How to Host a Gingerbread House Decorating Party
How to Host a Gingerbread House Decorating Party
A gingerbread house decorating party works for every age, from preschoolers to grandparents. The plan is simple: build the houses ahead of time, set up a candy station, give every guest a covered workspace, and send each house home in a box. Here is how to put it together.
Shown: our Whimsy Gingerbread collection, including the checked table runner and handled paper cups.
The short answer
Build or assemble the gingerbread houses a day ahead so the icing has time to set, then cover the table with a paper runner or table cover. Give each guest a sturdy base, a piping bag of royal icing and a plate, and set out candy in bowls down the middle of the table. Plan about an hour for decorating, serve cocoa and snacks while the icing dries, and send each house home in a box or on a tray.
Choose the kind of party
The age of your guests decides most of the plan, from the size of the houses to how much help they need.
All ages together
One house per family or pair of guests, with adults handling the walls and roof while kids take over the candy. A long shared table keeps everyone talking.
Shop gingerbread plates
Small houses, big candy
Graham cracker houses or small pre-built kits are easier for little hands. Plan one house per child and a grown-up at each end of the table to help with icing.
Shop gingerbread cups
Cocoa, cookies and a contest
Adults tend to go bigger, with full gingerbread kits, a theme and a friendly judging round at the end. Treat boxes send guests home with cookies along with their house.
Shop gingerbread treat boxesPlan the party, step by step
Most of the work happens the day before. On the day itself, you are mostly setting out candy and pouring cocoa.
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Build the houses ahead
Whether you bake from scratch or use kits, assemble the walls and roof a day early and let the icing set overnight. Decorating a house that is still wet is how roofs slide off. Set each finished house on a sturdy base, like a cake board, a bamboo tray or a piece of cardboard covered in foil.
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Make the icing
Royal icing is the glue and the snow. Make it thick enough to hold a peak, fill a piping bag or zip-top bag for each guest, and keep extra covered with a damp towel so it does not crust over.
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Cover the table
Icing and sprinkles get everywhere, so cover the whole table with a paper runner or table cover that can be rolled up afterward. Give each guest a plate under their house to catch the candy that falls off.
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Set up the candy station
Put candy in small bowls down the center of the table, or on a separate counter so guests can walk up and choose. Sort it by type so the table looks organized and kids can find what they want.
Candy station at a glance Use Good candy Roof shingles Mini wafers, cereal squares, sliced almonds Doors and windows Graham crackers, chocolate bars, wafer cookies Trim and lights Gumdrops, candy-coated chocolates, sprinkles Fences and paths Pretzel sticks, candy canes, peppermints Snow and trees Coconut, powdered sugar, ice cream cones Amount to plan About 1 cup of mixed candy per house -
Decorate, then let it set
Plan about an hour for decorating. Afterward, let the houses sit for at least an hour before anyone carries them, which is a good time for cocoa, cookies and photos.
Cocoa, snacks and the table
Decorating makes guests hungry, and candy alone does not count as a snack. Set out something savory, like popcorn, pretzels or a cheese board, along with cookies for the sweet side. A cocoa bar with marshmallows, peppermint sticks and whipped cream is the easiest drink for a crowd of any age.
Keep food on a separate table from the decorating so icing does not end up in the snacks. Gingerbread to-go cups are easier for little ones to hold, and dinner napkins handle sticky fingers better than cocktail napkins.
How much to plan per guest
- One house per child, or one per pair of adults.
- One piping bag of royal icing per guest, plus a few extra.
- Two plates each: one under the house and one for snacks.
- Three or four napkins each, since icing is sticky.
Sending the houses home
A finished gingerbread house is heavier and more fragile than it looks. Leave it on its base and carry it on a tray, or slide it into a box with a little tissue around the sides. For kids, a small treat box of leftover candy and a cookie makes a good favor, and a gingerbread balloon or a photo with their house is a nice way to end the party.
If you want to keep the theme going after the party, the gingerbread house canvas advent counts down to Christmas with a pocket for each day. For a cookie swap later in the season, our cookie exchange guide walks through the plan.
Set the gingerbread table
Designed in-house at My Mind's Eye, these pieces coordinate in soft brown, cream and blush, so the table looks planned before the first gumdrop goes on.
Gingerbread House Party FAQs
Should I build the gingerbread houses before the party?
Yes. Assemble the walls and roof a day ahead and let the icing set overnight. Guests then spend the party decorating rather than holding up walls, and the houses are far less likely to collapse.
What kind of icing works best for gingerbread houses?
Royal icing, made with powdered sugar and egg whites or meringue powder. It dries hard, holds the house together and works as snow. Keep it covered with a damp towel so it does not dry out in the bowl.
How much candy do I need for a gingerbread house party?
Plan about one cup of mixed candy per house, plus a little extra for snacking. A mix of gumdrops, candy-coated chocolates, peppermints, pretzels, wafers and sprinkles covers roofs, trim, doors and paths.
How long does a gingerbread house decorating party take?
About two hours: an hour of decorating, then time for cocoa, snacks and photos while the icing sets. Younger kids may finish in thirty to forty minutes.
What age is good for a gingerbread house party?
Any age. Kids three to six do best with small graham cracker houses and a grown-up nearby to help with icing. Older kids and adults can handle full kits and bigger designs.
Can kids make gingerbread houses with graham crackers?
Yes, and it is often easier for little hands. Graham crackers are lighter than gingerbread, and a small house built on a milk carton or paper cup holds together well with royal icing.
How do I keep the table from getting messy?
Cover the whole table with a paper runner or table cover, put a plate under each house to catch fallen candy, and keep snacks on a separate table. Cleanup is then a matter of rolling everything up.
How do guests take their gingerbread houses home?
Leave each house on its base and carry it on a tray, or set it in a box with tissue around the sides. Let the icing set for at least an hour first so nothing slides on the way to the car.
What should I serve at a gingerbread house party?
Cocoa or hot cider, cookies and something savory like popcorn, pretzels or a cheese board. Guests will snack on candy as they decorate, so a salty option balances it out.
Plan the rest of your holiday season
Tableware, decor and treat boxes from more than fifteen Christmas collections, each designed in the My Mind's Eye studio.
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