Gingerbread house ideas to ring in the holiday spirit.

Gingerbread houses, with their decorative exteriors, are an iconic holiday treat. Dating back to the 1600s, they were popularized by the Brothers Grimm through Hansel and Gretel. Today, there are gingerbread house-building contests and gingerbread house kits.

Decorating gingerbread houses can seem like a simple activity, but it’s also great for boosting your creativity. For kids, it helps build their motor skills and nurtures their imagination. The thing is, how do you go about decorating a gingerbread house? From classic gingerbread house decorating ideas to actionable tips, this list will help you get started.

Gingerbread house decorating ideas.

Looking for fun and new ways to jazz up your gingerbread houses? Whether you’re using a kit or making everything from scratch, the key here is to plan your activity properly because the decorating part can take up to several hours.

These gingerbread house decorating ideas will take any old gingerbread house to the next level. Want to make your holidays extra special? Why not take photos of your gingerbread house and add them to your holiday cards or photo collages?

Use edible glitter

Add some sparkle to your gingerbread houses with edible glitters. Use them as accents on windows or cover your gingerbread house in colorful edible glitter. When buying glitters, always check the label. The FDA recommends purchasing glitters that state “edible” on the label and have an ingredient list.

Feature your favorites.

Whether you’re adding your favorite childhood candies or dried fruits, using your favorite treats is one of the best gingerbread house decorating ideas. Get creative and form them into different shapes. Go for a monochromatic effect or create a dainty look using pastel-colored sweets.

Nature-inspired.

From the season’s colors to themes like Winter Wonderland, this gingerbread decorating idea lets you bring a piece of nature home.

A cozy cottage.

Use shredded coconut for snow, add some cute animals or candy people, and include some candy cane trees.

Pre-decorate each piece.

There’s no right or wrong way to decorate your gingerbread house. However, this convenient hack makes decorating each piece easier. Lay your gingerbread house cookies on a flat surface and decorate them however you like. Wait for the décor to set, and then use more icing or thick sugar syrup to hold the cookie pieces together.

Gingerbread house ideas for contests.

Thinking of joining gingerbread house-building competitions? These gingerbread house ideas for contests will help you get started. Note that some ideas may include inedible components, so it’s best to check the competition guidelines first.

Build a castle.

Have a lot of time on your hands? Why not build a gingerbread fairytale castle complete with a grand staircase?

An iconic building.

Have a building that you really like? Try making a gingerbread version of that.

An elaborate setup.

Start by making a small gingerbread village. From there, add details to make your work come alive, like candy animals, rosemary trees, and chocolate trains.

Focus on the story.

Aside from the theme and presentation, think about how you can use your gingerbread house to tell a captivating story.

Add moving parts.

Consider making these parts out of candy. To up the wow factor, include lighting or intricate details.

Creative gingerbread house ideas.

If you’re looking for more out-of-the-box designs, then these creative gingerbread house ideas are a great place to start.

A replica of your home.

Alternatively, take inspiration from your childhood home. This creative gingerbread house idea also gives you the opportunity to look back on some of your fondest memories in your home.

Outer space holidays.

It’s still a gingerbread house but, you know, set in outer space. Make a space station, add astronauts, and include candy asteroids.

Christmas reimagined.

This year, embrace the strange and unusual. Instead of opting for the usual gingerbread house, why not decorate it so that it resembles something straight out of a fantasy novel?

Use unusual materials.

Aside from the usual icing, chocolates, and candies, other gingerbread house decorations worth trying out include popcorn, broken pretzels, and wheat cereal. Add pops of color and use Tic Tacs or colored tapioca pearls as Christmas lights for your gingerbread house.

Play with textures.

Whether you’re going for a monochromatic color scheme or not, textures make your gingerbread house look more visually appealing. Use templates or include decorations that have interesting textures, like cotton candy, dried pasta, or lychee jelly.

Unique gingerbread house ideas.

Make your gingerbread houses stand out and become more memorable with these unique gingerbread house ideas. Aside from the ideas on this list, think about presenting your gingerbread house from a different angle—literally. Why not make an upside-down house or incorporate abstract designs?

A pet-friendly gingerbread house.

Make a “gingerbread” house out of dog or cat treats. For the decorations, use foods that are safe for cats or dogs. For example, add fresh fruits and veggies like carrots and bananas to decorate the house.

A savory gingerbread house.

Tired of flat charcuterie boards? Why not make a savory gingerbread house? Use a gingerbread house kit for your base. Then, decorate it by adding dried fruits, an assortment of cold cuts, crackers, and cheeses.

