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Christmas may be over but many are still celebrating the holidays. Take some time during the school break or on New Year's to whip up a cup of hot cocoa and let the creative juices flow as you and the ones you love construct the most unique and innovative gingerbread house yet, courtesy of Go Organically Fruit Snacks.
Make a Next-Gen Gingerbread House
One of our favorite seasonal traditions is decorating a gingerbread house with the family. Some years we go all out and bake one from scratch. Other years we pick up a pre-made kit at the store. Either way, hands are sticky, hearts are full and memories are made. This year, we're giving the traditional gingerbread house a Go Organically "renovation" with fun swaps and alternative decorations that everyone will love. We're calling it the "Next-Gen Gingerbread House." Here's how it's done!
Step 1: Go House Hunting
First you'll need the gingerbread structure itself—meaning the walls, roof and doors. Your two options are baking and buying.
Baking: Find a basic gingerbread house recipe online, like this one from The Food Network. It includes paper patterns for your gingerbread house template so you'll know how big to make the walls, roof, etc. It's easy to swap out any of the ingredients for organic versions, such as organic butter or organic all-purpose flour.
Buying: The holidays can be hectic, so if you can make things easier with a pre-made kit, why not? This one from IKEA* includes just the structure itself and lets you add whatever decorations you want. Better yet? It's only $1.99. Perfect! If you're not near an IKEA, any kit will do. Simply save any unused decorations or icing for other holiday baking projects.
Step 2: Make the Cement
Next you'll need to make a binder to hold the structure together. Traditional royal icing is made with confectioners' sugar, egg whites and vanilla extract, and you can find the instructions here. For a Next-Gen version, consider modifying the recipe with coconut confectioners' sugar and free range eggs. Or skip the royal icing altogether in favor of melted organic white chocolate. Use your "cement" of choice to assemble the house and let it sit for a bit while you gather your decorations.
Step 3: Decorate with the Unexpected
Now comes the fun part: decorating! While we love candy canes and gumdrops as much as the next person, there's something so elegant about a natural-looking gingerbread house adorned with nuts, popcorn and fresh herbs. A few ideas to get you started:
Thatched roof: Use shredded wheat cereal to create a thatched roof. You can either apply whole pieces as shingles, or shred them with your hands and scatter them across the roof for a rustic effect.
Pathway: Create a "stone path" leading up to the front door using a mix of almonds and walnuts.
Windows: Outline your windows with pumpkin or sunflower seeds to mimic the look of a wooden frame.
Wreath: Shape a wreath out of fresh thyme to hang on the front of the house.
Pop of color: Use Go Organically Organic Fruit Snacks to add visual interest while keeping the rest of the look low key. Stick on a red door knob or outline the roof with a string of colorful holiday "lights."
Happy decorating from everyone at Go Organically! Made with real fruit, their gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free kids snacks are a great choice for your on-the-go life.
*Note: Go Organically is not associated with IKEA.
Win It!
One person will win three boxes of Go Organically Organic Fruit Snacks (one of each flavor).
*This is a Rafflecopter giveaway open to residents of the USA.*
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Tuesday, December 26, 2017
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146 comments:
I don't remember making a gingerbread house. My niece and nephew made two yesterday.
I have tried a few times to make a gingerbread house. Let's just say it is a good thing I never went into the construction business or the architecture arena. They did not work out too well.
We've made a few. I like making them. I just rarely have a spot to put them.
I have never done a Gingerbread house.
My daughter took culinary ina tech HS. She had to make a gingerbread house every year. I had fun watching/helping her build them.
We bought a kit a couple of times or they used graham crackers for the house.
Leave a comment on this blog post with whether or not you've ever made a gingerbread house.
no..but i ate a few thnaks
I have never done a Gingerbread house.
Never have made a gingerbread house before
I've never made a gingerbread house.
We have made many gingerbread houses here. Mostly from kits.
I have made many gingerbread houses over the years!
