I had so much fun making these Gingerbread Graham Cracker Houses with my daughter. I love how they turned out and they are so fun!
Now, I can bake a basic cake or cupcakes and chocolate chip cookies, but I’m not quite brave enough to make my own gingerbread house forms. I went through the web looking for something easy, without buying one of the pre-made house kits. When I came across another blog who made her Gingerbread house out of Graham Crackers, I knew I could do that… well… almost.
I saw the box of Honey Maid Gingerbread and picked it up! Now, I could have made the super large chalet style house, but with my 5 year old’s attention span, I figured these little cabins would be the right size for her to make and design without losing interest. Turns out, I was right.
To make these Gingerbread Homes, you’ll need
- 4 Whole Graham Cracker Rectangles
- Royal Icing (1 lb powered sugar, 3T meringue power, 8 -10 tsp water, 1 tsp vanilla)
- CANDY!!! Lots and lots of CANDY!!
I went to my grocery bulk food section and got a selection of chocolate candies, hard candies, gumdrops, nuts, chocolate chips, candy corns, marshmallows and who knows what else…
To construct the house, break the 4 rectangles into squares and, with a serrated knife, score one square diagonally to create two triangles. You should have two triangles and 7 squares.
Make your Royal Icing. Place ingredients into a mixer and combine until smooth. It will be thick! You do not want runny icing. This is the glue that will hold the house together. I divided mine into 3 disposable Wilton bags. No tip is needed, just snip off the end.
Place one square on a paper plate and outline it with the icing. Place the East and West walls first. The icing will help to keep it up. If they are falling over, add more icing. Then add icing up the sides of those walls to attach the North and South walls. The four walls will help to hold each other up. Add a line of icing to the tops of the North and South walls and add the triangles to form the peak of the house. More icing to the tops of the triangles and the East and West walls and add the roof.
I’m sorry I did not take pictures of the process. I was helping two goofy girls make straight walls and roofs 🙂
I let the houses dry overnight. The directions on the box say to dry for 5 minutes, but I don’t think that was nearly long enough…
The next evening, we had a DECORATING PARTY! All the candy was put into cupcake trays and the girls each had their own bag of Royal Icing.
I let the girls run wild with their imagination and was so tickled to see their creations.
I got in on the fun as well and made two houses.
I took my daughter’s house and one of my houses and placed them on a cookie sheet. With the extra candy and icing, I created a little scene. I made fences, bushes, sidewalks, a lamp post, and some trees!
For the trees, I had some Ice Cream Cones, coated them in Royal Icing, and then rolled it in shredded coconut. I added some candy-coated sunflower seeds for decorations. I couldn’t find my star candies so I used a Sixlet candy on top.
Oops! We had a little accident. This poor house fell off the table onto the floor.
All that broke was one wall. I could not believe it!
This icing totally kept this house together.
Have fun with this project! There is no wrong way to decorate a Gingerbread house and your only limitation is your imagination!
Looking for more Christmas goodies to make with the kids? How about making some of these.
Peeps Gingerbread Men Cookie Pops
Gingerbread Graham Cracker Houses
I had so much fun making these Gingerbread Graham Cracker Houses with my daughter! It's an easy way to make your own Gingerbread House at home.
Ingredients
- 4 whole graham cracker rectangles
- Royal Icing (1 pound powered sugar, 3 tablespoons meringue power, 8 -10 teaspoons water, 1 teaspoon vanilla)
- CANDY!!! Lots and lots of CANDY!!
Instructions
- To construct the house, break the 4 rectangles into squares and, with a serrated knife, score one square diagonally to create two triangles. You should have two triangles and 7 squares.
- Make your Royal Icing. Place ingredients into a mixer and combine until smooth. It will be thick! You do not want runny icing. This is the glue that will hold the house together. I divided mine into 3 disposable piping bags. No tip needed, just snip off the end.
- Place one square on a paper plate and outline it with the icing. Place the East and West walls first. The icing will help to keep it up. If they are falling over, add more icing. Then add icing up the sides of those walls to attach the North and South walls. The four walls will help to hold each other up. Add a line of icing to the tops of the North and South walls and add the triangles to form the peak of the house. More icing to the tops of the triangles and the East and West walls and add the roof.
- I let the houses dry overnight.
