Everyone this year seems to be baking and constructing gingerbread houses. Not only are they delicious and delightful to look at, but we also don’t have a lot else to do this year, let’s be honest. The Christmas parties are all on hold, we can’t really go to the pub and enjoy a mulled wine next to a roaring fire, so why not get baking instead.
You could spend your afternoon printing out templates and cutting out your gingerbread by hand, or, you could save yourself lots of time by investing in a gingerbread house kit. They’re easy to use with simple instructions, and they make the process much more enjoyable if you’re baking with kids, too. Easy-to-follow instructions are a must if your three-year-old is trying to ‘help’.
But we all know the fun bit is the decorating. After you’ve mastered the construction – Royal icing is the best bet for a truly solid foundation – you then need to choose a variety of sweets and chocolates to cover the house in. Children love this bit – but our favourite part is when they’ve got a bit bored with it all, disappeared off to watch The Grinch (again), leaving us to hoover up all the leftover sweets and chocolate buttons.
There are various kits to choose from. You can buy a set that features all the cutters you need; or, you can buy kits that include all the gingerbread pre-baked and pre-cut, ready for construction.
The Best Gingerbread House Kits
1 of 6Christmas Gingerbread House Shaped Cookie Cutters
This kit features 10 cutters to easily bake and create a unique gingerbread house, including a chimney (which, trust me, is easier than you might think – the chimney was the bit I was most worried about). The cutters are made from stainless steel so they'll last a long while, and wash easily.
2 of 6Morrisons Decorate Your Own Festive Gingerbread House
Included in this Morrisons kit are all the gingerbread pieces you need to construct the house, so all you need to do is decorate it – and it includes all the sweets you'll need too. A great option if you're not a confident baker. Note: minimum spend on morrisons.com is £40.
3 of 6Gusto Gingerbread House Baking Set
Be quick - there aren't many left of this fun kit, which is ideal for baking with children. It includes a spatula, silicone house moulds and a piping bag - everything you need for your gingerbread house project to go smoothly.
4 of 6Mini Gingerbread House Cookie Cutter Kit
A little different, this kit includes three cookie cutters to help you make tiny gingerbread houses that can sit on the edge of a cup or mug. Totally cute, although a bit fiddly – best for experienced cake decorators who like tiny projects.
5 of 6Cadbury Dairy Milk Christmas Cottage Kit
One for you if you're not actually a fan of gingerbread, but love chocolate instead – build your own chocolate cottage! Everything you need to build it is included, except the icing, which you'll need to make yourself.
6 of 6LEGO Creator 10267 Gingerbread House
OK this is a rogue entry at the end of our shortlist, but we couldn't ignore this fabulous LEGO Creator set. Yes, it's not edible, but it's amazing fun to build and you can construct it every Christmas. It's suitable for ages 12+, contains 1477 pieces and when built, it measures 21cm high. It even includes a snowblower for Mr Gingerbread to operate.
Gingerbread House Recipes
We really like this simple gingerbread house recipe from BBC Good Food. It includes a link to download a template, helping you to cut out the right sized pieces.
ThisMary Berry gingerbread house recipeis also great - it includes instructions for how to make stained-glass effect windows using boiled sweets.
Gingerbread House Books
We've also found a couple of great books on gingerbread houses - from their history to how to make the best ones:
Gingerbread House Inspiration
Have a look at Instagram and Pinterest to see loads of examples of people's gingerbread houses - from the simple to the exquisite.
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