It’s become a tradition of mine to make a gingerbread house every Christmas season. As usual, I turned to Teresa Layman’s books Gingerbread for All Seasons and Gingerbread: Things to Make and Bake for templates and inspiration. This is what I ended up with:
Below is the back:
The fondant snowman is all edible except for the toothpick as his nose.
To make the icicles, use a #2 piping tip and use flood icing. For the recipe see here.
Begin at the roofline and pipe a enough of a bead of icing so that it adheres, then squeeze and pull. Let go of the pressure when you’re happy with the length of the icicle and gently pull down.
I made the back and interior of the the house a bit more whimsical with royal icing ‘run-outs’ or ‘flood-work’. {Basically royal icing piped on parchment paper or acetate paper. If you’d like to use acetate paper, make sure you lightly coat it with shortening/lard}.
As usual, I couldn’t resist using disco dust. These are supposed to be jube-jubes.
The inside was pretty basic with a Christmas tree, candy gifts and some sticker-inspired flood work.
I seem to get a lot of questions regarding the trees every year. They’re so simple to make!
Begin with ice cream cones of any size. Various sizes look nice as well. You can gently break your cones or stack them to make the ‘trees’ larger or smaller.
You’ll need to use a thick or stiff icing for the trees. I used Teresa Layman’s recipe.
Holding the cone by the tip, pipe stiff green ‘stars’ using a #18 tip. Any star or leaf tip works really and you can pipe small, tight stars or larger, longer ones. Whatever your preference. Begin at the base, piping one row at a time, and work your way upwards until you almost reach the top.
Since you need a place to grip the cone, stop piping near the tip and let the icing dry. Once it is firm, you can gently hold on to the bottom of the tree and finish the rest. Voila!
This tree has a little bit of icing sugar dusted over it as well.
I did end up entering the house into my first competition.
Every year our local museum holds a Gingerbread House Competition to raise money for Christmas Cheer – a charity for local families in need.
I ended up with silver in the professional category, representing the school where I teach and Sweetopia.
First prize went to Cakes by Design with their adorable house and figurines.
Unfortunately I wasn’t able to attend the award ceremony as I was in class with Peggy Porschen, but I was able to get a few shots of the other houses when I delivered my house. I loved Whoville and so many of the unique ideas!
Happy gingerbreading if you decide to make one this year!
xo,
Marian
susan crabtree says
love the details of your door light fixture, window greenery, stacked wood pile, & the christmas tree inside your gingerbread house-so cute!
Michelle says
Great inspiration! They all look so lovely and festive.
veggie wedgie says
The gingerbread houses look so cute-right out of a fairytale!
SweetThingsTO says
Thanks for sharing all the ideas – just wonderful! Happy Holiday Season! Juanita
Jeniffer Paxton says
I bought my first Peggy Porschen book this week & I’ve bookmarked your site because tomorrow I pipe my first ever Christmas cookie. In awe of your gingerbread house… maybe in a year or two or three I’ll be game enough to try to make one!
cookienurse says
Your creation is absolutely gorgeous! You should have won first!
ella says
Wow, I was reading this and admiring the fine work and then I realized that you mentioned Cakes By Design! This is the kind of blog and work that makes me proud to be from Barrie, awesome gingerbreading!
Amanda DaybyDay says
You never fail to inspire me. I need make a gingerbread house RIGHT NOW! So very beautiful.
Karin says
O M G!! It’s beautiful!!
Take care, Karin
Janet says
What a fun post – thank you for sharing all the gingerbread houses for us to look at.
Your house is great!
åsa - hello sugar says
i’m totally in love with your gingerbread house! and it’s decorated on the inside as well, how cute is that!!!
Nicky Hurt says
That is just a beautiful house! I love that you can still see the gingerbread and it’s not OVERdone, like so many are these days. It’s very tasteful and beautiful. I love it!
Corynn Chan says
I am in awe of all the details.
Alicia says
Your house is amazing – it sure puts mine to shame!
Nutmeg says
Wonderful job Marian!! Congrats!!! 😀
Maria says
hi Marian,
beautiful gingerbread house,with all your unique and cute details inside and outside….lots of work and talent. Your’s is #1 in my eyes….
thank you for sharing.
ML
babskitchen says
Stunning, as I knew it would be, Marian. Get in touch with me – I’ve got some photos to send you of the gingerbread show from the Botanical Gardens. I am positive one of your houses could win an award!
Jessica says
This is amazing! Gingerbread houses have become a tradition at my house too, but ours shrinks in comparison to yours! Can’t wait to use some of your techniques this year.