- The next day, have a DECORATING PARTY! All the candy was put into cupcake trays and the girls each had their bag of Royal Icing.
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Oh, I know what you mean! Real homemade gingerbread houses freak me out. Like…all that work and it collapses. I like this idea better. 🙂
We do these too! Haven't seen the honey maid gingerbread crackers tho, must get!!!
These are too cute! It looks like your children had a great time with them. I am guessing you had fun too.
I would lov eit if you would consider entering your houses in the Foodie Friends Friday Gingerbread House Competition. Read about it here – http://www.feedingbig.com/2012/11/gingerbread-house-contest-with-foodie.html
Thanks so much!
Adorable! I love gingerbread houses!!
Oh I love these!
Great job, have not seen the gingerbread grahams but have used regular and cinnamon grahams for making houses when my kids were little. Your girls did a great job!
Dawn fellow food blogger and host of Foodie Friends Friday
I love the look on their faces, so cute! The houses are adorable! I'm stopping by from Bloglovin where i'm following ya. I hope you and the fam are having a great Monday.
Nikki
http://www.thecraftysideofsarcasm.com
I was going to try these this year too as I find the store-bought gingerbread lacks in flavor. Thanks for sharing 🙂
THEY HAVE GINGERBREAD GRAHAM CRACKERS?!!? Sorry for screaming, but I am really SO STOKED. And these houses your girlie made are too cute!
wow, loving everything about this delish post. Ditto Hayley's comment, giggle. Hugs
This looks like a lot of fun and very yummy! Would love if you'd join our Countdown to Christmas link party! Hope to see you there! Have a great week! 🙂
http://dixie-n-dottie.blogspot.com/2012_11_27_archive.html
Love the Ginger Bread houses. I am your newest follower. I hope you would hop over sometime and check out the Nifty Thrifty Family. http://niftythriftyfamily.blogspot.com/
What a terrific thing to use graham crackers. This will be a memory that your little girl will have forever. The houses turned out so cute!
Can't wait to try this out! Looks like so much fun. 😉
These are adorable! Thanks so much for sharing at Mix it up Monday 🙂
What a fun project to do with the kids! Thanks for sharing. What a great way to use graham crackers.
I bet this was so much fun to make! Beautiful!
Katie
http://www.funhomethings.com
So cute! I love gingerbread houses! I love how you organized the candy in the muffin tins, great idea!
KC
Love these! I am going to do a Gingerbread House party at my mom's senior apartment complex and THIS is what I will be doing instead of those boxed ones. It will not only be cheaper, they will be cuter and more homemade looking – and I like that! Caught you on Thursday's Treasures!
These are so cute! Thank you for posting them on Foodie Friends Friday and in the Gingerbread House Competition. Please come back Sunday to vote!
What wonderful memories with your adorable little ones. We just love Gingerbread Houses, your house looks awesome! Hope you are having a great weekend and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
As I sit at work waiting for my turn, I am catching up on your blog posts. ;). LOVE THIS!!!!!! What a fab idea. We may just have to try this!! But knowing my husband and son, everything will get eaten before they are assembled! Ha!!
How fun!!! I am featuring you Wednesday on Home Cooking! Please stop by and grab my button. http://gangi-homecooking.blogspot.com/
Congratulations!
Your recipe is featured on Full Plate Thursday this week. Hope you are having a great week and enjoy your new Red Plate.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
These gingerbread houses are so adorable! Would love it if you would link this up to the Winter Wonders & Holiday Happenings party that I'm co-hosting right now at http://www.thriftyrebel.com/2012/12/winter-wonders-holiday-happenings-link.html
Hope to see you there! Have a fabulously festive week!
Tuula 🙂
I have never tried to make a gingerbread house. WAY too scary! All that work and then it just sits there. By the time you are willing to let people eat it, EEEWW. It's old and nasty! Perfect idea if you want the fun without all of that work! Love it and am so glad you shared it with us at Wicked Good Wednesdays!
Wonderful! Thank you for this recipe. I found your blog at Dixie and Dottie's Countdown to Christmas Link Party.
What great fun! Featuring you from Scrumptious Sunday #41! http://iamaddictedtorecipes.blogspot.ca/2012/12/scrumptious-sunday-40-and-41-features.html