Gingerbread houses: 14 miniature Christmas works of art to amaze your guests with
This is an ancient tradition, spanning centuries and which started in Europe (and has now conquered the world): having gingerbread houses as part of the Christmas decorations. These started as gingerbread cookies and eventually evolved into a three-dimensional, house-like structure, decorated with icing and various types of sweets.
Nowadays, some gingerbread houses are so complex and detailed that they are considered marvel of miniature architecture (there's even a hashtag for them #gingerbreadarchitecture!). Let's explore some examples of gingerbread houses for all tastes:
Gingerbread houses are an ancient tradition
The origin of gingerbread houses can be traced back to Germany in the 16th century, and traditionally, they were decorated with gold leaf. They became even more popular thanks to the Grimm brothers' fairy tale, "Hansel and Gretel," in which the story revolves around two siblings who unexpectedly find a house in the woods made entirely of sweets and gingerbread.
Nuremberg in Germany was considered the "gingerbread house capital of the world," and from there, the tradition spread throughout Europe, and became especially popular in Sweden. Even now, in Sweden - as in all Scandinavian countries - it is an essential item to have at Christmastime.
It is even said that in the 17th century, professional bakers had to get permission to bake gingerbread, and that Christmas and Easter were the only exceptions to this rule.
Nowadays, in many parts of the world, including North America, it has become a tradition for many families to build a gingerbread house together well before Christmas and then decorate it progressively over the festive period.
Gingerbread houses of all types - even mini ones!
Before looking at the series of absolutely stunning gingerbread houses below, a little reassurance: anyone can bake and build one of these, starting with simple shapes. Perhaps start with mini ones, as shown here, that are absolutely delightful!
Also, many templates are available online to print off and follow, making it easy to assemble a gingerbread house without wasting any time or resources!
Creations worthy of Hansel & Gretel
If your inspiration is from Hansel & Gretel, then these are the examples to follow: colorful candies embedded in the icing to fill every available space!
You can also go with a traditional color palette, such as that typically associated with Christmas: white, red, and green.
But nothing stops you from opting for a more personalized decorative theme: after all, like all Christmas ornaments, they should reflect your tastes!
Gingerbread houses made by professionals
@thesweetandsimplekitchen/Instagram
Let's start by looking at some truly stunning ideas: they look like real houses (in miniature), with well-defined, realistic styles! This mountain chalet is decorated with sliced almonds, cinnamon sticks, and pretzels!
Check out the details of the panelled windows here - they look so real! This nineteenth-century mansion is truly a gem to behold, and it would be a shame to eat it.
And who said it has to be a house? Here, you see an example of a perfectly built church, which we can imagine nestled in the center of a snowy village!
Around the world, there are true artists who create detailed models of buildings using gingerbreak. Just take a look at this Victorian-style villa... how much time was invested making this?!
And it's not necessary for gingerbread to stay in its natural color: you can glaze it to color the walls and roofs.
Have you noticed that many of the gingerbread houses - from the simplest to the most complex - are often decorated with tiny lights? What a stunning decoration to add to your home!
The perfect one to start with
But, back to basics: not everyone can make extraordinary creations like the ones we've seen so far. But baking a few gingerbread cookies with a delightful aroma, to make a slightly less fancy (but still adorable) decorations like this one here, is definitely more achievable!
And you could even use some stylized house-shaped cookies to decorate one of your favorite Christmas desserts!
Would you like to try your hand at any of these creations?
