15 Adorable Ideas for Decorating a Gingerbread House

Classic Gingerbread House

Start your house with a solid foundation by using our tried-and-true classic gingerbread house recipe. The dough is firm and made without leaveners so it won't puff up and lose its shape—perfect for building and decorating.

Gingerbread Chalet With Fondant Shingles

Use rolled and cut fondant to form shingles for the roof of your gingerbread house or, in this case, a chalet. You can color it however you like and also use some excess white fondant to make a snowman or snow-covered trees.

Gingerbread Chalet With Fondant Shingles from Sweetopia

Graham Cracker Gingerbread Houses

If you're simply too busy this holiday season to bake up your own gingerbread, then take a shortcut with graham crackers instead. The crispy cookies work best for smaller houses, perfect for little kids' hands. Royal icing still works best to cement everything together for the perfect graham cracker gingerbread houses.

Funfetti Sugar Cookie House

Make your house lighter and brighter by swapping gingerbread dough with a firm funfetti cookie dough and decorating with pastel treats like butter mints. If you're sticking with traditional gingerbread dough, pastel icing and candy still add a sweet and cheery touch.

Funfetti Sugar Cookie House from Studio DIY

Christmas Gingerbread Biscuit Train

All aboard the gingerbread train! If you're tired of houses, make a train instead. Using a simple gingerbread dough and royal icing, it's a snap. Decorate with a little candy and surround with shredded coconut snow.

Christmas Gingerbread Biscuit Train from The Kate Tin

Hard Candy for Candy Glass Windows

Adding lifelike glass windows to your gingerbread house is easier than it looks. Make your own hard candy for candy glass windows using a few ingredients and a candy thermometer and, after removing the pan from the heat, pour just enough melted candy into the windows of your cooked gingerbread. Let cool completely before assembling. Alternatively, add crushed up hard candies like Jolly Ranchers before baking and let them melt into colorful "panes."

Gingerbread Men

What's a house without family? Populate your home with, of course, gingerbread men. Make them out of excess dough or bake up extra cookies and decorate them with royal icing. Stick them in place using more icing, ready to greet any visitors. We have a gluten-free recipe, too, if you're making extra to snack on.

Pink Gingerbread Shop

If you're tired of the standard brown gingerbread house, add a coat of bright pink icing to turn it into a festive shop. The candy cane accents are especially fun, acting as decor for the shop as well as a walkway. Ribbon candy would also be a fun addition here.

Pink Gingerbread Shop from Sprinkle Bakes

Marshmallow Snowmen

An easy-to-make, but totally delicious marshmallow snowman or two will liven up the front of your gingerbread house and make everyone smile. These marshmallow snowmen are decorated with peanut butter cups and fruit leather, and extras can be eaten as a treat while you decorate.

Rustic Log Cabin

Pretzel rods transform a plain gingerbread house into a rustic log cabin. But why stop at with the sides? Shingle your roof with chocolate-covered pretzels (milk or dark chocolate for a brown roof, white chocolate for a snowy roof), and plant pretzel Christmas trees.

Rustic Log Cabin from Vikalinka

Nutty Gingerbread House

Go nutty for a log cabin feel with pecans as roof shingles and cashews for decoration. The nuts add a lovely earthy feel, and won't tug at your sweet tooth like a candy-coated gingerbread house.

Nutty Gingerbread House from The First Year

Gum Drop Gingerbread House

Gum drops placed along the path, roof, or on the gingerbread house itself add a colorful, whimsical element. Even better, make your own candies and use the rest of the batch for snacking or giving away as edible presents, which might be why this gum drop gingerbread house is a favorite.

Rice Krispie Treat Gingerbread House

Gingerbread isn't the only sturdy material that's good for making houses. Slabs of Rice Krispie treats are also good for building and have a unique, spackled look. And how about a few Rice Krispie treat Christmas trees, too?

Rice Krispie Treat Gingerbread House from Go Go Go Gourmet

Peppermint Bark Gingerbread House

Top the roof of your gingerbread house with tasty peppermint bark for a snowy, icy feel. Peppermint bark is also great as pave stones to create a walkway or as accents like a door. Experiment with using the white-peppermint side or the brown-dark chocolate side facing up for this unique peppermint bark gingerbread house.

Fluffy Winter Wonderland

Cover your gingerbread house with a fresh layer of fluffy marshmallow snow to create a winter wonderland. Colored marshmallows, using food coloring or colored sugar, can form trees and other elements. You could even throw in a marshmallow snowflake or two, too.

Fluffy Winter Wonderland from The Marshmallow Studio