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    Home » Blog

    The simple hack to assemble Gingerbread Houses in minutes!

    Published: Jan 29, 2021 by Heidi. This post may contain affiliate links 17 Comments

    It's Christmas. You've got kids. They want to make gingerbread houses. That's a pretty normal situation in most households at this time of year. But what if your kids have to eat gluten free? The situation just got a lot more difficult. Or did it? Nope. I've got you covered. Check out the simple solution to create a gluten free gingerbread house (or any gingerbread house) in minutes!

    Check out these genius hacks to create a gluten free Gingerbread House in minutes! {OneCreativeMommy.com} Works with non-gluten-free houses, too.

    Simple Hacks for Amazing Gingerbread Houses

    Really, all of these hacks work for any gingerbread house. We just happen to think gluten free around here. We've been making gingerbread houses the day after Thanksgiving for several years. Always, the most time consuming part is putting together the house. The crackers break, the frosting's a mess, and it takes forever. Not anymore!

    Check out these tips!

    Check out these genius hacks to create a gluten free Gingerbread House in minutes! {OneCreativeMommy.com} Works with non-gluten-free houses, too.

    Save time with graham crackers

    Do you make your own gingerbread? We have in the past. We've even made gluten free gingerbread. It's nice to have the real stuff, but you can save a lot of time and energy by simply using graham crackers. For gluten free, we like Pamela's. They're super yummy!

    How to cut graham crackers without breaking them

    How to cut graham crackers without breaking them! Perfect for Gingerbread houses {OneCreativeMommy.com}

    The tricky part about graham crackers is that they often break when you cut them. Not with this simple trick!

    Put the graham cracker inside a damp paper towel, then put it in the microwave for about ten seconds. Now, the graham cracker is soft enough to cut without breaking it. So cool! Be sure to use a serrated knife. Don't believe me? Check out the video. Easy peasy!

    Cut and Assemble Your Pieces

    How to cut graham crackers without breaking them! Perfect for Gingerbread houses {OneCreativeMommy.com}

    For a basic house, you need five crackers: Two for the roof, two for the front and back of the house (with a point cut on the top half), and one cut in half for the sides of the house. I've made a simple diagram to help you assemble the house.

    How to assemble a Graham Cracker Gingerbread House {OneCreativeMommy.com}

    How to assemble a gingerbread house in minutes

    Now for the hack you've been waiting for! Quick and easy gingerbread house assembly -- here we go! What's the secret? Lean in close. Closer. Now don't tell anyone. . . . A GLUE GUN!

    Genius hacks to create a gingerbread house in minutes! Why didn't I do this years ago? {OneCreativeMommy.com}

    I know. Crazy, right? Glue the house together with hot glue, then turn it over to the kids to decorate with royal icing. If they don't like the look of the house without the white trim, they can pipe icing along the seams, and no one will ever know the difference! Except there will be one really big difference -- the house was assembled in minutes without a huge mess. That means more time to spend on decorating! Mom's happy. Kids are happy. It's a win-win.

    One note I forgot to add to the video: Before you turn the house over to the kids to decorate, pull out a paper plate, and glue the house right to the plate. You'll thank me later!

    Genius hacks to create a gingerbread house in minutes! Why didn't I do this years ago? {OneCreativeMommy.com}

    Now that the easy part is complete, hand the houses over to the kids and let the decorating begin! If you want your house to be gluten free, here are some ideas for candy (be sure to check the labels because things always change!):

    • mini candy canes
    • M&Ms
    • skittles
    • starlight mints -- often the sugar free kind are gluten free
    • gum drops -- check the warnings to make sure they are gluten free
    • cinnamon Santas

    Have fun! I hope your houses turn out fantastic! Thanks for stopping by today. Don't forget to check out more ideas by clicking on the images below.

    Yarn Tree Christmas Craft for Kids {OneCreativeMommy.com} Have fun creating together, and then display your project every year! Christmas Decor and Kids Craft Idea

    Quick and Easy Snowgies Craft for Kids inspired by Frozen Fever! {Soon your house will be covered with these adorable baby snowmen!} Tutorial on OneCreativeMommy.com

    Delicious Double Chocolate Orange Cream Cheese Brownies with Fresh Raspberry Sauce -- You won't believe this amazing dessert is gluten free! {Start with a prepared mix to make these super easy!} OneCreativeMommy.com #Sponsored

    Heidi

     

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    About Heidi

    Hi! I’m Heidi, the sometimes scatterbrained, but always creative mind behind One Creative Mommy. I'm a retired teacher, wife, and mom of three beautiful teenage girls and one adorable fur baby. In my spare time, I love to share my ideas (mistakes and all) with anyone who will listen.

