One of the most common gingerbread house questions people Google every December is:
“How do I stop my gingerbread house collapsing?”
Because let’s be honest — nothing dampens festive spirits faster than watching your carefully built walls slide apart in slow motion while the kids shout “IT’S FALLING!”
The good news? With the right icing, the right technique, and a few clever tricks, your gingerbread house can stand strong from Advent all the way to Christmas Day and even beyond! Here’s how to build a sturdy, impressive gingerbread showpiece… without the collapses, cracks, or sugar-related catastrophes.
(And if you want the easiest, stress-free version? We’ll show you why the Treat Kitchen Gingerbread House Kit is your best festive shortcut!)
🔧 1. Use Royal Icing — The Most Reliable “Edible Glue”
When it comes to gingerbread construction, royal icing is king. It dries hard, sets quickly, and holds everything in place like edible cement. (Great news we use royal icing in our kits)
Top tip:
Your icing should be thick. If it’s runny, you’ll be fighting gravity. If it’s stiff enough that you feel a tiny bit of resistance when piping, you’re on the right track.
Pro builder trick:
Pipe a generous bead of icing inside the walls as well as on the outside joints. It creates a double layer of reinforcement.
⭐ Treat Kitchen Bonus:
Our gingerbread house comes with perfectly sized pieces that fit together neatly, so you need less icing to stabilise it — ideal for beginners, families, or anyone who wants a drama-free build.
Get the stress-free Treat Kitchen Gingerbread House Kit →
🧱 2. Build on a Solid Base
Your gingerbread house is only as strong as the surface beneath it. Build on something sturdy like:
- A wooden board
- A cake drum
- A flat serving tray
- A gingerbread base (just like our kit)
Avoid paper plates or thin cardboard… unless you’d like your house to sink slowly like the Titanic.
Extra stability tip:
Pipe a line of icing on the base where each wall will sit. This anchors the walls firmly as they’re drying. Any excess looks like snow so just adds to the festive vibes.
⭐ Treat Kitchen Bonus:
Our kit includes a gingerbread base to build your house on -making it so much easier to build and transport.
Discover Treat Kitchen’s foolproof Gingerbread House Kit →
🕒 3. Let Each Section Dry Before Adding the Roof
The roof is the number one cause of gingerbread collapses because it’s heavy and adds pressure to the structure.
Here’s the golden rule:
Build the walls → Let them dry → THEN add the roof.
Letting the icing set for a few minutes can make a huge difference in keeping the structure upright. Grab a tea whilst you're waiting or have a bop to a festive banger (my fave is Wham!)
Pro tip:
Use mugs, small jars or tins to support the walls while drying.
⭐ Treat Kitchen Bonus:
Our panels are lightweight but sturdy, meaning the roof sits securely without sliding — ideal for kids who don’t want to wait for ages. The more icing the better.
Try the easy-build Treat Kitchen Gingerbread House →
🍭 4. Add Decorations After the House Is Fully Secured
It’s tempting to decorate as you go, but weight and pressure from sweets can knock walls out of place if the structure isn’t set, plus your fingers might smudge your beautiful icing.
Instead:
-
Assemble the house
-
Let it fully set
-
Decorate to your heart’s content!
If you really want to decorate first go for it - it's your house and you can decide how you want to do it- just have fun!
⭐ Treat Kitchen Bonus:
The panels in our kit have guide lines baked in to help with decorating which you can choose to use or just go freestyle — perfect for families and beginners.
Build and decorate with the Treat Kitchen Gingerbread House Kit →
🎄 Make This the Year Your Gingerbread House Stays Standing
With the right icing, patience, and building technique, you can absolutely construct a show-stopping gingerbread house that survives the season.
But if you want the easy, family-friendly, no-fail option…
you can skip straight to the fun part — decorating — with the Treat Kitchen Gingerbread House.
✨ Perfect for kids
✨ Great for beginners
✨ No baking, no stress
✨ Quick to build
✨ Always festive, always fun
👉 Shop the Treat Kitchen Gingerbread House Kit and build your strongest, sweetest Christmas house ever!
