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Printable Gingerbread House Kit (DIY Template for Kids)
Create a festive gingerbread house with this printable DIY kit for kids and families. Includes templates and instructions. Instant download.
Guessing dimensions without a Printable Gingerbread House Kit
Creating a gingerbread house is one of the most magical holiday traditions—but baking, cutting, and assembling can feel overwhelming, especially with kids. This printable gingerbread house kit makes it simple to enjoy the fun without the stress.
Designed for families, classrooms, and holiday parties, this DIY kit gives you everything you need to build a festive gingerbread house using easy-to-follow templates and instructions.
👉 Get the Printable Gingerbread House Kit
Instant digital download – perfect for kids and families
What Is a Printable Gingerbread House Kit?
A printable gingerbread house kit is a digital download that includes pre-sized templates and instructions you can print at home. Instead of guessing measurements or struggling with fragile baked pieces, you’ll have a clear plan that makes assembling a gingerbread house much easier—especially with kids helping.
This kit works whether you:
Bake your own gingerbread
Use graham crackers
Want a practice run before making an edible version
What’s Included in the Gingerbread House Kit
✔ Printable gingerbread house templates (PDF)
✔ Step-by-step building instructions
✔ Decorating ideas that work for kids
✔ Tips to help prevent cracking and collapsing
✔ Instant digital download (no waiting!)
Why Families Love This Gingerbread House Kit
Why Families Love This Gingerbread House Kit
Kid-friendly: Simple shapes and clear instructions
Low stress: No guesswork or complicated measuring
Reusable: Print and use year after year
Flexible: Works with gingerbread, graham crackers, or cardboard
This makes it a great option for:
Christmas Eve traditions
Holiday baking with kids
Classroom or homeschool activities
Family holiday parties
How to Use the Printable Gingerbread House Kit
Download and print the templates on standard 8.5×11 paper
Cut out the template pieces
Roll dough and using your template pieces, cut around dough creating panels (roof, side, front, and back)
Bake your house panels
Decorate with your favorite sprinkles or treats
Assemble using royal icing or buttercream frosting
Display and enjoy!
The instructions are written so kids can follow along with adult help.
Gingerbread House vs. Sugar Cookie House
If you love decorating but want an easier edible option, you might also enjoy making a sugar cookie house instead of a gingerbread house.
👉 See our Sugar Cookie House Tutorial for Kids
(Perfect if you want softer cookies and less breakage)
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a physical gingerbread house kit?
No. This is a digital download that you print at home. Ingredients and candy are not included.
Is this gingerbread house kit good for kids?
Yes! It’s designed to be kid-friendly and works best with adult supervision.
What paper size should I use?
Standard US Letter (8.5×11). No special printer needed.
Can I reuse this kit every year?
Yes. Once purchased, you can print and reuse it for personal use.
Make Gingerbread Houses a Holiday Tradition
Creating a gingerbread house doesn’t have to be complicated to be special. With this printable gingerbread house kit, you can skip the stress and focus on what matters most—making memories, laughing through the decorating mess, and starting a holiday tradition your family will look forward to year after year. Whether you’re baking with kids, hosting a classroom activity, or planning a cozy Christmas afternoon at home, this easy DIY kit helps turn a simple idea into a meaningful experience.
This printable gingerbread house kit takes the pressure out of holiday baking and lets you focus on what matters—making memories together.
👉 Get the Printable Gingerbread House Kit – Instant Download
More Baking Posts:
Sugar Cookie House Guide (Easy, No Gingerbread Required!)
This sugar cookie house guide covers recipe for dough, assembly, decorating ideas, frosting tips, and a free template for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and creative kid builds.
Valentine Sugar Cookie House
How to Make a Sugar Cookie House without Gingerbread- Easy and Kid-Friendly
If you love making gingerbread houses like I do, but don’t love gingerbread, this sugar cookie house guide is for you! A sugar cookie house is a fun, festive alternative that works for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and beyond—with soft cookies, easy dough, and decorations your whole family will actually enjoy eating.
Whether you’re building a classic holiday house or a pink-and-pastel Valentine’s Day version, this guide walks you through everything you need to know, with links to step-by-step seasonal tutorials.
Sugar Cookie House with Trucks Design
Why Make a Sugar Cookie House Instead of Gingerbread?
