Do you remember when I made a gazillion of these little guys for my boys’ school last year? Well, I’ve received a ton of emails asking me about the construction of them and how I cut the graham crackers, so I decided to do a tutorial for y’all this year (which might also help me out next December since it took me a few tries to get it right again this year!). You’ll need five graham crackers for each house. Honey Maid graham crackers are great – nice, flat, and straight – but if you cheap out and buy the generic kind like I did, you might need to be a bit fiddly to get the edges to line up as nicely.
Take two of your crackers and trim off a little less than 1/4 from one of the short edges. Use a serrated knife and light pressure. You might break a few while you’re getting used to the feeling of cutting, but it’s par for the course. After you trim the ends, cut your angles – use the center of the cracker (both horizontally and vertically) as your guidelines. At this point you can also trim about 3/4″ off of the two large crackers that you are going to use for your roof (as show in the first photo), but I skipped it this time and didn’t feel like it made too much of an aesthetic difference.
Now, you’ll want to whip up a batch of royal icing: You’ll need 3 cups of powdered sugar, 2 eggs whites and 1/4 tsp of Cream of Tartar. Whip the egg whites until frothy, then add the other ingredients and whip for about 7-9 minutes until the volume has increased and it holds stiff peaks. Put your icing into a piping bag.
I start by adhering one of the side pieces (a 1/2 sheet of graham cracker) directly onto the plate with royal icing. Next I attach the end piece, the other side piece, and then the remaining end piece. You’ll want to work fast as the royal icing sets up very quickly.
I make sure that each piece is securely “glued” on to the plate, because I find that it makes it a lot easier for the kids to decorate their houses when they can lift up their plates and tip it around without worrying that it will fall apart or knock over.
Add a line of icing all around – your roof pieces probably won’t touch all of these places, but it looks nicer when it’s all finished 🙂
Add your two angled roof pieces – remember when I said that cheap graham crackers don’t look as nice?! My boys wanted cinnamon crackers for the roof, and man, they were extra bowed and curved!
Oh well, nothing a little more icing can’t fix! We’ll just call it snow, eh?
Set out all the candy for decorating. Last year we used healthier options like pretzels, raisins, and yogurt bits, but this year we went all out with the junk food!
Get to work! Since the icing sets up so quickly I like to pipe a few lines on one side of the house and let my boys decorate one area at a time so that we can ensure that the candy all stays glued down well.
Don’t forget to sneak a few pics of the kiddos as they use the candy as funny photo props – these peppermint sticks totally made great reindeer antlers 😉
Ready for display…or, to eat. Sawyer was pretty impressed with his decision to use the leftover graham cracker bits on the side of his house. Personally, I’m lovin’ his heart doorknob.
Heidi Kundin, the vibrant force behind Happiness is Homemade, has captivated the hearts of millions with her colorful and inspiring approach to crafting, celebrations, and family fun. With 15 years of experience, Heidi’s website has become a must-visit destination for those seeking fresh and engaging ideas. Her warm personality shines through her posts, inviting readers to join her on a creative journey that’s not only fun but also achievable and budget-conscious. As a mother of three, Heidi expertly balances family life and her passion for creativity, proving that with a little imagination and dedication, happiness truly can be homemade!
Morgan says
Thank you for sharing your gingerbread house experience. It was exactly what I was looking for.
Merry Christmas
shawna says
I am a teacher and I made the icing .. Last year, I fought with the store bought icing… never again!
Alessandra says
Do you know if you can use store bought icing? Because our kids go to public school they do not allow “homemade” items. Thanks
Heidi says
Yes, store bought frosting will also work, but it definitely is not as strong as the royal icing.
Zoe Ann Hall says
Thanks so much! That’s just how many kids I’ll have!
Zoe Ann Hall says
How many houses will that frosting recipe make?
Heidi says
I usually make around 20 houses, and we have lots of icing left over, so I can’t say for sure, but at least 25 or more!
Sonny says
Can the kids eat them after they are done? Not sure if the royal icing would be edible with the raw egg whites in it.
Heidi says
We have always eaten the royal icing once it’s dry and hardened. It doesn’t taste all that great, but the kids seem to love it anyway. I did a little research, and this is what I found: “You can eat royal icing you use in gingerbread houses with no problem. Once they’re dried, there is no moisture for the bacteria (assuming it’s present at all) to live or grow. If they are there, they will die in the drying process. Salmonella does not create spores, so they can’t survive the drying process.” Hope that helps! 🙂
Joan T says
GREAT information – this whole post is a lifesaver!! all the good tips about microwaving in moist towels / using egg whites etc. I’ve just spent 2 frustrating hours trying to work out milk-carton houses where nothing QUITE fits and your whole process is so much easier!
Heather says
Did you know if you wrap a graham cracker in a moist paper towel and microwave it for a few seconds it will come out soft and re-harden after you cut it? Try it! 😉
Heidi says
I’ve never tried that before, Heather, but that’s a fantastic tip! Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂
SojourningThru says
Great tip! I’m making these tomorrow. Just what I needed. Thanks!
George and Julie Coccas says
Just what I needed THANKS!