Ah, nothing says Christmas better than the sweet smell of baking gingerbread wafting throughout the house. Sweets and icing sugar everywhere, it's the classic scene of making a gingerbread house.
Whether you like to make your gingerbread from scratch or grab a ready-made kit (we don't blame you!), making a gingerbread house is a must-do for Christmas. You can get these kits widely, and we've found the best for this year right here.
Why do we make gingerbread houses?
Baking gingerbread houses has been around for years. They're usually made out of blocks of gingerbread biscuits cut into shapes, baked, and then topped with icing sugar and sweet goodies. Gingerbread shaping is said to go as far back as 16th century Germany, where gingerbread was particularly popular.
Nowadays, gingerbread houses can be seen everywhere during the festive season alongside all the best decorations. You can make everything from huge houses (or, mansions) to Santa's sleigh and Christmas trees.
They're just that special part of Christmas that makes everything so festive and even better because you can eat them when you're done, too!
How do I make a gingerbread house?
The easiest option (and probably the one we'd go for the most) is a ready-made, pre-cut, and pre-baked gingerbread house that means all you have to do is assemble, decorate and gobble up. This can be super fun for everyone including younger children and the whole family, without all the fuss of baking.
On the other hand, you can get your Great British Bake Off on and make your own gingerbread from scratch. Just be aware though, you'll want to invest in a cookie-cutter set - like the FantasyDay one below - and make sure your recipe is up to scratch. Once you have the cutters, they can be used for years to come, so it's a sustainable option.
If you don't like gingerbread, or you're skeptical about faffing around with all the kit, you can get gingerbread toys, decorations, or even cake trays as an alternative. All of the fun, without the mess.
The best gingerbread house making kits UK 2022
Best gingerbread house cookie cutter set
AmazonDescription
Want to make your own gingerbread from scratch or have an old recipe you love? Invest in this set of gingerbread house cookie cutters, so you can build a personalised house yourself. It has 10 parts and smaller features for you to use.
One reviewer said: "I bought this to make a gingerbread house with my grandchildren. They are so excited. It is easy to use and just about the right size."
Best gingerbread house making kit for kids
bakedin.co.uk
Description
Want to get more into the Christmas spirit this year? This Bakedin kit is perfect for the whole family. It includes all the dry ingredients you need to make the gingerbread, templates to cut the house pieces from, icing mix, piping bag, and candy to decorate.
One reviewer said: "We bought this last Christmas and it was so much fun and so easy to make! We particularly liked making the stained glass windows!"
Best gingerbread house kit with video tutorial
Not On The Highstreetwww.notonthehighstreet.com
Description
Not only does this kit have all of the things you'll need including a piping bag, templates, icing sugar, and sweets - it also comes with a link to a video tutorial and has a step-by-step recipe card. Perfect if you're a beginner or could use some guidance.
One customer said: "This was a fantastic gingerbread kit. The instructions were easy to follow and the gingerbread tasted delicious!! I added some extra details like stained glass windows and the whole effect was lovely. It went down a treat on Christmas Day with the in-laws. Wed had it out on the counter since the 20th and it tasted great and still had a good texture on the 25th. Very happy customer! Will keep the recipe card for next year to make again. Thank you!"
Best gifting gingerbread house kit
www.biscuiteers.com
Description
Biscuiteers always have wonderful gift sets and now they have a DIY gingerbread house, made with gingerbread iced biscuits. You'll get your pieces, royal icing sugar, pumping bags, and sweets in this. Delicious.
One reviewer said: "My kids and I loved putting together the house. It was easy and fun! The best DIY kit I have bought."
The best gluten-free gingerbread house kit
www.lakeland.co.uk
Description
If you're gluten-free, it doesn't have to miss out either, with this gingerbread house set. It has comes with everything you need to make the gingerbread house including a gingerbread biscuit mix - just add butter, syrup and water!
One customer said: "So I am wheat intolerant, this is a DIY kit, and actually pretty easy to work with, so much so my 6 yr old made more characters out of the excess. Tastes good, even to people who don't need to avoid gluten. There is quite a strong kick of gingerbread after taste, but I quite like it. I just wished Lakeland sold this gingerbread mix separately also!"
Best gingerbread construction kit
www.selfridges.com
Description
Perfect for making a showstopping gingerbread house for Christmas Day, this kit from Eddingtons brings you everything you need to get construction underway. It includes nine cookie cutters, six icing bags, four nozzles, a recipe, and decoration instructions too.
Best easy-to-decorate gingerbread kit
Amazonwww.matalan.co.uk
Description
Say hello to this decorating kit which has 10 biscuits to make up its beautiful structure. The design is already baked into the gingerbread for easy piping too.
Best gingerbread house pan
Description
If you're not a fan of gingerbread houses but want to get your bake on, this bundt pan from Nordic Ware gives a gingerbread house look, without the gingerbread. Just pop in your recipe and watch your cake come out looking festive.
One reviewer said: "I love this house baking tin. I made an edible village for the church at Christmas. This house was the centrepiece. Everyone said how beautiful it was. This Nordic tin has such fine detail from every angle. Nordic are amazing and always give a free recipe, all of which are great. These Nordic tins are solid and certainly made to last. I would recommend this beautiful item."
Best toy gingerbread house kit
John LewisDescription
There are lego collections for everything - now even gingerbread houses. This would make a wonderful gift for anyone who likes to get busy with Christmas cheer but doesn't love baking.
One reviewer said: "This is a great little lego build, especially at Christmas time. The size was perhaps not as big as expected."
Best gingerbread house kit made out of chocolate
www.cadburygiftsdirect.co.uk
Description
If gingerbread isn't your thing, then why not try this chocolate cottage by Cadbury. This kit contains everything you need to create a delicious chocolate cottage including Dairy Milk Bars, Cadbury White Chocolate Bars, Cadbury Nibbly Fingers, and Cadbury White Buttons. However, you will need to sort your own icing.
What gingerbread recipe should I use?
There are so many recipes out there, whether you're using an old family gingerbread recipe or cooking up something new. Making sure you have the right recipe is key to your gingerbread being firm and stable.
We love this easy DIY gingerbread house recipe below.