There’s no better way to get in the holiday spirit than to decorate a gingerbread house. With some extra downtime over winter break, gingerbread house decorating is the perfect activity. Though some pictures of incredible gingerbread houses online can look intimidating, decorating a gingerbread house doesn’t have to be difficult. Follow along to create an Insta-worthy gingerbread house in 6 steps to share this holiday season.
1. The house
Decorating the gingerbread house is undoubtedly the best part, so purchasing a pre-made house is the easiest and fastest way to get started. Assembling the house can be pretty difficult, especially if the icing fails to hold the walls together. Luckily, most big-box stores sell gingerbread house kits that come ready to decorate. The pre-made houses are sure to stay in place as you decorate, and they are the best way to get your gingerbread house decorating project started.
2. The roof
For the most aesthetically pleasing roof, go for items that resemble roof tiles or create a colorful pattern. Some great options are mini starburst, cinnamon toast crunch cereal, and sliced almonds. To elevate your gingerbread house roof, you can also add a chimney made of KitKat minis and line gumdrops down the middle of the roof. Be sure to use thick icing to glue the roof tiles to the gingerbread house.
3. The windows
Windows are a very important part of the gingerbread house because they surround all sides of the house. If you want a square-shaped window, pretzel snaps are a great option. If you prefer a circular window, try using an Oreo cookie. You can also get creative by adding window frames or window panes with icing.
4. The door
To make the perfect gingerbread house door, use items such as pretzel sticks, sugar wafers, tea biscuits, sticks of gum, or even try rolling out a gumdrop into a flat shape. Don’t forget to add a doorknob too!
5. The path
Create an entryway for your house by making a path in front of the door. Jelly beans, peppermints, Pez, Tic Tacs, chocolate pieces, or sprinkles are great materials to work with. You can choose to arrange the path in a way that is very neat and organized or make it very creative and abstract.
6. The extras
In my opinion, adding the “extras” are the best part of decorating the gingerbread house. This is the time to think out of the box. Some extras to consider are holiday lights made out of icing and mini M&Ms, a fence made of pretzel sticks, a bench made of sugar wafers, a Christmas tree made from an ice cream cone covered in green frosting, and green gumdrops as bushes.
And there you have it. The ultimate guide for decorating an incredible gingerbread house in 6 steps. Happy decorating, and happy holidays!