Common And Popular Candies

Common And Popular Candies

After researching and decorating gingerbread houses for 25 years, I have compiled a list of the most common and popular candies which can be used to decorate gingerbread houses.

Common And Popular Candies:

  • Peppermints, a classic Christmas candy, are popular candies for gingerbread houses.Common And Popular Candies
  • Twizzlers® Twist are perfect borders for roofs, cobblestone paths and anything that needs an outline.Twizzlers® Twist
  • Gumdrops add so much color.Gum Drops
  • Spearmint Leaves make great bushes.Spearmint Leaves
  • Frosted Mini Wheats are perfect for snowy roof tops!Frosted Mini Wheats®
  • Fruit Loops are great for roof top decorations too.Kellogg's® Fruit Loops®
  • Haribo® Sour Streamers look great on roof tops! Haribo® Sour Streamers
  • Necco® Candy Wafers, an American candy classic since 1847, are perfect roof toppers and cobblestone paths.Necco® Candy Wafers
  • Nerds® Candy is perfect for cobblestone paths too.Nerds® Candy
  • JUJUBES® make colorful cobblestone paths too.JUJUBES®
  • Tootsie® Rolls are good for logs.Tootsie® Rolls
  • Snyder’s of Hanover, America’s Pretzel Bakery since 1909, Mini Pretzels turned upside down make charming fences.Snyder's of Hanover® Mini Pretzels
  • Haribo® Frogs are cute floating on the lollipop ponds! If you live in Dallas, Texas, Kuby’s carries Haribo® Gummi Frogs!Haribo® Frogs
  • Chocolate Santas, big and small, are a great addition to gingerbread houses.Chocolate Santas
  • Lindt® Chocolate Snowmen are loved by all.Common And Popular Candies
  • Mini Gingerbread Girls add a festive touch! They are available at Cake Carousel.Mini Gingerbread Girls
  • Save the best for last . . . Edible Glitter, available at Cake Carousel in Richardson, Texas, sprinkled on top of gingerbread houses gives a sparkle! Cake Carousel also carries the mini candy wreaths and gingerbread girls. You might give them a call to check availability before heading to their store.Edible Glitter
  • Happy Decorating!!!
Candy Mailboxes For Gingerbread Houses

Candy Mailboxes For Gingerbread Houses

Every gingerbread house needs a candy mailbox!

Six Steps To Make Candy Mailboxes For Gingerbread Houses:

  1. Make one batch of Royal Icing.Royal Icing
  2. Trim the end of a 12″ disposable pastry bag.  Add a Wilton® #5 pastry tip. Fill halfway with Royal icing. *Optional: Tie a rubber band around the end of the pastry bag.Trim the end of a disposable pastry bag.
  3. With a dough cutter or sharp knife, cut a large, 2.25 oz Tootsie Roll® into thirds or use the smaller, thick Tootsie Rolls® for the mailbox tops.Tootsie Roll®
  4. Cut Trident® cinnamon gum into “mailbox flag” shapes. Or Satin Ice® red fondant into “mailbox flag” shapes. Attach the red flags to the mailboxes with a small dot of Royal icing(not show in photo). Set aside to dry for an hour or more.Candy red flags
  5. Apply a dot of royal Icing onto a Peppermint Starlight® mint candy. Place another peppermint on it. Repeat until four peppermints are stacked. *It’s a good idea to stack two peppermints at a time; set aside to dry. Once the icing is dry, stack the four peppermints together. Otherwise, the peppermints will slide as they are drying, creating a leaning mailbox!
  6. Final step, place the top of the mailbox on top of the stacked peppermints. Set aside to dry overnight.Candy Mailboxes For Gingerbread Houses

Candy mailboxes for gingerbread houses are a creative, unique confection for you gingerbread houses!

 

 

How To Build A Gingerbread House

How To Build A Gingerbread House

Everyone is ready for some holiday cheer! How to build a gingerbread house with a store-bought gingerbread house kit.

*Kits are available at most craft stores and grocery stores.

How To Build A Gingerbread House – Most Important Tip!

  • For a sturdy gingerbread house discard the icing in the kit and make the Royal Icing.

