How To Build A Gingerbread House That Won’t Fall Apart (2024)

FAQs

How To Build A Gingerbread House That Won’t Fall Apart? ›

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!

Burnt sugar (dry caramel) works almost instantly and is very hard. Your house will not succumb to the weight of the candy." Do you think Anita knows she just changed the world for gingerbread house-makers everywhere?

Fit Everything Together with Melted Sugar or Royal Icing

The traditional technique is to use icing, such as our Royal 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.

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.

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.

“Most gingerbread disasters, collapses, and frustrations happen because the icing hasn't had an adequate amount of time to dry. It's not always easy for kids to be patient, so it's a good idea to have some other activity lined up in between steps to distract kids while they're waiting to work on the house.”

Gingerbread houses fall apart when you're not using the right icing. The icing that comes in gingerbread house kits is not sticky enough and does not have the right consistency. It also takes too long to dry, which causes gingerbread houses to fall apart.

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.

The biggest tip for a professional-looking gingerbread house is to decorate the pieces before you build the house. This lets you make everything perfectly even, and prevents awkward slipping of icing down the sides. One caveat: You want the decorations to dry completely before you build the house.

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.

Most recipes are edible for at least a week, some longer. Julia has this great tip: surround the house with piles of gingerbread cookies made with softer icing, which will stay tasty (and keep you away from the dentist's office) longer. Note: Julia is the creator of this amazing Gingerbread Lighthouse.

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. Rolling the dough directly on parchment makes it easy to transfer to the pan.

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!

Royal Icing is the best icing for building gingerbread houses, especially when you use meringue powder. It's the best way to hold your house together and decorate it, keeping your gingerbread creation looking beautiful, and preventing it from falling apart.

If you want to keep a gingerbread house looking perfect throughout the holiday season, display it in a cool, dry place. Covering it at night with plastic wrap seals out moisture, dust, bugs, and other errant inedibles.

Storing Houses

Properly sealed and protected, you might be able to keep a gingerbread house looking good up to a year. If you are okay with making your house a non-edible creation, spray it with a clear lacquer, which is available at craft and hardware stores. You might need several coats for maximum protection.

From doubling up on molasses to using too much flour, there is a lot that can go wrong. Forgetting the molasses resulted in a crumbly cookie that was light in color. Combining all ingredients at once created lumps in the finished product.

You can keep a gingerbread house for years with proper storage. Our houses will stay fresh to eat for up to 12 months depending on how they are displayed and/or stored. Keep in mind that if you are displaying your decorated house, it will gather dust and other air particles.