Oh yeah, I'm a gingerbread house making machine.
I made one when I was little, but never made one since.
I've made them with my daughter. It's a lot of fun!
Yes! growing up we made one every year as a family
Yes, I have made a gingerbread house.
Yes, but it has been a long time since I've made one.
I have made a gingerbread house before but its been a while.
I have never made a gingerbread house, but I know I would enjoy making one!
twinkle at optonline dot net
I made one when I was around 12 years old but that was a long time ago.
We have made gingerbread houses before and we made a pink one this Christmas too
We made 3 gingerbread houses this year!
We never made them, wasting food never seemed like a good use of our resources.
I have made one, and it was fun!
Yes my kids did make there first one this year
I am not that craftily inclined so not we have not.
nope I have never made a gingerbread house
tiramisu392 (at) yahoo.com
I have never made a Gingerbread House, but I would like to!
We've never made a Gingerbread house! We wanted to this year, but time just got away from us! Hopefully next year! :)
kdraebellamy(at)yahoo(dot)com
Oh yes, I have made many Gingerbread Houses. I have a mold even!
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{in the contest I am Margot C__ on the Rafflecopter}
We've made a few, but only from kits
I buy 2 of the kits every year but i would definitely love to make my own though. My oldest daughter does one of the houses while me and the hubby go shopping. I love to build them so i will do the other house with the kids.
We usually buy the gingerbread kit.
I have made one before and they are so much fun. I always have to buy double candies because we keep eating them all. Especially the gumdrops.
I have never made a gingerbread house. I don't think I have the patience for it!
abfantom at yahoo dot com
I have made a Gingerbread house before had a hard time at first but I finally got the hang of it. It takes a lot of patience!
I have! Even as an adult. :) My husband and I keep talking about making one at Christmas, but we've yet to do it.
I have never made a gingerbread house. My nephew tore one down though.
Yes, I have made several gingerbread houses, including a replica of my own home.
I have never made a Gingerbread house.
ive maid a ginger bread house I try to make one every year!
I have never made a gingerbread house
I have made them before! We love to make gingerbread houses!
addictedtorodeo at gmail dot com
Ashley C
I never made one.
Yes, I've made several gingerbread houses with my kids !
I have made a simple gingerbread house with graham crackers.
Yes. We have made gingerbread houses.
Nancy
allibrary (at) aol (dot) com
I have never made a gingerbread house.
Yep I've made many gingerbread houses.
I helped my two kids make gingerbread houses this Christmas season.
I have not but I have helped to eat one
I have never made a ginger bread house
Yes I have made gingerbread houses
Thanks for the chance
I made a gingerbread house with my daughter when she was little.
Yup I make them with my daughter. She loves them
Yep I have made them before. I love snacking on them until Christmas
No, but my kids have made one.
Yes I have, but it has been many years since.
we made a small gingerbread village this year! it was so cute!
I've never made one before.
mia2009(at)comcast(dot)net
I have never made a gingerbread house.
I have not but I have watched my kiddos build one. THank you
We always buy the kits and make one every year.
I have made a gingerbread house several times while my kids were young. They are older now so we don't do it but I still love it.
I have never made a gingerbread house
I helped my two grandsons make a gingerbread house and a gingerbread train from kits this weekend.
I have made a few gingerbread houses with the kids. Lots of fun.
My kids and I make one every year
Yes, I have made a few before. They never really look like they do on the box, haha.
yes, i have. they are harder than they look to build.
O yes we make a gingerbread house every year ! It is so much fun with the kids!
Yes I have and they are a ton of fun with my daughter!
I have made gingerbread houses but only from kits.
i have made a gingerbread house before using a kit. it was fun.
I've never made a gingerbread house. My mom was creative but not with food; it wasn't to 'play' with, lol
Yes we make Gingerbread Houses. The problem we have is we eat the gumdrops before getting them on the house.
We used to make them every year. We passed the past two but I hope to bring it back next year.
