Gingerbread houses are amazing in all their variety — from candied cottages to simple graham-cracker adobes to the mansions built with fresh, fragrant gingerbread — sweetly decorative buildings that are the epitome of festive fun.
“The process of making a gingerbread house begins with baking — filling your home with some of the most beloved scents of the season: molasses, cinnamon, ginger, cloves,” write Aaron Morgan and Paige Gilchrist in Making Great Gingerbread Houses: Delicious Designs from Cabins to Castles, from Lighthouses to Tree Houses.
“Think of the warm blend wafting from your oven as aromatherapy aimed at countering the effects of shopping malls and traffic. Think of it as the opposite of pre-packaged and mass-produced.”
>> Make your own with this recipe! How to make a gingerbread house
Here is our gallery with 25 gingerbread houses, including homages to the Victorian era, firefighters, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Harry Potter and other classic storybooks. Happy holidays!
1. Mountain Time Christmas – gingerbread house three-story lodge
Decorated by Diane Hammock. The sides of the house are constructed of gingerbread logs instead of a single cookie slab. Every shingle is a separate piece. All the icicles are hand drawn royal icing from a #1 round piping tube.
Photo thanks to tsayrate
2. Neela’s Gingerbread House
Photo thanks to Roopesh Sheth
3. Gingerbread House
Photo thanks to Jim, the Photographer
4. Annika’s family Gingerbread House
Photo thanks to Alison and Fil
5. Carrie Stephens – Gingerbread house
Photo thanks to Carrie Stephens
6. Pink Edwardian gingerbread
Photo thanks to Ruth Hartnup
7. Festival of Trees Christmas – Gingerbread Farm House
Popcorn balls form the tree crowns cinnamon red hots are placed for apples. Lattice work is done with pretzels, shingles on roof are cinnamon toast crunch cereal. Notice hand modeled fondant on chimney and flag pole. The swing is licorice. Apple Drop Farm gingerbread and fondant house decorated by Tamara Stokes and Youth Group.
Photo thanks to tsayrate
8. Christmas Vacation gingerbread house
Seen at Victoria’s Laurel Point Inn – the houses were part of a display for Habitat for Humanity. Photo thanks to Blake Handley.
1. Gingerbread house decorated by Lily
Photo thanks to Brett Neilson
10. Mt Vernon Gingerbread
Photo thanks to american_rugbier
11. Edmonton Fire Department Christmas Bureau Gingerbread Competition
Photo thanks to Mack Male
12. Candyland Circle gingerbread house
The yummiest award went to “Candyland Circle” by Krissy Morba and Courtney Conway in the Roswell Park 2010 Tree of Hope Gingerbread House Contest.
13. Victorian village with carousel
This house by Kathie LiBrock and Jocelyn Dernin was named the Most Creative in the Roswell Park 2010 Tree of Hope Gingerbread House Contest.
14. Tangled gingerbread house
Kudos to the “Facilities Management A Team” on its third-prize winning Tangled-themed Gingerbread House in the Roswell Park 2010 Tree of Hope Gingerbread House Contest.
Michelle Wild and Sarah Riggie were first place winners in the Roswell Park 2010 Tree of Hope Gingerbread House Contest.
16. Gingerbread Lane at Hyatt Regency Vancouver
Photo thanks to CK Golf Solutions
17. Super-decorated gingerbread house
“It looks like Christmas puked all over this side. I think my mom was having a little too much fun with this one.”
Photo thanks to Jacob Haas
18. Hogwarts – Harry Potter gingerbread house
Seen at Victoria’s Laurel Point Inn. The houses were part of a display for Habitat for Humanity. Photo thanks to Blake Handley.
19. Rudolph Star Wars Walker gingerbread house
Seen at Victoria’s Laurel Point Inn. The houses were part of a display for Habitat for Humanity. Photo thanks to Blake Handley.
20. Lion, Witch & the Wardrobe: 2 sides
Seen at Victoria’s Laurel Point Inn. The houses were part of a display for Habitat for Humanity. Photo thanks to Blake Handley.
21. Sweet gingerbread house
Photo thanks to Selena N. B. H.
22. Gingerbread cottage
Photo thanks to Selena N. B. H.
23. Gingerbread home with brick
Photo thanks to Jim Cochran
24. Gingerbread mansion
Photo thanks to technicolours
25. Gingerbread neighborhood
Photo thanks to technicolours
NOW SEE THIS: Gingerbread man cookies: How did this tragic folklore hero ever become a happy Christmas tradition?