Sugar cookie houses are easier, tastier, and more kid-friendly than traditional gingerbread houses. Look, don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with actual gingerbread, I’m just not the biggest fan!
Why families love a sugar cookie house:
Softer cookies that are actually edible (YUM 😋)
No molasses or spices required (everything you already have in your cabinet)
Easier dough to roll and bake evenly
Works for multiple holidays, not just Christmas
If you’ve ever struggled with rock-hard gingerbread or broken walls, sugar cookies are a game changer!
What Is a Sugar Cookie House?
A sugar cookie house is built using sturdy sugar cookie panels instead of gingerbread. The cookies are baked slightly thicker to hold their shape, then assembled with frosting and decorated based on the season.
You can customize:
Roof style
Door and window shapes
Icing colors
Holiday-specific candy decorations
Sugar Cookie Dough with Sprinkles
Sugar Cookie House Dough Basics
A good sugar cookie house dough should be:
Firm but not dry
Rolled evenly
Baked until set (not browned)
💡 Tip: Chill the dough before cutting shapes to prevent spreading.
You’ll find exact measurements and baking times inside each seasonal tutorial below.
How to Assemble a Sugar Cookie House - Step by Step! Use containers to support the cookie walls while assembling
How to Assemble a Sugar Cookie House
Assembly is the same no matter the holiday.
Basic steps:
Bake and cool cookie panels completely
Decorate all pieces and refrigerate for 15 mins at least to let the frosting set
Pipe thick frosting along edges
Assemble walls first and let set
Add roof panels
You can use buttercream frosting (yes, really!) or royal icing depending on your preference.
See our Valentine’s Day post for more info about Buttercream Frosting do’s and don’t’s
Free Sugar Cookie House Template (Printable)
To make building a sugar cookie house even easier, we created a free printable sugar cookie house template you can use to cut consistent wall and roof pieces every time. This template works perfectly for sugar cookie dough and can be reused for different holidays and designs.
👉 Download the free sugar cookie house template here:
https://www.thesweetestescapes.com/shop/gingerbread-house
This template works for Christmas sugar cookie houses, Valentine’s Day houses, and any themed sugar cookie build.
Sugar Cookie House Design Ideas - Side walls and back
Sugar Cookie House Design Ideas
One of the best things about a sugar cookie house is how easy it is to customize for different holidays, themes, and skill levels. Whether you’re decorating with toddlers or creating a show-stopping centerpiece, these ideas work beautifully with sugar cookie dough.
Popular sugar cookie house designs include:
Classic house with piped frosting and sprinkles
Minimalist house with simple lines and powdered sugar
Candy-covered house for kids who love decorating
Pastel or themed houses for holidays like Valentine’s Day or Easter
💖 Lace-Inspired (Perfect for Valentine’s Day)
Uses piped icing to mimic lace patterns
Great for Valentine’s, weddings, baby showers
Elegant look without extra baking steps
👉 For step-by-step decorating and recipes, explore our seasonal sugar cookie house tutorials below.
Save these sugar cookie house design ideas on Pinterest so you can come back when it’s time to bake.
Sugar Cookie House Ideas by Holiday
Christmas Sugar Cookie House Design - Cat in window
🎄 Christmas Sugar Cookie House
A Christmas sugar cookie house is perfect for family traditions and holiday parties. Think snowy roofs, festive sprinkles, and classic Christmas candy. And maybe a cat in a window? Why not?!
👉 Read the full tutorial here: Christmas Sugar Cookie House (Easy & Kid-Friendly)
Popular Christmas decorations:
Mini gumdrops
Peppermints
White frosting “snow”
Holiday sprinkles
Valentine’s Day Sugar Cookie House with Lace Icing Details for Sugar Cookie Houses
💕 Valentine’s Day Sugar Cookie House
A Valentine’s Day sugar cookie house is a sweet winter activity that doesn’t feel like Christmas leftovers. Pink frosting, heart cookies, and pastel candy make this a fun February tradition. When you think there’s too much pink just add more! Never enough pink in my book.
👉 Read the full tutorial here:
Valentine’s Day Sugar Cookie House (No Gingerbread Required)
Valentine decorating ideas:
Conversation hearts
Pink and red icing
Heart-shaped cookies
Sprinkles and sanding sugar
💖 Lace-Inspired (Perfect for Valentine’s Day)
Uses piped icing to mimic lace patterns
Great for Valentine’s, weddings, baby showers
Elegant look without extra baking steps
Best Frosting for Sugar Cookie Houses
You have two great options:
Buttercream Frosting
Tastes better
Easy to make
Great for decorating with kids
Royal Icing
Dries hard
Best for advanced builders
Less forgiving (and less tasty)
👉 Tip: For family builds, buttercream works surprisingly well when cookies are fully cooled.
