Making a Graham Cracker house is a fun way to celebrate the holidays with the kids. Try this toddler Christmas activity as a fun “snacktivity” with the littles—and prepare to have some messy fun! Show
We’ve been making these graham cracker houses ever since my oldest kiddo was a toddler and it’s become a yearly tradition that we look forward to each December. In normal years, we typically invite 2-4 friends over and make it a playdate! I love using decorations like pretzels, dried fruit, sliced nuts, and more so the kids can have their snack as they make their house. An Easy Gingerbread House IdeaUsing graham crackers as the base of your house is a super easy way to construct the houses since there’s no baking required. Each house takes about 5 minutes to make and you can make a few ahead of time so they’re ready to go when you’re ready to do the holiday activity with the kids. Ingredients You NeedTo make these houses you’ll need:
TIP: Buy more graham crackers than you think you will need since some will likely be broken! In my experience, Honeymaid may be a little less likely to be broken in the packages than store brands though that will for sure vary. Step-by-Step InstructionsHere’s a look at how to construct your house. Scroll down to the bottom of this post for the full information.
TIP: You can make the houses the day before you plan to decorate the houses if desired. Can I make these on a milk carton?We’ve done that in the past, but I’ve found that not all milk cartons are the same size and the only ones we can find at our local store are wider than the width of a graham cracker—so it actually doesn’t make it any easier. We like to make slightly bigger houses with glue and graham crackers. How many graham cracker boxes do I need for a gingerbread house?I would plan to have two regular size packages of graham crackers per little house. Each box usually has three packages so you’ll need to see how many kids you’re making them with. How do you make a graham cracker gingerbread house bigger?You can turn the crackers vertically to make a taller house or add a second layer. There are so many options! Toppings for Easy Gingerbread HousesWe like to use these toppings for our houses—and the kids usually nibble as they go!:
TIP: You can also add an ice cream sugar cone to each house as a tree and decorate that too. Royal Icing for Graham Cracker HousesYou will need to make some easy icing so the kids have a “glue” to hold their toppings to the house. I use powdered sugar and milk—so easy! Simply mix them together until you have a stiff, but still stirable icing. If you want to use icing to hold the house together, you can do that, though know it takes a few minutes (like 5-10) for it to set, so you’ll have to sit and hold the house in place while you wait. (This is why I use glue!) TIP: I like to put the icing for the toppings into a zip top storage bag so the kids can pipe the icing on. Cut off a small part of the corner, like 1/4-inch, right when the kids are ready to decorate. The icing will stay fresh in a sealed storage bag if you want to make it the day before. Best Tips for Success
I’d love to hear your feedback if you try this out with your kids, so please comment below to share!This post was first published November 2018. Houses
Assorted Toppings
To make the house:
To make the Royal Icing:
To decorate:
Serving: 1g, Calories: 99kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 16mg, Sodium: 70mg, Potassium: 215mg, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 264IU, Calcium: 184mg, Iron: 1mg Can I use graham crackers for gingerbread house?Using graham crackers as the base of your house is a super easy way to construct the houses since there's no baking required. Each house takes about 5 minutes to make and you can make a few ahead of time so they're ready to go when you're ready to do the holiday activity with the kids.
How many graham crackers does it take to make a gingerbread house?It takes four large graham crackers to make each house.
Once the pieces are cut out, it is time to make the frosting. Put all ingredients–powdered sugar, egg whites, and cream of tartar–in a mixing bowl. With a hand mixer, beat for 7-10 minutes or until icing holds a peak.
How do I get my gingerbread house to stick together?Just melt the sugar in a pan over low heat. You want to allow it to turn brown, but make sure not to burn it (otherwise it won't taste so great). Then take your gingerbread house pieces, dip the edges in melted sugar and hold them together for a few seconds. That's it!
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