Easy Gingerbread House for Kids Recipe

By
Stephanie Gallagher
Stephanie Gallagher
Stephanie Gallagher is a journalist and food writer who has authored multiple cookbooks.
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Updated on 05/26/22
Prep: 40 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 40 mins
Servings: 2 to 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
972 Calories
29g Fat
178g Carbs
6g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 to 4
Amount per serving
Calories 972
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 29g 38%
Saturated Fat 13g 66%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 514mg 22%
Total Carbohydrate 178g 65%
Dietary Fiber 4g 16%
Total Sugars 121g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 21mg 2%
Iron 5mg 29%
Potassium 329mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Gingerbread houses are fun to decorate, but they can also take time and patience. This recipe uses Pop Tarts instead of gingerbread to save time. They're thick, like gingerbread cookies, and easy to cut into the right shape.

Plus if you use frosted pop tarts for the roof, half the decorating is already done for you. Use whatever candy you like to decorate. Gel icing can be used to make the windows and doors.

Ingredients

  • 6 Pop-Tarts (4 plain or chocolate, 2 with icing and sprinkles)

  • 1 cup royal icing

  • Miniature marshmallows, for decorating

  • Candy, for decorating

  • Gel icing, for decorating

  • Flaked coconut, for decorating

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Make royal icing first.

  3. Scoop icing into a pastry bag or large ziploc bag with bottom tip cut off.

    Hint: Hold bottom corner of bag in one hand like an ice cream cone. Fold bag down over your hand as much as possible to make it easier to scoop the icing in. Set aside.

  4. Make sides of house where roof will rest first. Hold one of the brown (chocolate or plain) Pop-Tarts vertically. Use kitchen shears or a sharp knife to cut off top corners. Repeat with another brown Pop-Tart.

  5. Pipe a short strip of royal icing onto base to make side of house. Press bottom (un-cut) end of one of the side Pop-Tarts into icing.

  6. To complete the first corner of house, pipe a long strip of icing at a right angle to this Pop-Tart on base.

  7. Press a plain, un-cut Pop-Tart into icing horizontally, so that it attaches at a right angle to the side you've already done. Pipe icing between walls to secure. You will have one Pop-Tart standing up vertically and one Pop-Tart laying horizontally. You may need to use Pop-Tart box or a glass to hold up these walls until icing dries.

  8. Wait at least 1 hour for icing to dry completely.

  9. Repeat steps 4 through 7 with remaining cut and un-cut brown Pop-Tarts to finish other sides of house.

  10. To attach roof, pipe icing onto cut corners of sides of house. Attach one of the frosted Pop-Tarts to make one side of roof.

  11. Repeat with other frosted Pop-Tart, piping icing between Pop-Tarts if necessary, to secure.

  12. Decorate as desired, using miniature marshmallows, gumdrops and/or Good and Plenty candies for trim. Gel icing can make doors and windows. Use flaked coconut over icing to make snow on base.