Anonymous wrote:Prebuilt is the way. Buy from Costco.

The Costco one is great. I’ve bought many gingerbread houses over the years and the Costco one is the best.

We’ve had good luck with Trader Joe’s. You do mix the icing for that but it’s not hard. The house is an A-frame and I think that helps the stability.

Definitely you have to reeeeeeeeally let the icing set before decorating, and I agree with PP about holding it in place for a few minutes.

Prebuilt is the way. Buy from Costco.

Harris teeter has a set where the house sits in a mold. My young children were able to assemble it (with help from us) and it was fine.

It's not too hard to make your own. But even if you don't make your own gingerbread pieces, you can easily make your own royal icing. A good royal icing easily keeps up your house. You just need meringue powder, powdered sugar, and water.

I’ve always done the prebuilt ones.

This year I bought the Oreo small ones from five below. I’ll get back to you once we’ve attempted it.

Five Below. $5 and stays together

Use a hot glue gun. No one is going to eat these gingerbread houses afterwards. You could use melted sugar, but it’s much messier and not as safe to use as the neat little glue sticks and a handy glue gun.

Buy prebuilt.

Anonymous wrote:Ours never collapse. We’ve bought all brands from Michael’s, Target and Costco. The key is to assemble it and leave it for several hours to dry. For the first few minutes, you will need to hold the pieces in place. It helps to have another adult (or teen) but I have done it alone.

Second this. I construct the night before and the kids decorate the next day. Solid as a rock then.

Ours never collapse. We’ve bought all brands from Michael’s, Target and Costco. The key is to assemble it and leave it for several hours to dry. For the first few minutes, you will need to hold the pieces in place. It helps to have another adult (or teen) but I have done it alone.

Is there one out there that doesn't fall into pieces and actually retains their structure? I think I've bought almost all available gingerbread cookie house from local stores but my kids have never been able to make one that does not fall because the glue (icing) is too weak, or any number of issues. Pls recommend one that you and your kids have made successfully, TIA!