Seven Steps For Building:

  1. Make one recipe of Royal Icing. Be sure to beat the Royal Icing until it is very thick. This assures the gingerbread house will be sturdy. Trim 1/2″ off the end of a Wilton® disposable pastry bag. Fill it half way with Royal icing. Set aside.Gingerbread house - royal icing
  2. Arrange the gingerbread house pieces on a 14″ round cake board.Gingerbread house pieces
  3. Pipe the Royal icing onto the cake board(the dimensions of the gingerbread house).  Pipe the Royal icing onto the edges of the front and back pieces of the gingerbread house.Arrange the pieces
  4. Stand the gingerbread house’s back piece and one side piece.back & side pieces
  5. Stand the gingerbread house’s front piece and the other side piece. Set aside to dry for a couple of hours or overnight.add front and other side
  6. Add one gingerbread house roof piece.Add half of roof
  7. Add the other gingerbread house roof piece. Set aside to dry overnight. add other half of roofYour gingerbread house is ready to decorate. Happy decorating!
Royal Icing For Gingerbread Houses

Royal Icing For Gingerbread Houses

Royal Icing for gingerbread houses is the essential component for building gingerbread houses and confections.

This Royal Icing Recipe is for building gingerbread houses and all of the handmade confections. Simply beat the icing a little longer for building the gingerbread houses and making the holiday trees. 

When making the red doors and custom door mats, simply beat the Royal Icing less. The consistency will be thick and pourable.

Royal Icing for gingerbread housesEquipment:

Essential Ingredient:

Tips:

  1. One Royal Icing recipe per gingerbread house should be plenty.
  2. Of course, it’s always a good idea to have a little extra Royal Icing!
  3. For extra Royal Icing – The ratio – 1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, 1 egg white and 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar – Mix this in any quantity you prefer. 
  4. Between uses, cover the Royal Icing with saran wrap or a bowl with a lid because it dries quickly.
  5. Multiple batches of icing may be made – no need to wash out the bowl between batches. Saves time!
  6. No need to sift the confectioner’s sugar!

    Royal Icing

    Here's the magic recipe for gingerbread houses and confections. Make it and use it right away for the consistency and success for decorating your gingerbread house!

    Prep Time 15 minutes

    Ingredients

    • 1 2-pound bag confectioners' sugar
    • 6 egg whites
    • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar

    Instructions

    1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a wire attachment, add the sugar, egg whites, and cream of tartar.

    2. For building gingerbread houses, beat until thick and creamy.

    3. For the red doors and custom door mats, beat until the icing is a thick pourable consistency.

    4. To make icicles:

      To be sure that you have enough Royal Icing, fill a 12" cake-decorating bag 1/2 full of Royal icing prior to decorating your gingerbread house. This way, the Royal icing will be reserved for the best part - icicles!

Red Candy Doors For Gingerbread Houses

Red Candy Doors For Gingerbread Houses

A red door means “welcome” in an old early American tradition. Weary travelers by horse and buggy would know that a home with a red front door was a welcoming place to rest. A red candy door on a gingerbread house carries on this friendly tradition!

Red candy doors are another fun confection to custom make for gingerbread houses. They are easy to make!

*Make ahead – the red royal icing needs plenty of time for drying(a day before and up to a couple of weeks before the gingerbread house decorating.)

Ingredients:Hershey's ®

Special Equipment and Supplies:

Directions for Red Candy Doors:

  1. Make 1 recipe of Royal icing. Combine the ingredients for a couple of minutes. The consistency should be a pourable consistency, similar to a thick syrup. Tint it with Super Red food coloring. Pour into a wide-rimmed bowl.Red bowl of Royal icing
  2. Carefully break Hershey® candy bars into four pieces.Break candy bars into four pieces.
  3. With a dough cutter, carefully trim about 3/4″ off each end of the candy bar pieces.Trim candy bar with a pastry cutter.
  4. Dip candy bar pieces in the icing. Place on wire racks set over wax paper to catch the drips.Dip candy bar into royal icing.
  5. Carefully place the candy wreaths on the doors.Place candy wreath on red door.
  6. Set aside to dry overnight. When the doors are dry, gently lift away from the wire rack with a metal spatula.Gently loosen red door with a metal spatula.