Kids Sugar Cookie Houses
Making Sugar Cookie Houses with Kids
Sugar cookie houses are much more forgiving for toddlers and young kids.
Kid-friendly tips:
Pre-bake all pieces
Let adults assemble the structure
Kids decorate once stable
Use squeeze bottles or zip-top bags for frosting
This makes it a fun, low-stress activity instead of a meltdown waiting to happen.
Snoopy Dog House Design - Sugar Cookie House
Snoopy Dog house Sugar Cookie House
Fun Themed Sugar Cookie Houses for Kids
If your kids love themed projects, a cartoon-inspired dog house sugar cookie house is a huge hit. We made a black-and-white dog house design that kids immediately recognized and loved decorating. It’s a great alternative to a traditional house and perfect for little hands that just want to frost, sprinkle, and have fun.
👉 This is a fun example of how sugar cookie houses don’t have to look like houses at all.
Sugar Cookie House and Truck - no gingerbread
Creative Sugar Cookie Builds for Kids
Sugar cookie houses don’t have to look like houses at all. One of our favorite kid-friendly builds was a sugar cookie truck, which was just as fun to decorate and even easier for little hands to work on. Flat shapes, bold outlines, and simple details make vehicle-style cookie builds a great option for younger kids who want to jump straight into decorating.
👉 This is a great example of how sugar cookie dough can be used for creative, kid-approved designs beyond traditional houses.
Also, add The Trucks that Saved Christmas to your collection!
Sugar Cookie Prep Station
Can You Make Sugar Cookie Houses Ahead of Time?
Yes, in fact I HIGHLY recommend making the dough ahead of time.
Cookies: Bake 2–3 days ahead
Frosting: Make 1–2 days ahead and refrigerate
Assembly: Same day is best
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
More Sugar Cookie House Ideas Coming Soon!
Final Thoughts: The Best Sugar Cookie House for Any Season
A sugar cookie house is a fun, flexible tradition that doesn’t have to be limited to Christmas. With simple ingredients and endless decorating options, it’s an activity your family can enjoy all year long.
Start with one season—or build them all.
More baking posts:
How to Spend 3 Relaxing Days in Moorea - Complete Itinerary
How to spend 3 days in Moorea, French Polynesia! Check out our full itinerary listing about how we spent our days on our Moorea Honeymoon Trip! What to do in Moorea, where to go in Moorea, and how to get to Moorea!
What to do for 3 Days in Moorea, French Polynesia - Complete Itinerary
On our Honeymoon, we stopped in French Polynesia on our way back to the States. We were ready for some relaxation after going nonstop for over a week in Australia & New Zealand. We spent 3 nights in Moorea in an overwater bungalow and it was fabulous! Here’s everything you need to know about Moorea!
How to get to Moorea
Getting to Moorea requires a few transfers. We booked our Moorea portion through Tahiti Legends, who booked everything including our transfers from airports and hotels (we booked our own flights). We stayed at the Sofitel Moorea, in an overwater bungalow, which is something everyone must do in their lifetime! We flew via Air Tahiti Nui in business class (from New Zealand) using our miles, which was a comfortable flight with big seats and great amenities. Air Tahiti flies from Paris to LA to Tahiti to New Zealand and back. We didn’t go to Paris on this trip!
We had to stay in Tahiti overnight because our flight got in so late from New Zealand, there wasn't an option to get to Moorea after 8pm. We used our points to stay at the InterContinental. This was the view from an “average” room:
InterContinental Tahiti Room with Garden Views
Day 1
Morning in Tahiti
We had a car pick us up bright and early from the InterContinental in Tahiti to take us to the ferry. Driving around in the daylight unmasked the island and certain areas were definitely not paradise.
Aboard the Ferry from Tahiti to Moorea
We boarded the ferry around 8 am and the ride was about 20 minutes to Moorea. On the other side, a car picked us up (previously arranged) and took us about 10 minutes down the road to our hotel, the Sofitel Moorea.