Barbie DreamHouse, but make it gingerbread.

Make it as pink or as elaborate as you fancy. Add props like slides, stairs, or a pool.

A mini gingerbread house.

This adds a fun twist to the usual gingerbread houses. Find a jar that’s large enough to hold mini gingerbread props (the house, candy people, etc.) and arrange them so that they resemble a gingerbread terrarium.

Take inspiration from The Burrow.

If you’ve seen the Harry Potter films or read the books, then you’ll know that the Weasley family home, aka The Burrow, is an architectural marvel. Why not make a gingerbread house inspired by The Burrow and put your own spin on it? For example, if you love color, make a multi-story gingerbread house covered in brightly colored candy.

Simple gingerbread house ideas.

Making a gingerbread house is a labor-intensive process that can take up to several hours. Keep things fun and light with these simple gingerbread house ideas.

A basic gingerbread house.

Even without all the bells and whistles, you can still make a simple but cute gingerbread house. Use colorful cereals or macarons. Remember to leave some white space so the décor can breathe.

Use a beginner-friendly template.

Look for ready-to-print templates with measurements, or make your own simple template. This one from Sally’s Baking Recipes is great for beginners. If you have an original template, consider sharing it with loved ones. Make digital flyers or attach the template to holiday letters.

A literal waffle house.

Waffles make for a great “gingerbread” house base. Make them from scratch or use frozen store-bought ones. Because the waffles tend to be hefty, your icing should be extra tacky. Instead of water, combine egg whites with powdered sugar and cream of tartar.

Make it from scratch.

The recipe for basic gingerbread dough only has a few simple ingredients. The great thing about it is you can tweak it by adding more spices like cloves or extra ginger to suit your taste preferences. Form the pattern pieces any way you want to create a gingerbread house that looks unique.

Use items lying around the house.

You don’t have to make a gingerbread house out of gingerbread. If you’re pressed for time or can’t find a good kit, consider using old milk cartons and then gluing on graham crackers. Just make sure to let everyone else know that this gingerbread house isn’t edible.

Funny gingerbread house ideas.

Showcase your great sense of humor with these funny gingerbread house ideas. Inject some fun and novelty by adding puns or inside jokes to the décor.

A funny theme.

Think of humorous themes like gingerbread awards or gingerbread reality TV.

Bless this mess.

Trouble with construction? Use this as an opportunity to use unexpected props to add a dash of whimsy and humor to your gingerbread house.

Halloween in December.

Instead of the usual Winter Wonderland-themed gingerbread house, why not embrace the Spooktacular with a horror-themed project? Embrace the whole Halloween in December theme by making posters and banners that combine Christmas and Halloween. Think zombie elves, mummified reindeer, and abominable snowmen.

Your favorite comedy movie or show.

Take elements from your favorite movies or shows. Bring them all together to create a funny gingerbread collage.

Expectation vs. Reality.

The Gingerbread house didn’t turn out like you planned. Create an expectation vs. reality photo collage to share with your loved ones this holiday season.

Cool gingerbread house ideas.

With these cool gingerbread house ideas, your gingerbread house will be the talk of the town—or the star at family gatherings.

Embrace minimalism.

Incorporate sleek lines, muted color schemes, and clean shapes.

Go vintage.

Take inspiration from vintage design trends and incorporate those into your gingerbread house. For example, opt for Art Deco with its bold geometric shapes. Meanwhile, the Art Nouveau style is all about curved lines and complex details.

Follow modern architectural styles.

Try to make gingerbread houses using architectural styles like De Stijl, Bauhaus, or Brutalism.

Use unconventional colors.

Gingerbread houses are usually colorful. Why not subvert expectations and create a metallic or monochromatic piece? If you’re going for the latter, for example, create unique effects by using contrasting shades or different color tones.

Go wild with colors.

Choose unusual color combinations or use neons, pastels, or saturated colors to create an interesting look.

Candy gingerbread house ideas.

Love all things sweet? These candy gingerbread house ideas will guide you on the different ways you can incorporate candies into your design.

Experiment with candy combinations.

This creates a unique and interesting look for your gingerbread house. For example, M&Ms can be used as roof shingles, gummy candy for walls, and chocolate rocks for walkways.

Use candies to create texture.

For example, if you want to create a smoke effect for the chimney, use cotton candy. For snow, use shredded coconut. Pop Rocks are great if you want to recreate the look of sand or gravel.

Include unique candies.

Love traveling and discovering new types of candies? Why not incorporate unique treats from all your travels into your gingerbread house? This is also an opportunity for you to share your interests with loved ones.

