Cute Gingerbread House Decorating Ideas and holiday Inspiration! Over 20 easy gingerbread house ideas and recipes for Christmas fun with your family.
Creative Gingerbread House Decorating Ideas
What do you think of gingerbread houses? Too hard to make, or hours full of fun? Our house says FUN!! Each Christmas we take days to decorate a gingerbread house. It’s a Christmas family tradition that I absolutely love to do with my kids each year.
I’m excited to show you some of our gingerbread house decorating ideas along with a SWEET gingerbread themed blog hop featuring 20 of my favorite fun food blogger friends.
This was originally published on December 11, 2013 and updated in 2020.
If you enjoy anything gingerbread related, then today is your lucky day!
I love that we have been decorating gingerbread houses since both kids were tiny and had chubby little faces and arms!
Too bad my chubby arms aren’t as cute from eating all of that candy. That’s downside of decorating a gingerbread house, you have candy all over the place. Great for kids, bad for a mom’s behind. ha!
What’s the best way to decorate a Gingerbread House?
Decorating a gingerbread house is easy as long as you have a few supplies!
My friend, Belinda made us the most fabulous gingerbread houses over the years, but you can easily make your own or get a ready made –> Gingerbread House Kit.
More things you’ll need for decorating a gingerbread house:
- Use a foam board to hold your house. This way you can embellish the yard as well as the house.
- Make sure to stock up on candy. Hard candy works the best.
- Use white frosting as the glue. Glue your house to your foam board. –> Cookie Icing in a tube makes less mess.
- Always have Christmas music playing. It’s a must do!
Cute Gingerbread House Inspiration
Here are just a few of our gingerbread house creations from over the years. I hope they give you some inspiration for starting your own family tradition!
Christmas Tree Ice Cream Cones
My favorite way to make trees is by using ice cream cones. I let the kids “paint” them with melted green frosting.
I loved the swing and pool on this house. It was a request by my kids! Gum works great for decorating, but watch out if you have a gum loving daughter like me! Your cute pink sidewalk might be gone in a few days.
Candy Cane Lane Gingerbread House
This house was decorated with a lot of creativity by my kids. I thought it turned out super cute! My son, the Lego fanatic, had fun building the candy cane fence.
Graham Cracker Houses
Graham crackers can also be used to make festive houses for the holidays. These no bake Graham Cracker Gingerbread Houses from Martha Stewart have always been one of my favorite inspirations.
Gingerbread Chicken Coop
Love chickens? Make a Chicken Gingerbread Coop instead of the usual house this season. How cute is this?
We also love this adorable –> Gingerbread Chicken Coop Kit.
Gingerbread Country Cottage Gingerbread
This country cottage gingerbread house looks like a real house! I’ve got to do yellow windows on mine this year… and the sugar snow. What great ideas!
Gingerbread Blog Hop
Now it’s time to hop over to some talented blogs to see more gingerbread themed recipes and ideas!
Be sure to scroll down to browse through the links.
No Gingerbread Boy & Girl Cookie Pops by Kitchen Fun with My 3 Sons
Caramel Cocoa Egg Nog Custard Gingerbread Men by Hungry Happenings
Gingerbread Angle Ornament by Haniela’s
Gingerbread Men Bubble Bath by Creative Kids Snacks
Peeps Gingerbread Men Cookie Pops by Pint Sized Baker
Gingerbread House Decorating Ideas by Living Locurto
Peanuts Gang Gingerbread Men by Sugar Swings
Gingerbread House Cookie Bites by The Decorated Cookie
Gingerbread Men Cookies by The Barefoot Baker
Gingerbread Sleigh Ride by the Partiologist
Mini Fudge Gingerbread Houses by Hoopla Palooza
Chocolate Gingerbread Cake by Bird on a Cake
Simple Gingerbread Christmas Trees by Sweet Sugar Belle
Gingerbread Cookie Cups by Creative Juice
Gingerbread Puppy Chow by Make Bake Celebrate
No Bake Gingerbread Heads by Party Pinching
cool!!!
ohmygoodness! so fun & clever.
