Families all across the globe still make the decoration/construction of gingerbread houses an annual tradition, and in light of Tuesday being National Gingerbread House Day, we want to see your best creations!
Make sure the dough used for cookies is sturdy, not soft. Dough specifically designed for gingerbread houses have no or little leavener so there isn’t as much puffiness.
Bake/cool cookies on flat surfaces. This helps the foundational pieces of a gingerbread house maintain the integrity of their shapes and not be crooked, which helps with assembly.
Use lots of icing and give it time to dry. Icing cements the walls and roof, so make sure to use lots of it and give it several hours — or even overnight — to dry.
Make sure pieces are cut properly. Using a gingerbread house template that you can print out and measure along the dough is a good way to make sure walls and the roof is even. A paring knife or X-Acto blade are useful to help cut clean lines.
Set aside a lot of space. Make sure a countertop and kitchen has plenty of room for pieces, icing, bags and other decorative items.
Decorate before assembling. It’s often easier to decorate pieces when they are flat.
It’s all the in the detail. When it is assembled, further decorations such as dusting the board around the house with sprinkles or icing it with a spatula or spoon can make it look even better at the end.