Choose candies carefully.

Use candies that don’t melt easily, like candy canes or Skittles. Other candy and sugar-based confection options worth exploring include swirl lollipops, Twizzlers, and marshmallows.

Use the candies to make an intricate design.

Small candies work best for this, although you can also melt bigger pieces and use them as a sort of ink to make delicate patterns.

Easy gingerbread house ideas.

These easy gingerbread house ideas cater to beginners and families. While they may be super simple to make, these aren’t your run-of-the-mill designs.

Use kits.

They’re accessible, relatively affordable, and convenient. These kits come with everything you need, including clear instructions, to start making a gingerbread house.

A micrograter is your new best friend.

Have pieces that don’t fit? Sand the edges using a fine grater to even out the edges.

Frost the insides, too.

This ensures that your gingerbread house is structurally sound.

Fondant.

Fondant is such a versatile type of icing. Form it into any shape you want. Use gel food coloring to get your desired color. For instance, roll out some fondant and cut it into shapes that resemble bricks or roof shingles. If you have extra fondant, use it to make animals or people for your gingerbread house.

Make sure to chill the dough.

If you’re making the gingerbread house from scratch, chilling the dough ensures that the pieces will retain their shape. This helps make construction easier later on.

Cute gingerbread house ideas.

Make your holidays more charming and whimsical with these cute gingerbread house ideas.

A fairy house.

Embrace unusual shapes and use natural-looking materials to create a unique gingerbread house that resembles fairy houses.

Take inspiration from holiday movies.

Paint your gingerbread house in honor of the Grinch. Add yellow and green stripes to make it look like Buddy from Elf. There are tons of great holiday movies you can use for inspiration.

Gingerbread house holiday décor.

Make mini gingerbread houses, attach a ribbon, and hang these ornaments on your Christmas tree.

A gingerbread house with a Mansard roof.

Gingerbread houses typically have gable or hip roofs. Why not opt for a gingerbread house with a Mansard roof? Make things more interesting by opting for uncommon styles like a butterfly roof or a gambrel roof.

Gingerbread birdhouse.

Turn it into an actual birdhouse or use it as part of your holiday décor.

Fun gingerbread house ideas.

If you’re looking for an enjoyable and creative activity that you and your loved ones can engage in, then these fun gingerbread house ideas are definitely worth a try.

Melt hard candies to create an interesting effect.

Before your gingerbread pieces are fully baked, take colorful hard candies and place them inside the window holes. Put the pieces back in the oven for a few minutes or until the candies are melted to create “glass” windows.

Add interactive elements.

Aside from moving parts, why not add elements that your guests will love, like breakable windows made from melted candy?

A house with a surprise.

Imagine opening up a big gingerbread house to find a smaller one nested inside. Or, instead of a smaller gingerbread house, why not fill your gingerbread house with your favorite treats?

Use Pop-Tarts.

Tired of graham crackers or plain old gingerbread bases? Pop-Tarts are a great alternative. They even have Crunchy Poppers, which are frosted brownie bites that you can use to create a driveway, a chimney, or even bricks.

Try cookie dough for the base.

Cookie dough is relatively easy to prepare and is a good alternative to Funfetti dough if you prefer a more classic look for your gingerbread house. Of course, you can use sprinkles to add pops of color throughout your cookie base.

Tips to make your gingerbread house stand out.

Decorating gingerbread houses is a wonderful activity for the whole family. However, accidents can happen. Don’t let those spoil the fun. Here are some tips to help you avoid decorating disasters (and hopefully make your gingerbread houses last a bit longer):

• Keep extra candies. Separate the candies you’ll be using for the gingerbread house from the ones that are meant for snacking on.

• Work in sections. This makes the task more manageable and lets you decorate each section as much or as little as you like. Doing so also lets you take a step back every now and then to see if your project is coming along the way you envisioned it.

• Prepare the icing properly. You don’t want icing that’s too watery or too chunky. Ideally, it should have a soft, silky, and tacky texture. Always test its consistency before actually gluing on parts of your gingerbread house.

• Let it set. Give your gingerbread house several minutes or a few hours to completely set. It also helps if you start putting the sides together first and letting the icing set before adding the roof.

• Cover-ups are your friend. Unhappy with unsightly edges or cracks? Cover them up with more icing, candy, or powdered sugar.

• Display your gingerbread house. If you're using it as part of your holiday décor, keep your gingerbread house covered. A cake dome helps protect your gingerbread house and makes it look more elegant.

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