We were too early for check-in when we arrived in Moorea, so we wandered around the resort to get our bearings. We walked over to the spa to check it out and made reservations for a couples massage for the late afternoon.
Entrance to our Overwater Bungalow Room
After about an hour, our room was available and we were so excited to check out our overwater bungalow. The room was spectacular and unlike any hotel we had ever stayed in!
Sofitel Moorea Overwater Bungalow Bed
The room felt like a suite. Walking in, you first notice the giant windows leading out to the water, then the high ceilings making the room feel enormous and spacious. The bed was perfectly placed in the middle of the room facing the water with a fantastic view. It had mosquito netting to which Josh said, "It's like a fort!"
Once you step in front of the bed, there is a part of the floor that has a glass square, where you could see the fish swimming under the bungalow.
Floor to see fish under our room!
Afternoon - Swim and Snorkel
Although we REALLY wanted to, you can't really jump off the deck of the bungalow, since it's pretty shallow and there is a lot of coral below. BUT you can go for a swim and there is a ton of marine life to see if you snorkel.
Just a small fish in a big pond
After a leisurely snorkel, we decided to switch it up and go over to the main pool to do more swimming (more like wading) and grab a bite to eat at the bar-restaurant.
Fish in Moorea in front of our Overwater Bungalow
In the late afternoon, we had our couples massage appointment. The spa room was huge, complete with a shower and bathtub. We only signed up for a massage but realized we could have spent an entire day at the spa. The massage was soothing and relaxing. After being in the sun all day, there was a slight burn to which aloe vera was offered. I was soothed and comforted, I could have laid face down on that table for the rest of the evening.
Day 2
WAKING UP IN MOOREA!
Sunrise in Moorea - View from Sofitel Moorea
Here's how to properly wake up in Moorea:
Not a bad way to start the day! Am I right?! From the Sofitel Moorea, we could see sunrises but the us would set on the other side of the island.
Morning - Drive around the Island of Moorea
We rented a little 2 seater buggy through Moorea Fun Roadster, which was like a small go-kart that went faster than you would expect, zooming around the island in about 4 hours. The road was bumpy at parts, but overall it was a blast! Since the island is so small it was nice to take the time to experience it on our own, checking out all there is to do!
See our post all about our buggy ride here: How to Rent a Buggy in Moorea
Afternoon in Moorea
After returning from our island tour, we were ready for some relaxation. We jumped in the water from our patio, and cooled off.
Patio stairs to the water
We spent the rest of the day on the patio of our deck playing cards with some fun drinks!
Pro tip: Buy alcohol at duty-free store at the airport and mixers if available. On our buggy ride, we stopped and bought concentrate (which we thought was juice) at the grocery store on Moorea. The concentrate was an ok way to go since you can get TONS of drinks out of it, but they get old after awhile.
Once we got too hot, we'd jump in the water, swim around, and come right back to our card game. I don't think I changed out of my swimsuit that day.
Sofitel Moorea - Overwater Bungalows
Once we needed a break from the cards, we decided to feed the fish under our bungalow which was great entertainment for at LEAST 20 minutes.
Evening in Moorea
We grabbed dinner at the bar restaurant and took it back to our room so we could do some star gazing. Since it is so quiet and so dark, there were thousands of stars to see. I don't think I've seen that many before in my life!
Stargazing in Moorea
On average, we seemed to go to bed when the sun went down (around 9-10 pm) and woke up as soon as it came back up (around 6:30-7 am). We weren't on any time zone in particular as we had been bouncing around so many places the previous week (we were in Australia and New Zealand).
Day 3
Morning in Moorea
We got up early to catch the sunrise! Since we didn’t get many sunsets here, it was nice to catch the sun coming up!
Sunrise in Moorea - Sofitel Moorea
We might have gone back to bed and then got up just in time to catch the end of breakfast at the main restaurant. The food was delicious, they offered a large spread of almost anything you could think of - eggs, omelets, french toast, pancakes, juices, coffee... and the view wasn't half bad. The only problem was the birds would try to snatch your food if you looked the other way!
Breakfast at the Sofitel Moorea
Afternoon
We packed up and checked out. Although we weren't hanging our heads quite yet, it was time to head to our next destination, Bora Bora!
Don’t forget to pack some of our favorite things:
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More Moorea and French Polynesia:
Create a festive gingerbread house with this printable DIY kit for kids and families. Includes templates and instructions. Instant download.