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You are here: Home / Recipes / Cookies / Gingerbread Houses Using Purchased Kits

Gingerbread Houses Using Purchased Kits

December 19, 2017 10 Comments

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Gingerbread houses using purchased kits are amazing!  I decided that I wanted a more natural look this year.  Instead of candy canes and gumdrops I decided to use nuts, spices, and greenery from my yard.

We had such a great time using gingerbread house kits purchased from Trader Joe’s along with  more natural accents and a ton of powdered sugar.

We started by sifting powdered sugar all over each piece, then we rubbed the sugar into the textures to make them stand out.  My daughter tiled the roof with slice almonds while I spent the same amount of time trying to figure out how to arrange the rosemary on the tree.

While out running in 16°F temperatures, I came across a garbage can out on the curb for collection.  It was filled with branches from a juniper bush.  The blue gray berries were perfect.  I completed my run, jumped in my car with a bag and cutters and rummaged through this fine selection of clippings.  BEST. FIND. EVER.

Cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, nuts, cedar, and pinecones.

Our gingerbread houses were finished with a fresh dusting of powdered sugar/snow.

P.S.  I probably should have taken pictures of the house my son decorated using the candy from the gingerbread house kit.  The house was adorned with a child holding the head of the dog that fell off and accented with red sprinkles for blood…There’s always one child that can’t conform.  Why break tradition?

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Filed Under: Cookies, Dessert Tagged With: gingerbread, gingerbread houses

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Comments

  1. Tami says

    December 14, 2023 at 3:57 pm

    Did you use any spray adhesive when applying the POWDERED sugar to the almonds?

    Reply
    • Janet Barton says

      December 17, 2023 at 3:25 am

      I did not, but that’s a wonderful idea!

      Reply
  2. jet1821 says

    December 13, 2021 at 5:36 pm

    Just curious if you hotglued the almonds? I can’t see any frosting and don’t really care about it being edible but wondered what you used to hold it together. Beautiful work!

    Reply
    • Janet Barton says

      December 15, 2021 at 1:57 am

      Thank you so much. Hot glue all the way!! It just made sense to use hot glue since we were not planning on eating the houses. I did use some royal icing on the line of one of the rooftops to look like snow.

      Reply
  3. Roberta Laprade says

    November 23, 2021 at 4:13 pm

    I just saw these on pinterest…omgoodness, so pretty!! thank you for the inspiration!! Happy holidays!

    Reply
    • Janet Barton says

      November 24, 2021 at 4:51 pm

      You’re so kind. I hope you have the time to make some. They were so much fun to make.

      Reply
  4. Theresa says

    December 13, 2020 at 12:18 am

    These are so beautiful!

    Reply
    • Janet Barton says

      December 13, 2020 at 1:35 am

      Thank you so much! I just love having them on my table. You’re so kind to comment.

      Reply
  5. Allene K Lemons says

    December 21, 2017 at 5:42 pm

    http://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/the-kitchen/articles/pass-the-cheese-and-cracker-house

    Thanks for sharing. I saw this on Tv Last Week and this is what I want to do with my Adult children but i am going to make it a “wHole Foods” Gluten Free version as my son and his girlfriend are organic Portland people.

    Reply
    • Janet Barton says

      December 24, 2017 at 3:13 am

      Hi Allene, Love the cheese and cracker house. I understand dietary needs. I have Vegan’s from Seattle. It’s all good and we make it work. Merry Christmas.

      Reply

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Janet Barton

Hi I'm Janet and this is where I share my delicious made-from-scratch seasonal recipes that I make at home for my family every day.

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