made from licorice sticks. The house sat on a base that was covered in coconut to look like fresh fallen snow.

There were about 20 of us young Mothers and wives in attendance that night for this party. We all just looked at this gingerbread house in awe. We complimented our hostess, Patty, on the house, and we all said we’d sure like to learn how to make a house like this one. She was so pleased that we liked her creation that she said she would teach us how to make a gingerbread house like hers! A date was made a week from that evening for us all to get together at Patty's house for a gingerbread house building party. We were thrilled that we would be able to construct our own house in time for Christmas!

Before the evening was over, Patty had made a list of supplies to bring with us the night of our class:

The constructed cardboard house (made ahead of time)

The Gingerbread pieces (made ahead of time)

Elmer’s glue

Aluminum Foil

A base of either a plastic lid or 1 inch Styrofoam. If you place the house on such a base, it can be moved from place to place without fear.

Our choice of candies and/or cookies we wanted to use on our house

A lot of people have been discouraged when trying to make a Gingerbread House because they follow the instructions they are given. They try to assemble the house by "gluing" the pieces together with frosting. The walls will just fall down!

FIRST OF ALL YOU MUST build a sturdy cardboard house and attach the pieces of gingerbread directly to that house using Royal Frosting as "glue". I guarantee your house will be very strong. You can move it from place to place without fear of your work of art being destroyed. After you put this much time and effort into making a Gingerbread House, you want it to be seen and enjoyed all during the holidays.

I have read that some people spray their completed Gingerbread house with a clear sealant so it can be preserved for a longer period of time. I have never tried to do that, because my family is always too eager to EAT the Gingerbread House!

The first thing to do is to make the house. You can use a large piece of cardboard, or sturdy foamcore board. This board can be purchased at any Crafts store. If you want to build one as large as mine, follow my measurements and cut out the pieces using a sharp Exacto Knife. If you want to start out making a smaller house, any small mailing box will work. Refer to my photo for a small Gingerbread House.

Using the house that you have covered with foil as your guide, place aluminum foil on each section of the house. Press the foil onto the house to make a mark so you will know where to cut the foil. These will be your pattern pieces to place on the rolled out gingerbread.

Be sure and label (I use a black Sharpie Pen) all of the pieces so you will know which piece of gingerbread goes where on the house. I also note on the pattern piece how many pieces I need. Keep in mind after the gingerbread is baked, you will glue the pieces on the house, using the Royal Frosting as the glue.

One recipe of this Gingerbread will NOT be enough to make enough pieces to completely cover your house. If you are making a smaller version, one recipe will be enough.

You will need to double the recipe for the house I made. I would suggest making two batches of dough rather than trying to double the ingredients all at once. I always have some dough left over which I roll out and make Gingerbread Men. I have supplied a link below to make those cute little men.

You will need Royal Frosting to “glue” the decorations onto the Gingerbread. I used to make my Royal Frosting with egg whites, but then I discovered Powdered Meringue. Now I use that to make Royal Frosting:

Beat 4 egg whites till foamy. Gradually add Confection’s Sugar until the mixture if moderately stiff. Add 1 teaspoon Clear Vanilla Extract.

If you use the Powdered Meringue, follow the instructions on the can.

After the pieces of Gingerbread are secured to the house, you are ready to decorate the house. You will have “seams” where the pieces have been joined. You can use tiny marshmallows dipped into the frosting to cover the seams, or Hershey’s Kisses work great, too.

It has become a tradition in our home to make a Gingerbread House each Christmas. I use the same cardboard house each year (don't let anyone throw that out!)

My children and grandchildren always look forward to making and decorating a Gingerbread House. Every year it comes out looking quite different from the previous year.

I have a daugher whose birthday is December 12, and we complete our house in time for her birthday where it serves as her birthday cake!

I am so glad I had a good friend who taught me how to make a Gingerbread House many years ago. I have hosted many Gingerbread House parties where I share my knowledge and experience in making these houses with friends. I do hope I have inspired you to start a family tradition by learning how to make one too!