Happy Friday: Easy & Frugal Gingerbread Houses
Sent from reader, Jennifer:
I don’t have the patience or time to bake gingerbread and the kits are kinda pricey until after the holidays so my kids and I came up with these. A fun frugal holiday project made with things you may already have. I made frosting from scratch but a can of frosting would probably work too. If you have trouble getting the “glue” to hold the walls together just prop them up with a glass and after a few minutes they will adhere. The small ones are very easy for young kids to do and they don’t take very long to assemble – my youngest is four.
I downloaded a digital coupon to my Dollar General account for some cheap powdered sugar and used off brand graham crackers so the whole project cost around $5! This is great way to use up old Halloween candy or candy leftover from Christmas parties, parades, etc.
HAPPY FRIDAY!
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Costco sells preassembles gingerbread houses for $10, kit comes with all kinds of cute candies and icing for decorating. I bought 7 and am taking them to the neighborhood Christmas party. Each family will be able to decorate and take one home.
Yes I do this with my class every single year – for $10 it’s an assine deal! Pre made icing in a decorator tube, house already put together, ample candy to decorate. Worth far more than the $9.99 it sells for! Hassle free!
Ok that’s supposed to be “awesome” deal. I hate iPhone auto correct LOL!
I bought one of those kits from Costco too. Beware, I opened mine yesterday and the house was broken into about 10+ pieces. I was able to use the icing and glue it back together but it took a while and then needed time to dry before the walls were strong enough to hold the roof. If you are taking them too a party I would suggest opening and inspecting them before hand so you have time to fix it if needed.
If you are near an Ikea, they have cute gingerbread house kits for less than $5!
I bought ours from Trader Joe’s for $7.99. For the icing they want you to beat 1 egg white to stiff peaks and then mix in the powdered sugar and add a couple drops of lemon juice or vinegar.
I love the Trader Joe’s ones too because they are just and A-frame house and they don’t tend to fall apart since there are no sides. It also helps to put the icing on the night before and let it harden/dry. The next day, you can let the kids have at it and it’s usually fine. The kit comes with trees and people too! $7.99 is actually less than a lot of the other kits I see out there (unless someone has a great coupon or deal to use on it!)
I haven’t had good luck with the gingerbread kits, they’ve been badly broken both times I’ve purchased so I’ve had to return. I’ve also found that Honeymaid graham crackers are easiest to cut if your making your own. Kids love to decorate these, so invite a family over, turn on some Christmas music, eat some dinner and make these after:)
I make ours from graham crackers and then I got glue them together. I buy most candy on Halloween clearance (70% target)
I think I will try and use the grahm crackers this year. I read to shape them, to use a serated knife verse a regular knife; they’re so fragile I can see myself breaking every cracker. Anyone have any tips on cutting the roof?
Not sure about cutting the roof but anytime one breaks they can be glued back together with the frosting. I just arranged them in a way that no cutting was needed for the roof. I have never cut a graham with a knife although I’m sure you can. I just arranged them so that there was an opening left for a door. I have also just piped a door on there with frosting or just glued on a small chocolate bar for a door/window.
I few days ago i bought a kit at joannes with 4 little houses inside fo me and my fiance to build our “dream homes” lol. They were on sale for 50%off plus i used a 20% off coupon. It costed like 6.65$
I find the Wilton brand is the best, in my opinion. You can get it super cheapie Michael’s with a coupon.
I bought Wilson cookie icings on target clearance after Halloween. And used wafer cookies to build sturdy brick houses. Then decorated with leftover Halloween candies. About $6 spent to make three houses for our annual family competition.
Five below has kits for $5. They had various ones. The bigger ginger bread house, 2 houses different sizes, toy train and more. It comes with everything to assemble!
I buy ours after Christmas for the following year (the kits bc we only make them for fun, not to eat) & get them pretty cheap, at least 50% off
And if there is an accident if the house breaks apart just put a couple dinosaurs next to it. That’s what I had to do. Turned out kind of cute
Why dinosaurs?
I think she means put any kind of big animal/creature/monster so it looks like the house is broken because the monsters smashed it. Like make it look intentional/funny instead of a broken accident.
Omg, how funny! Great idea and so cute!
My daughter has celiac disease so we just buy gluten free graham crackers for her to make a gingerbread house. It turns out well and she loves creating her own house,
I’ve used a cracker box before. My local library does this for free so check them ( next year). It’s a cardboard house and they provide the house, frosting and toppings.
When my kids were in kindergarten the teacher saved and washed the school milk cartens to use as support for graham crackers. It was an exercise in patience to hold the crackers against the carton while the royal icing set, sides first then roof. Once they all set they were put aside overnight and decorated with candy the next day, and so they could be fixed by the teacher if necessary. Royal icing is easy and sets quickly, but thick homemade frosting will hold candy and is easier to eat if you are the type that lets the kids nibble at them.
I sat in front of a fan while building mine and it seemed to help it set up quick.
Our family has made rice krispy treat houses the past few years. Super easy and yummy to eat! You can find examples on Pinterest if interested. This year my older kids want to learn to make real gingerbread houses from scratch. Wish me luck, bigger project than I wanted to take on. The house will smell yummy and I love that the kids want to learn.
I make one with my kids every year. After they get tired of picking the candy off after Christmas we put it outside for the squirrels and birds to pick apart.
At Michael’s they have them for $10 to $20. I used a percentage off coupon because they weren’t on sale and got it for $5. Just another idea everyone may not know about.