I've made them several times.
No, I have not made a gingerbread house.
Yes I've made quite a few gingerbread houses.This past Christmas I didn't make one.Thank you for the chance ☺
I have, yes! Never turned out great but I've made one before. (theswarthouts@live.com)
I have decorated a ginger bread house, but never made one myself!
yes made one
I remember making milk carton gingerbread houses in elementary school.
I have made a gingerbread type cookie but never gingerbread house.
Nope!
I have never made a gingerbread house before but I would love to next year :)
Thank You for the chance!
Fiona N
I've never made a gingerbread house
We love to make gingerbread houses and other gingerbread items - so much fun to build and eat
We make a large gingerbread house every year as a family! This year my kids got to play around with some graham crackers, icing, and candy to make smaller versions too!
I attempted one last year.
No gingerbread house but maybe next year!
yes, i have made a couple with my kids!
caseyeve_003 at yahoo dot com
We just made a gingerbread house a couple of weeks ago
We made a gingerbread house with my son a few years ago.
rtrexel@gmail.com
We did make a gingerbread house a few years ago and my daughter put it in a local contest and got second place.
I have made a dew gingerbread houses with my kids!
We have made a gingerbread house a couple of times.
My kids and I have made a gingerbread house and it was a lot of fun!
I haven't tried to make a gingerbread house yet. It would be fun try to make one with my kids.
I don’t think I have ever made a gingerbread house! Sounds like fun, though. Maybe next year!
I don't recall ever making one, but I watched my kids do it with their grandma.
Yes; over twenty five years ago!
theyyyguy@yahoo.com
Yes, we have made a gingerbread house, it was so much fun. We didn't this year, but it's on our list for next year. Thanks!
I have to say I have never had part in building a
Gingerbread House .....we never did things like this growning up since mom and dad worked all the time.
We make a gingerbread house every Christmas :)
We actually made a Paw Patrol one this year. It was a lot of fun!
The boys love to make a Gingerbread house every year. Thank you
candieluster(at)gmail(dot)com
Ive never made a gingerbread house
I've never made one and if I did, I'd eat it before I finished it.
I have made a gingerbread house before. I don't like to eat gingerbread, but I love making the house. :)
I made one once, with my nephew when he was young....We had fun making it and I think he had fun tearing into it. Thanks and God Bless! ILuvTheEucharist @ aol dot com
I haven’t made a gingerbread house. We tried to this year but it failed. Hoping to next year
I have never made a ginger bread house before, but it's on my list for next year.
Yes I've made a lot of them!
I just made a gingerbread house at Christmas time.
I make Gingerbread houses every year with my kids.
I used to make Gingerbread houses when I was a kid.
I made one with my best friend as a kid.
I make a gingerbread house with my daughter every Christmas!
Yes we used to make one every year with our two boys when they were little =)
Nope, I've never made a gingerbread house.
I have never made a gingerbread house.
I have never made one of those gingerbread houses.
No I have not
Yes I have made a ginger bread house
Ive never made a gingerbread house
I have never made one myself, one of these years..
I made one last year, and plan to again this year :) My little girl loves to help!
I have never built a gingerbread house before.
I have it was so much fun!
I have not.
Yes, i've made gingerbread houses with my family on christmas as an activity on a yearly basis way back when.
I have never made a gingerbread house
Well, I have made kits with my kids called "Gingerbread houses" but, that's is as far as it goes towards the "house" term. Have we made disastrous attempts? Yep! bonita7878(at)yahoo(dot)com
We always make gingerbread houses.
I have never made a gingerbread house.
We have made a gIngerbread House- thank you
i have attempted to make them but they always fell apart.
I have never made a gingerbread house before.
vikki.billings@yahoo.com
Yes we make them every year.
NEVER MADE A GINGERBREAD HOUSE.
Yes every year we make a gingerbread house. It is so much fun
Great post! I appreciate it.
This is amazing ! It’s really more fun reading your post.
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