The Conversation
Nothing says the holidays like gingerbread house decorations. But, sometimes we’d rather skip the making-the-house part. Lucky for us, the folks at Dylan’s Candy Bar have a pre-assembled gingerbread house just waiting to be decorated like the dickens. Each gingerbread house comes with a bunch of festive candies, but we hit up Dylan’s Candy Bar in person to stock up on even more gummy candies, candy canes and a whole collection of colorful candy accoutrements.
Armed with more candy than you’ve even seen in person before, we created five gorgeous gingerbread houses: Candy Cane, Emerald City, Stripes + Lights, Color Blocked Craziness and Gold Rush.
First thing’s first: get yourself a gingerbread house and mix up a batch of royal icing.
Then, it’s time for CANDY. Seriously.
Talk about a sugar rush.
Now, let’s start tricking out these houses!
Assorted Christmas Candies
Dylan’s Candy Bar Signature Holiday Paint Can ($30), as well as gumdrops, peppermints and candy canes.
CANDY CANE Gingerbread House
You’re going to need a LOT of royal icing to stick on all the little candies! Make sure you’ve got two piping bags per house, just in case. We created a scalloped roof complete with red polka dots. Candy canes flank the door, welcoming you in, and we’re particularly in love with the sour gummy hedges in the front.
Add your finishing touches.
Voila!
So obsessed with this roof.
Dylan’s Candy Bar Tackle Box
Mini Bin Filled with Mini Gumballs ($16) to pull out tons of green goodies.
EMERALD CITY GingerBread House
The roof of your gingerbread house is definitely the best canvas for creativity. We created polka dot and squiggly stripes on this green roof. And sour gummy shutters? Yes please.
How fun are those fish at the top of the door? Sort of remind us of Eureeka’s castle.
Holiday Lights Chocolate Covered Sunflower Seeds
Dylan’s Candy Bar Wizard of Oz “Over the Rainbow” Paint Can ($16) to create our striped roof.
STRIPES + LIGHTS GingerBread House
Cut up gummy stripes to be the same length as your roof. Use royal icing to attach. Create icing windows and adorn with rainbow shutters.
Then use royal icing to create a string for your “lights” to hang on.
We couldn’t resist creating a few Christmasy hedges in the front of the house, complete with bright pink lights on top.
It almost looks too good to eat.
Dylan’s Candy Bar Signature Holiday Tackle Box
Dylan’s Candy Bar Tackle Box ($24), Dylan’s Candy Bar Everything Under the Sun Paint Can ($16) and Dylan’s Candy Bar Whirly Pops ($3.25 each).
COLOR BLOCKED Gingerbread House
We started with a criss-cross roof and embellished with floral candies.
Then, it’s time to add color everywhere you possibly can.
One fish, two fish, blue fish, blue fish!
Finally, we’re bringing the gold rush back with this minimalist design. The gingerbread dudes from Dylan’s Signature Holiday Paint Can ($17) are what really take this sleek look to the next level.
GOLD RUSH Gingerbread House
First cover the roof with icing, then add in gold stars. Use white chocolate-covered pretzels on the front of the house, and make sure to make dripping icicles out of your icing.
To finish it off, add snow piles around the house to give it a truly wintery vibe.
Done and done. And complete with a gummy gingerbread dude welcoming you in. Go ahead and pop a kiss off the top — we won’t tell.
And there you have it. Five ways to decorate the best gingerbread house ever.