The Easiest Way to Make a Gingerbread House

Have you always wanted to make a Gingerbread House but found yourself frustrated because it’s so difficult? Try this way instead!

Listen, if it isn’t easy, I don’t do it. And that’s not just because I have 387 kids now (plus-minus). I’ve always been this way. Complicated projects don’t work for me. I’m not a perfectionist. I’m not super detail-oriented. I’m most definitely not super artsy. So I only make easy projects.

Hahaha, I just re-read what I typed up there. “If it isn’t easy, I don’t do it.” HAHAHA. Well, that is not even true. I do hard things all day long. #387kids  I’ll do the hard things if I feel like it matters. My babies most certainly matter. People matter. Love matters. Detailed projects don’t matter to me.

But shucks if I want to do fun projects with all of these kids that I love! Especially during holidays! Gingerbread houses always sound like such a fun idea to make together. So I finally found a way to make them that is easy!

Here’s what you’ll need to make the Easiest Gingerbread House:

• Frosted Strawberry Poptarts (like this, because they already look Christmasy!)
• Frosting Tubes (like this, only I usually just get several tubes of white)
• Hard Candy Peppermints
• Red and Green M&Ms
• Gumdrops

What I avoid:

• Graham Crackers – They break too easily.
• Tubs of frosting or homemade frosting – Hard for little hands to use. Big hands for that matter
• Gingerbread House Kits – Expensive and break easily

But Laura! I thought you never bought Poptarts and Candy!

Oh, I do when we make Gingerbread Houses. :) This is for an art project, yo. This stuff doesn’t get eaten because “sorry kids, the houses have been sitting on the mantle for too long and now they are yucky to eat. bummer.”

How to make a Gingerbread House the easy way:

I’m going to give credit where credit is due. I saw this idea here. She does a lovely job sharing how to do this. Go watch the quick how-to video here. SO EASY!

Bonus tips:

1. Start with paper plates. If the houses are built on paper plates, we can easily transfer them from the kitchen table to their final destination (at our house: the mantle so everyone can see them!).
2. I (the mom) cut the poptarts for my kids. They enjoy watching and the poptarts are cut correctly this way. Cutting is hard for little guys and we want this project to be fun!
3. We use the frosting tubes like glue. Magic.
4. The kids point to where they want the “glue” and I (the mom) squeeze it into place for them. This makes it easier to actually get the glue where we want it and really? The kids are only excited about placing all the candy on their houses anyway. I provide the glue blobs for their candy-placing pleasure.

This is the only time you’ll ever hear me say this: Go out and get yourself some poptarts, candy, and frosting tubes. :)

Enjoy making these super easy Gingerbread Houses with your family!