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Baking· Christmas· Craft Ideas· DIY· Food Gifts· Gifts From The Kitchen· Recipes· Table decor

No-Bake Gingerbread House

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Christmas just would not be the same if we didn’t make a gingerbread house together each year.  Every year we make one a bit different, but this year I decided I would try something that I have not done before, a no-bake version made out of graham crackers.  And am I glad I did, this was really fun and easy too! The reason I have preferred to use use sheets of baked gingerbread were the lines between the crackers, and being able to see the box or base beneath.  After a little bit of experimenting and some hot-glue, I was able to achieve a much smoother surface without the work involved with sheets of gingerbread.  Here is what I did…

 
Supplies:
Box or boxes to create the base for the house.  As you can see from my very classy cereal box and masking tape example above, this can be free. 
Hot Glue, tape
Rolling pin
Plate or platter to place house on (I used a large doily underneath too)
One box of graham crackers (two if your house is large, mine was more of a cottage)
One can of white cake frosting
Ziploc bag for frosting, scissors
Little fir trees (dollar store)
2 Candy canes for the door
Miscellaneous candy for decorating.  We used spice drops, red imperials, cookie decorating sugar, mini marshmallows, candy canes, peppermint candies, and a little square of chocolate for the doormat (my 6 year old’s idea!)
 
Directions:
I began by covering the front and back with graham crackers, gluing each in place with hot glue in a diamond pattern.  On the areas where the crackers hung over the edge I trimmed them carefully with scissors, I know I was a bit surprised they worked that well too.  Next I covered the sides and roof in a square pattern and ground up my remaining crackers and scraps with a rolling pin.  Doing one section at a time, I ran a thin line of hot glue between the crackers and sprinkled the graham cracker dust over the hot glue, patting it down a bit as went.  This gave the surface a nice smooth effect and now I could not see the box underneath. 
 
Next I placed the house on the platter with large paper doily underneath and put my trees and marshmallows (snow) in place.  Trimming the candy canes down we made the door, and used hot glue to attach all of the candies so they would stick well. 
 
I cut a small corner off of the Ziploc bag and filled it with frosting, using this to pipe the frosting onto the rooftop and eaves.  Using the tip of the bag and slightly pulling the frosting down over the edges I created the icicles.  I decorated the roof with red imperials and used the course decorating sugar for sparkly snow all over the frosting so it would cling before it set. We glued our little doormat in place and cleaned up.  Along the way we ate way too many spice drops and spoonfuls of frosting, but that’s part of the fun!
 
The kids were soooo excited to see the house the next morning and talk about how we made it.  It was really fun, and easy too.  And I have to admit, I may never piece together pieces of baked gingerbread again now.  And I am thinking about making a whole little town of cottages next year….
 
 
As always thank you so much for your sweet comments and ideas.  YOU are what twelveOeight is about, and I appreciate you so much 🙂
 
Hugs & blessings friend,
 
xoxo, Tanya
 

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Comments

  2. ohiofarmgirl says

    I am so glad you shared this idea. I use to make these with the kids when I was a teacher…I guess I had forgotten that we made them. I am putting this on my list for next year…I am sure others will love this too! Dianntha

    Reply

  8. Annie says

    No-bake gingerbread houses have been made for years! My kids and I made these houses back in the 1970s! And I also taught Girl Scout leaders how to make them. To glue the graham crackers to a box base, just use royal icing! No need for hot glue!

    Reply

  11. Maria says

    Your gingerbread house looks awesome!!!! So fun and festive!!!! I baked all the pieces for mine this year and it was way too much work! This looks fantastic!!! Merry Christmas!

    Reply

  13. Lelio Vieira Carneiro says

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    Thanks for your time!

    Reply

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    Reply

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