Gingerbread houses 2014 version

This year we got fancy with our gingerbread houses. Usually we just use graham crackers for the walls and roof of the house but Benjamin cleaned out the gingerbread dough sheets that were on clearance(50 cents a package). We put them in the freezer and waited......

Bake the sheets on parchment paper then when they are still warm from the oven cut out the pieces using a template. This takes all the guesswork out of putting together a house. Each piece fits in perfectly. This made my Type A personality very, very happy.

It is very important that after you have cut out the pieces to let them cool completely before building. I let mine sit stacked up with parchment between each layer in a cool dry place for 24 hours.

I used Wilton's royal icing recipe because it is very simple and gets great results every time.

http://www.wilton.com/recipe/Royal-Icing

I was able to assemble all six houses in about 30 minutes.

Let the fun begin!!

Each person gets a gingerbread house decorating kit. Everything needed to make a really yummy house.

Jakey posing with some of the beautiful creations.

We have only been doing this for the past three years but it is so much fun. I cannot wait to see what we come up with next year.