12 of the Coolest, Strangest, and Most Unique Gingerbread Houses
Gingerbread houses go back as far as Hansel and Gretle, and have been created in hundreds of interesting ways since. Whether you love simple and classic houses, thematic gingerbread houses, or scary ones, we have spotlighted 12 of the coolest gingerbread houses below.
Rustic Gingerbread House
Leave it to Target to create such an artistic and sophisticated gingerbread house. Using pretzel sticks for the picket fence, cinnamon sticks for logs on the cabin, and gum for the brick walkway, it's pure genius.
The little details are what make this gingerbread house so awesome. For instance, the "deer head" made of pretzel and chocolate is both artistic and delicious. If you're making a gingerbread house from scratch this Christmas, use this model as inspiration.
Mini Gingerbread Houses
Okay guys, let's let out a collective "awwww!" because these drink garnishes are too darn cute to handle. If you love dollhouses or other miniatures, you absolutely have to try to recreate these mini gingerbread houses at home.
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Have guests over during the month of December and serve these mini edible homes alongside piping hot coffee, creamy cocoa, or hot apple cider. The classic gingerbread dough will go well with any of these flavors and impress your guests.
Gingerbread Eiffel Tower
It's fitting that the City of Love would produce such a loveable gingerbread creation! This gingerbread Eiffel Tower is both a culinary and engineering feat—since it requires great structural balance and baking dexterity.
While this creation doesn't come with instructions, you can use it as a visual inspiration. Create smaller versions or a whole Parisian gingerbread scene. Just don't forget to add little gingerbread berets to your cookies.
Paper Gingerbread House
Who says gingerbread houses need to be made out of real, edible, dough? Not this crafter. This inedible version can last season to season and provide the same charm and holiday feel that traditional houses do.
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This crafter gets bonus points for cutting out paper lollipops and pretzels to represent the edible elements normally found on gingerbreak houses. The colorful shingles also look like gum drops, so even though you can't snack on this house, you can enjoy its delicious looking design.
Gingerbread Trailer Park
Want to have a very hipster holiday? This gingerbread trailer park will make that happen! Pay attention to the detail here: the tree on the roof is made of Rice Krispy Treats, and the presents are hard candies wrapped up with twine! Even the string lights appear to be chocolate covered sunflower seeds, which is both genius and adorable.
Lucky for us, this ingenious baker posted directions how to achieve this look. Give your holiday a whole new spin by creating this gingerbread doublewide instead of the typical two-story home. Here's a tip: if you take professional photos of the finished product, you can frame the prints and use it as wall décor next year!
Snoopy's Gingerbread House
Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown is famous for its sad looking Christmas tree. But, you can represent a happier holiday-themed portion of that famous cartoon by making Snoopy's gingerbread house.
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You can cheat a bit, by using a storebought gingerbeead kit, and then divert from the instructions when it comes time to decorate—this baker did, anyways! Or, you can do this by sight and use your own recipe and cookie cutters. The hardest part will be making Snoopy, but you can cheat that too if you buy a small figurine or ornament.
Haunted Gingerbread House
Who said gingerbread houses were only for Christmas? We didn't want to leave out other holidays, and think this Halloween haunted gingerbread house is cool enough to make the top 12 list.
We love the use of candy corn, gummy pumpkins, and cereal in this edible haunted house. Other ideas would be to include black and orange sprinkles, pumpkin candy corn, Reese's Pieces, Reese's cups, black gummy cats, and anything else in the black, orange, white, and gray color scheme.
Gingerbread Brownstone
Love urban architecture and sweets? Make this gingerbread brownstone for Christmas! Since most of this gingerbread house is naked (no frosting), you'll need to texturize the wet dough to look like bricks. It's not hard and can be done with a butter knife or toothpick.
The turret on this brownstone is a bit ambitious, so if it's intimidating to you, just go for a flatter exterior. The simplicity of this gingerbread creation is what makes it so fantastic anyways.
Gingerbread Igloo
This is an easy one for the kids to help out with! Bake gingerbread, cut it into squares, and then let your little ones layer each block with white icing. The gingerbread eskimo is a nice touch if you're planning on baking some cookies to go with this yummy sculpture.
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If you're worried about a gingerbread roof collapse, build this igloo around a crumpled ball of foil. Or, use an old spherical ornament! You can also make this more reminiscent of the North Pole by using mini peppermint sticks instead of candy canes, and dressing your gingerbread man up as Santa.
Gingerbread Hogwarts
Cherry Bay Cakery is the mastermind behind this epic gingerbread castle! And we're sure it took a lot of magic to make it happen. If you're a Happy Potter fan, but don't think you're up to this difficult challenge, try making gingerbread wizards!
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Frosting can go a long way here if you are opting for a wizard gingerbread man and woman design. Use the signature lightning bolt on Harry's forehead, use red icing for Ron's hair, and give Hermione a book. There are so many great characters, you'll have to bake a big batch!
Giant Gingerbread House
Ever dream of living in a gingerbread house? The Walt Disney World® Grand Floridian's life-size gingerbread house almost makes that possible!
We wouldn't expect anything less of Disney, since they're in the business of making dreams come true. If you're planning a trip to the Parks, try going in December for a glimpse of this annual creation.
Modern Gingerbread Home
This modern gingerbread house is the last example of how you can take a classic idea and make it your own! Making this large, modern gingerbread home definitely wasn't easy, but its unique design was definitely worth the effort!
This year, try making a miniature gingerbread model of your home. It'll be so cute when used as a centerpiece on your holiday dinner table or on your mantel. No matter what design idea you choose, shop for all of the goodies you'll need to decorate your amazing gingerbread houses on CandyStore.com!