    Learn more about me →

    Comments

    1. Marysa

      November 27, 2016 at 11:53 am

      That is such a great idea.. the operative thing being how easy it is! Usually gingerbread houses are so stressful. Plus these are small, so it limits the amount of candy. Definitely doing this!

      Reply
      • Heidi

        November 27, 2016 at 12:05 pm

        Thanks, Marysa. We made them again Friday for this year's tradition, and it was a lot of fun! (The kids use too much candy no matter the size, but this definitely limits it!)

        Reply
    2. Rosey

      November 28, 2016 at 4:36 am

      It came out so cute. I like the candy cane heart over the door. :)

      Reply
      • Heidi

        November 28, 2016 at 9:27 pm

        Thanks, Rosey. I love that part, too. My girls are pretty creative.

        Reply
    3. Audrey McClelland

      November 28, 2016 at 11:11 am

      That is awesome! I have NEVER been able to successfully put together a gingerbread house without several attempts and lots of adult words. LOL

      Reply
      • Heidi

        November 28, 2016 at 9:27 pm

        Thanks for making me laugh, Audrey! The glue gun definitely takes the adult words out of the picture!

        Reply
    4. Jacqui Odell

      November 28, 2016 at 11:57 am

      I can't wait to make a house with my family! I will need to try it this way. Looks sturdy and fun to do.

      Reply
      • Heidi

        November 28, 2016 at 9:28 pm

        Good luck, Jacqui. I hope it works well for you. We just did it again a few days ago, and it worked like a charm!

        Reply
    5. Vera Sweeney

      November 28, 2016 at 1:10 pm

      I love this time of year!! Gingerbread houses are so much fun to make with the kids, these are great tips!

      Reply
      • Heidi

        November 28, 2016 at 9:29 pm

        Thanks, Vera. It's a fun family tradition for us. We do it the day after Thanksgiving, and then we can enjoy the houses as decorations all month long. (Well, at least we can enjoy some of the houses. One of my kids eats the candy off of hers right away!)

        Reply
    6. ErinN

      November 28, 2016 at 10:06 pm

      Heidi! I love the glue gun idea. I may try that. We use a cardboard cutout about the size of a placemat. Then with royal icing we glue cardboard boxes to the cutout. This is our foundation. (Usually we use the box that the graham crackers came in.) Now we glue (with icing) the graham crackers to the box! Some of my kids just started gluing their candy straight to the box! Silly kids. I will send you some pics via email. Totally a fun time. -Erin N-

      Reply
      • Heidi

        April 24, 2017 at 11:24 am

        Thanks, Erin! I just realized that I never replied to this comment from back in November! That sounds like a great idea to assemble the houses. I've seen kids do it a similar way around school milk cartons. I love your idea to create big houses. Sounds fun!

        Reply
    7. valmg @ Mom Knows It All

      November 29, 2016 at 11:59 pm

      I used to have an aunt that worked for days making gingerbread houses. They were almost a sin to eat!

      Reply
      • Heidi

        April 24, 2017 at 11:24 am

        I know what you mean, Val. I'm always sad when the kids start eating the candy off the houses.

        Reply
    8. Marcie W.

      November 30, 2016 at 8:08 am

      I love the look of gingerbread houses but they can be almost impossible to piece together. This hack is totally awesome and I know the kids will really enjoy creating these tasty projects over winter break.

      Reply
      • Heidi

        April 24, 2017 at 11:25 am

        Thanks, Marcie! I hope you had fun creating gingerbread houses with your kids. Sorry I missed replying to this comment for so long! Blame it on the busy holidays.

        Reply
    9. Milton Goh

      December 07, 2017 at 11:23 am

      That’s really smart! What a great way to prevent messes when the kids decorate gingerbread houses! Your photos are really beautiful too!

      Reply

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    Hi! I’m Heidi, the sometimes scatterbrained, but always creative mind behind One Creative Mommy. I'm a retired teacher, wife, and mom of three beautiful teenage girls and one adorable fur baby. In my spare time, I love to share my ideas (mistakes and all) with anyone who will listen.

    More about me →

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