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Finally, don’t rush it — give yourself plenty of space and time. Have any available older kids help with the construction while the younger kids (or overly obsessive adults) can focus on fine-tuning the decorations. Remember, gingerbread houses can never have too much confectionary bling.
How long does royal icing take to dry?
Most gingerbread kits are designed with aesthetics in mind (although we did find a clear winner in the taste category). After piping, this royal icing should harden in about 15 to 30 minutes. The exact amount of time will depend on the temperature and humidity in your kitchen. When building a gingerbread house, it's best to let the walls set up for a few hours before adding the roof.
The 2023 Gingerbread White House Took 30 Pounds of Chocolate & 50 Pounds of Royal Icing to Make - PEOPLE
The 2023 Gingerbread White House Took 30 Pounds of Chocolate & 50 Pounds of Royal Icing to Make.
Posted: Mon, 25 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
The BEST Gingerbread House Icing
It's not the fanciest of the houses we built, but our gingerbread architect liked its clear instructions and simplicity. It also includes a sturdy base, which makes building convenient. The only Hershey’s specific parts are the rooftop Kisses and Hershey’s bars, though there are extra for snacking during the process. We definitely wish it came with even more Hershey's decorations (if you want to add a little something extra, we like these candy cane mint kisses). Here at The Spruce Eats, we've been testing gingerbread houses for more than three years and we now consider ourselves experts. Here are the best gingerbread kits in a variety of categories, according to our gingerbread architects—er—editors.

Gingerbread House Icing
The whole scene glistens with a fresh dusting of Sparkling Sugar. There are a lot of different types of royal icing out there, but if you're building and decorating a gingerbread house, you'll want one that's relatively low in moisture. That ensures it will dry out fast, which will keep your designs from smudging and your walls from budging (if you'll pardon the rhyme).
Create-a-Treat Oreo E-Z Build Cookie House Kit
Try this royal frosting, cream cheese frosting, or this classic vanilla frosting. By awarding prizes in multiple categories, the gingerbread builders can also be the judges. Give each participant a ballot with three or four categories for which to vote, such as Most Creative, Most Delicious-Looking, Largest Structure and Most Festive.
In regards to how long an unopened gingerbread kit can last, most have a one-year-long shelf life before it goes bad. Of course, building and eating sooner rather than later will result in a fresher taste. This bright, pastel-roofed gingerbread house boasts plenty of color (while it lasts ... your kids are going to eat all of those petite candies!). "If you have ice cream cones, use that piping tip on an upside-down cone to create an evergreen-looking tree," Krupa adds. "And a little dusting of powder sugar on top of each creates a magical winter wonderland!" If you don't have any cones, try using the same tip and pipe them on parchment paper. This sweet insider intel will set you up for gingerbread house success (finally).
Practice Before You Pipe
However, your gingerbread house is only as good as its glue. Royal icing is the “glue” that holds the house together. It’s also the glue adhering any candies to the walls and roof. As you can see in these photos, I covered the roof with royal icing before piping the buttercream on.
Easy Smoked Trout Dip (or Spread)
This recipe makes enough royal icing for assembling and decorating a standard-sized gingerbread house, so plan accordingly. The best and easiest way to use royal icing is to transfer it to a piping or pastry bag. Here’s my completely homemade gingerbread house recipe including how to bake, construct, and decorate with royal icing and buttercream. Everything can be prepared in advance, see my make ahead tip after the recipe instructions.
Baking School
I made it to go with my gingerbread house recipe and gingerbread house template, but it is also perfect for saving the day with those store-bought kits. This gingerbread house icing recipe is by far the best “glue” I have ever used to build a gingerbread house! It’s easy to use, has the perfect consistency and dries quickly.
For many of us, gingerbread houses are as much a part of Christmas as decorated trees and candy canes. Maybe blame the lack of snow in Southern California, at least at sea level. The real question is, after all that hard work, can you actually bear to consume it? By the time my masterpiece is complete, I’m usually pretty sugared out anyways. Add the royal icing to a piping bag with tip and use immediately to assemble your gingerbread house or store it in an airtight container at room temperature. If you plan to build a house just for display, appearance and aroma are more important than flavor, so choose a stiffer dough like this Construction Gingerbread.

We believe nutritious, wholesome food doesn’t have to sacrifice flavor. You’re going to like how easy it is to make this icing. Here is a quick run-down but make sure to scroll all the way to the printable recipe card. The chimney is totally optional, but I think it’s a cute addition.
The gingerbread house contest should be held in two parts. After dividing into teams and explaining the guidelines for the competition, allow half an hour to assemble the basic structure of the houses. Only the graham crackers and the royal icing should be available to contestants at this time. We never worried about the gingerbread sides actually cracking because the gingerbread cookie consistency was closer to that of a soft cookie rather than having a hard exterior.
With red sour belt shingles and Tootsie Roll siding, this edible rustic log cabin sets the scene for the ultimate sugar-filled winter wonderland. Hold the 2 pieces you want stuck together against each other for about 10 seconds. I prefer using a rubber spatula and hand-mixing the color into the icing.
This gingerbread house icing is a basic royal icing but the consistency is what makes it perfect for constructing a gingerbread house. If you get the consistency of the icing just right you will be able to construct your house effortlessly. This recipe makes it easy and fun to decorate a gingerbread house.
Next, plan to make plenty of royal icing — it’s nothing more than a basic combination of powdered sugar and egg whites. Simple as it may sound, royal icing has the strength of glue when it dries; this is no ordinary frosting. Use plenty of icing to construct the house; it will act as your cement and help hold everything together. Then continue to use it to pipe decorations or glue on candies or other embellishments.
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