Angela East says
My grandson and I started last year making a gingerbread house for the holidays.Will be doing it again this year.
Happy Baking and Decorating,
Chef Angie
Kimberly says
Gorgeous as always!
DianasaurDishes says
My husband and I are making a gingerbread train this year for our competition. Hope it turns out well! How did you make your chimney? I love it!
Marian says
DianasaurDishes, would love to see pics when you’re done!
The chimney is made with pink tinted gingerbread, scored and baked. Crevices are filled in with royal icing.
simplynabiki says
Wow! it is soooo beautiful! I would like to be as good as you are 😉 I will link it to my site!
Ilenia from simplynabiki.com
Amy says
That is amazing attention to detail! What inspiration!
Sharmishtha says
This is just beautiful. But then, which of your creations isn’t?
A friend went to the US and got me Pretty Party Cakes. I will try my hand at cookie decorating now if I find the ingredients this side of the world.
Rylan says
Wow Marian! Wow! Your gingerbread house is sooooo clean and super neat! I love the way it turned out! I wish mines will turn out as good as yours! You are awesome my friend!
Natalia says
Beautiful!!!!!
Congrats, you are amazing. Maybe I’ll try one myself this year…
Let’s see how it goes…
Ann says
How beautiful houses !!!! I made one three years ago, and I’m planning to make one this year…Thanks for share with us your ideas and works….
Ann
CakeSpy says
I love every bit of this post!! The cupcake castle has me dreaming, and those dreams are certainly sweet!
Marianne says
Hi Marian! Love your gingerbread house…and thanks for sharing how to make the christmas trees – can’t wait to give it a try.
Still can’t get a hold of Teresa Layman’s books here in Australia. 🙁 Have tried ebay and amazon but postage is outrageous!
Booked into a gingerbread class this Friday and am so excited! I’ll send to pics of my very first house on the weekend!
Congrats on the silver award! I just love coming to your site and looking at your gorgeous creations! XXX
Marian says
You guys are so nice!
Thank you so much for your sweet comments!
Elissa says
Marian, you are so amazing! At my high school we’re doing a gingerbread house competition, where freshmen/sophomores/juniors/seniors each decorate one house. Unfortunately my senior class doesn’t have much creativity or motivation, but your house is inspiring! 🙂
Jessica says
I love, love these gingerbread houses! On average, how long does it take you to make these? The details are amazing, and I love how even the backs of the houses are so interesting and creative to look at!
Dorothy says
Awesome job Marian!
your house is magnificent!! Congrats on silver!!!
it’s a beautiful creation….!!
p.s. who gets to eat the house – and when?
D
Marian says
Thanks so much!
Jessica; I’m not sure exactly how long the house took me… I’m guessing with everything from making the dough right down to covering the board and the finishing touches, approximately 12-17 hours. I’ll have to write down the time it takes for everything next time I make one.
Dorothy; the house was donated to Christmas Cheer through the museum. A local family in need is getting it – I hope they eat it and find the candy inside!
Friedl says
This is amazing !
Cathy says
Great website. Sat here with my son looking at these neat ideas. thanks
nikki says
HI Marian,
What a generous gesture to give your time and creation for someone more needy at this tiime of year. Your house is stunning! How on earth do they judge something like this ?? I loved the fact that the detail translated to the inside of the house too. What cute details. I just wanted to know how long past making one can you eat it?
Susan says
Wow, that’s lovely! I love all the little details like the log pile, the icicles on the roof, and the flowers on the windowsill!
Sandie (Inn Cuisine) says
I LOVE gingerbread houses of all shapes, themes & sizes. Yours is simply gorgeous! Enjoyed seeing the other photos too—so inspiring!
Maria says
Beautiful Gingerbread house. I am planning to make my first gingerbread house and would like to know how you made the ‘waffle’ windows…
deana (lostpastremembered) says
Really inspiring. Great work and creativity… loved the ‘woodpile’!
Kate says
Your house is absolutely amazing! My son and I entered our first contest this year too. We still have a lot to learn, but it was a great experience!Thanks for sharing this beautiful work of art! Do you mind if I post a few of your pictures and link them back to your site? I’d love to share this!
disneypal says
Your gingerbread house is probably the prettiest one I have ever seen !
Marian says
Thanks for the comments!
Maria, the windows were made using a small square cookie cutter. Each ‘square’ was one ‘cut’.
Kate, I’d be honored, thanks!
Gretchen says
Thanks for the advice on the trees — am working on a gingerbread house for a preschool project for my son. Thanks to you, my tree rocks!!