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.
Twizzlers® Twist are perfect borders for roofs, cobblestone paths and anything that needs an outline.
Gumdrops add so much color.
Spearmint Leaves make great bushes.
Frosted Mini Wheats are perfect for snowy roof tops!
Fruit Loops are great for roof top decorations too.
Mini Gingerbread Girls add a festive touch! They are available at Cake Carousel.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Final step, place the top of the mailbox on top of the stacked peppermints. Set aside to dry overnight.
Candy mailboxes for gingerbread houses are a creative, unique confection for you gingerbread houses!
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:
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.
Arrange the gingerbread house pieces on a 14″ round cake board.
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.
Stand the gingerbread house’s back piece and one side piece.
Stand the gingerbread house’s front piece and the other side piece. Set aside to dry for a couple of hours or overnight.
Add one gingerbread house roof piece.
Add the other gingerbread house roof piece. Set aside to dry overnight. Your gingerbread house is ready to decorate. Happy decorating!
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.
One Royal Icing recipe per gingerbread house should be plenty.
Of course, it’s always a good idea to have a little extra Royal Icing!
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.
Between uses, cover the Royal Icing with saran wrap or a bowl with a lid because it dries quickly.
Multiple batches of icing may be made – no need to wash out the bowl between batches. Saves time!
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 Time15minutes
Ingredients
12-pound bag confectioners' sugar
6egg whites
1teaspooncream of tartar
Instructions
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a wire attachment, add the sugar, egg whites, and cream of tartar.
For building gingerbread houses, beat until thick and creamy.
For the red doors and custom door mats, beat until the icing is a thick pourable consistency.
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!
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.)
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.
Carefully break Hershey® candy bars into four pieces.
With a dough cutter, carefully trim about 3/4″ off each end of the candy bar pieces.
Dip candy bar pieces in the icing. Place on wire racks set over wax paper to catch the drips.
Carefully place the candy wreaths on the doors.
Set aside to dry overnight. When the doors are dry, gently lift away from the wire rack with a metal spatula.
Your gingerbread house is ready to decorate. Happy decorating!
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