When the December darkness falls and the scent of gingerbread spreads through the home, few traditions create the perfect Christmas feeling like cozying up with friends and building gingerbread houses together. Whether you're experienced or trying to build a gingerbread house for the first time, we share tips for a delightful time and tricks that make building gingerbread houses easier and cozier!
Enhance your holiday coziness with mulled wine, snacks & tasty accompaniments
Serving mulled wine is perfect during a cozy Christmas gathering! Small, simple, and festive bites go well with mulled wine, such as ginger biscuits with blue cheese, sliced ham rolls, roasted nuts, mini canapés, or festive chocolate pieces. Let guests help themselves from a small snack table that makes the evening even more celebratory. If you want a slightly more upscale feel, you can prepare some luxurious bites such as filled flatbread rolls, tartlet shells, or canapés.
Serve the mulled wine in nice mulled-wine mugs and keep it warm in a handy mulled-wine pot heated with tealights. Lay out on a beautiful serving tray with small bowls and light candles in a beautiful candle holder to create an inviting atmosphere. Add a few sprigs of fir or orange slices to the table for extra holiday spirit!
Buy the product online: Fager Glöggmugg 4-pack, Glora Glöggkolv (also available with snowflakes), Sevyn Serving Tray, Asta Candle Holder
Building a gingerbread house - step by step
Building a gingerbread house doesn't have to be hard! Follow these simple steps to succeed with a stable and beautiful gingerbread house.
What do you need to build a gingerbread house?
To succeed with your gingerbread house you need:
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Parts for your gingerbread house (store-bought or homemade)
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A sturdy base, e.g. a cutting board
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Royal icing, melted sugar, or ready-made sugar glue
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Piping bag or plastic bag with the corner cut off
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Decorations like candy, icing sugar, silver dragees, chocolate, sprinkles
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Tools like a dough scraper, small knife, and a heatproof saucepan if you use melted sugar
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Preparations before building the gingerbread house
Start by choosing a stable and suitable workspace to assemble your gingerbread house. A sturdy table with plenty of room makes a big difference. Lay out all gingerbread parts and try putting them together loosely to see that they fit.
Are you building your own gingerbread house from scratch? Create a template from cardboard or paper and cut the pieces from gingerbread dough before baking. Use your imagination and create anything from a miniature cottage to a large villa or an impressive gingerbread castle.See the gingerbread recipe here!
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Assemble the gingerbread house
There are three methods to assemble a gingerbread house:
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Assemble with royal icing: Perfect if you're building together with children. It takes longer to dry, but is safer. The recipe for homemade royal icing is simple: just mix 1 egg white and 4 dl icing sugar with 1 tsp 12% vinegar in a bowl until it becomes a smooth batter.
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Melted sugar: Gives a stronger bond and is faster to assemble with, but requires caution as the sugar becomes very hot!
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Ready-made gingerbread glue: Is available to buy in stores in a tube or bottle.
A good tip is to assemble the walls first and let them dry or set properly before adding the roof. Support the walls with, for example, glasses or jars so they stand steady while drying. Also consider adding gelatin sheets if your house has cut-out windows, it gives a nice effect!
Tip! How to keep your gingerbread house intact
To avoid cracks and slanted walls:
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If you bake parts for the gingerbread house from scratch: let the parts cool completely before assembly
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Make sure all edges are even (sand them gently against a grater if needed)
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Don't overload the roof with too-heavy decorations
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Store the house in a cool, dry place
A stable base and the right amount of “glue” also make a big difference for how well your house will hold up.
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Decorate your gingerbread house
Now comes the most fun part of building a gingerbread house! Pipe icing lines along edges and windows for a classic look on your gingerbread house. Sprinkle a little icing sugar as “snow”, decorate the roof with candy in symmetrical rows or create small figures and trees from gingerbread dough. It's the details that make your gingerbread house unique and only your imagination sets the limits!
Good luck building your gingerbread house and take the opportunity to enjoy a truly lovely holiday gathering with your friends. Whether you aim for a simple little house or a creative masterpiece, it's the time together that makes the experience magical! Merry Christmas and happy gingerbread house building from all of us at Dorre!
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