Lots of good ideas in here to try. Thanks!
I must say that is the first time I’ve seen a swimming pool with a gingerbread house … LOVE IT!
Amazing Ideas, as always festive & fun. LOVE it!
Merry Christmas
Great ideas, Amy! The swimming pool is my favorite. Here in Florida, we can relate to swimming on Christmas! 😉
Loving all the gingerbread!
What great ideas
Such great ideas Amy! love the trees and the pool of course!!
We are decorating gingerbread houses this weekend. I can’t wait!
This is adorable! I bet your kids had so much fun making this…love it!
So fun! Our local botanical gardens features gingerbread houses this time of year, and we enjoy the creativity!
It’s been a looong time since I’ve made a gingerbread house. You have inspired me to make one this holiday season! I love the yellow windows too!
These are beautiful! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Oh wow, that is a great list of things! Love it!
I made some fun Ninja-Bread cookies 🙂
Love your site … Merry Christmas!!
These are gorgeous!!! Thanks for the great ideas!
What a great giveaway. Thank you!
Thanks for the inspiration !
My kids love to put together the gingerbread house – I love to see who does what, and how they put it together !
Happy Holidays!
These look so fun!
I love gingerbread men, looks like you had a good time decorating. Fun giveaway too! I’ve been looking at the Shabby Apple site for awhile but haven’t been able to buy anything yet. Thanks for hosting!
I have 2 kids, 4 and almost 3, and I have not yet attempted gingerbread houses with them. They do that with grandma. Christmas has always been so busy, especially since my youngest has a birthday 1 week before Christmas, so I haven;t yet masteredt setting aside time for fun things like this.
What a fun post! I love all of these ideas. I’m also a fan of a lot of the companies who are giving away prizes. Thanks for the generosity!
LOVE that peppermint fence and those green ice cream cone trees!
I have been looking for a site with cute dresses forever. Thank you for sharing–I'm in love with Shabby Apple!
Glad I found your site. I love Christmas time and beautiful gingerbread houses. God bless you and y’alls!
I'm going to try a gluten free gingerbread house this year, thanks for some great ideas 🙂
You always have great stuff on your blog!
Have always wanted to make a Gingerbread house thanks for the inspiration!
Fun giveaway! Thank you!
We would love to win this!!
We would love this in our house!
LOVE all the ideas!
My boys would LOVE this!!! and thanks for the Gingerbread house ideas!!
I love the realistic one, those have always been my favorite 😀
I am heading out to Michaels today to pick up the Wilton Ginger Bread House cookie cutter kit. Planning a fun day with my granddaughters!.
Fun giveaway!
What a fun giveaway! -Tina
We are having a Girl Scout Gingerbread house workshop this weekend and I will share some of these ideas with the girls!
Oops, that “James Sparks” comment is from me, Amy, and I cannot seem to delete that one:). Anyhow, love your ideas!
Such cute ideas, Amy. I love your mom's candy cane fence, and may have to steal that idea:)
Cool houses. We tried one last weekend but it collapsed! We are going to try again tomorrow. 🙂
great giveaway. I love those dresses! I’m headed over to look at more now. Thanks!
love your blog
Cool giveaway!
Wait till Harper can help that is when the fun starts.
I just made one last night.
I make one every year..but haven’t this year 🙁
Great ideas for gingerbread!
yum! looks so fun!!
Great ideas for Gingerbread!
I love gingerbread houses! Can't wait to work on one of my own.
Merry Christmas! looks so fun!
Fun giveaway!
i LOVE gingerbread houses and making them! and i don’t really mind the clean up cuz i get to eat the leftover candy. lol the pool, swing and candy cane fence your kids did are amazingly cute. i’m so happy i’m joining you in this gingerbread hop/giveaway thanks to Beth and Jill’s efforts 🙂
Thanks for joining in the gingerbread fun. I love your creative houses and that you and your kids enjoy the tradition of building them together.