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This fluffy gingerbread house icing is my go-to for building and decorating! Made with just three ingredients, it’s easy to pipe, dries fast, and actually holds your house together. No collapsing roofs here!
This icing is amazing for making gingerbread houses and adding decorations to gingerbread Christmas trees, mini gingerbread houses as well as gingerbread cookies.
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Pin ItWhat Makes This the Best Gingerbread House Icing
Actually works like glue: I’ve used this icing for years, and it seriously holds everything together—walls, roofs, candy, you name it. No more collapsing houses halfway through!
Fluffy but firm: It’s strong enough to support your house but still soft and fluffy when you pipe it. Perfect for snowy swirls and cute details.
Dries fast (hallelujah!): You don’t have to babysit your house while it dries. This icing sets quickly, which makes decorating way more fun and way less stressful.
Way better than store-bought: Honestly, toss the icing that comes in those kits. It’s stiff, hard to pipe, and just not fun to work with. This one is dreamy and smooth.
Totally customizable: Add a little gel food coloring or a drop of peppermint or almond extract for something festive. It’s such a fun way to personalize your house.
Gingerbread House Icing Ingredients
Confectioners’ Sugar: Also called powdered or icing sugar. It’s super fine and dissolves easily, making it perfect for smooth, pipeable icing.
Egg Whites: These give the icing structure and that glossy, fluffy texture. Use pasteurized egg whites if you’re working with raw eggs, safety first!
Cream of Tartar: This magical little ingredient keeps the egg whites stable and prevents them from deflating. Don’t skip it – it makes a big difference!
How to Make Gingerbread House Icing
Beat the egg whites: In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on high speed until stiff peaks form.
Add the sugar: Turn the mixer to low speed and add powdered sugar one spoonful at a time.
Finish the icing: Once all of the powdered sugar is in the mixer, turn it to high again and beat until the icing is fluffy.
Recipe Tips & Variations
Flavor It Up: Add a splash of vanilla, almond, or peppermint extract to give your icing a festive twist—I usually go peppermint because, well… Christmas!
Color Like a Pro: Use gel food coloring to get those vibrant reds, greens, and blues without messing up the texture. Liquid dye just doesn’t cut it.
Graham Cracker Hack: Skip the homemade gingerbread and use graham crackers for a super easy (and still adorable) gingerbread house base. Perfect for last-minute parties or impatient kids!
Fix the Consistency: If your icing’s too runny, add more powdered sugar a little at a time. Too thick? Add water by the tablespoon. It should be thick like glue but easy to pipe.
Party-Ready Tip: Wrap finished houses in clear cellophane bags tied with ribbon for the cutest party favor or gift. It’s a little detail that makes a big impression.
Storage
Freeze: Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then bring to room temp and give it a quick whip if needed.
Refrigerate: Store icing in an airtight container or sealed piping bags and use within 24 hours. Let it come to room temp before using for easier piping.
An Easy Way to Fill a Piping Bag
A friend of mine taught me this trick years ago and I use it when filling a piping bag. It’s the easiest way to fill an icing bag without the mess.
- Grab a tall glass with a wide mouth.
- Place the piping bag inside and fold the edges over the rim.
- Spoon the icing into the bag, pushing it down as you go.
- Fill about 3/4 full, then remove the bag from the glass.
- Twist the top and secure it with a rubber band.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This icing is made with powdered sugar, pasteurized egg whites or meringue powder, and cream of tartar—totally safe to eat and super tasty too.
It usually takes about 30 minutes to set completely, depending on the temperature and humidity in your home. Once it’s dry, your house will be sturdy and ready to decorate.
Use this icing! Just pipe it onto the edges of your gingerbread pieces, press them together, and hold for a few seconds. It’s strong, reliable, and dries fast.
Here’s what I always have on hand:
Gingerbread pieces (homemade or store-bought)
This icing recipe
Piping bags and tips
Candy (the more colorful, the better!)
A sturdy base like a cake stand, marble board, or a cute platter
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Let me know if you make this icing by leaving a comment and review below!
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Gingerbread House Icing
Equipment
- Electric Mixer with Whisk Attachment
Ingredients
- 4 egg whites
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar , start with 4 cups and see how the texture is, then add the 1/2 cup.
- food coloring , if you want to make different colors.
Instructions
- In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites and cream of tartar together.
- When the egg whites are whipped to firm peaks, turn the mixer to low and spoon in the powdered sugar.
- Continue adding in the powdered sugar until it's gone, then turn the mixer on high to whip again.
- Once it becomes fluffy (only a few minutes) it's done. It should be sticky, fluffy and thick!
- Divide the frosting into different bowls and add the desired amount of food coloring to each bowl. Whatever colors you want.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Question:
Sounds like a great recipe from the reviews and I’d like to use it. But, can this frosting be made in advance? How would you store it if made ahead of time?
Thank you!
The best icing for building a gingerbread house. Hardens very fast and holds its form. Highly recommend.
How long does this frosting last once applied? At what point do you think it will be bad? Days? Weeks?
It honestly stays a very long time! I toss them after Christmas, but it doesn’t go bad, and I think it would last another 3 months!
How much meringue powder do you substitute for the egg whites
Hi Barbara, I haven’t tested this! Bit, maybe try one and see if that works. If not add another.
how much does your recipe make? How many piping bags would this fill? I’ve got 10 gingerbread decorators and they’ll each need their own piping bag. Just wondering how many batches I’ll need to make. thanks!
You will get about 4 small piping bags. You can double the recipe to fill more.
This is the very BEST icing I’ve ever used. So soft, creamy and stiff yet extremely easy to pipe and hardened quickly and beautifully! I’ll never use anything else. Thank you for this awesome recipe.
Isn’t it the best!! It works SO well and it’s so fluffy. We use it several times a year! I am so happy it worked for you!
I had a gingerbread decorating party for 7 kids aged 7-9. This was perfect for decorating and easy for the kids to work with. The flavor wasn’t important for this project so it’s a 5 star recipe.
Yay! So glad you liked it Diane! We use it every year and it works SO well!!
I haven’t made this yet, but was wondering how much should I use to frost 24 cookies?
Hi Ashlee, this recipe is for gingerbread house. I wouldn’t recommend it for cookies.
I just made this last night for an Easter-themed house. In south Louisiana, it’s quite humid and it was made even more so by 5 straight days of rain. (Yes. Really. Non-stop rain.) Even so, I made this recipe, added a little more powdered sugar due to the humidity and it was AMAZING. I was a bit nervous because it seemed so soft, but it piped like a dream, held color beautifully, and it really held that house together! Even with the humidity, I left the roof go after only 30 seconds and it stayed!
The frosting was so supply and pliant, that we actually used it like buttercream for some areas, but it hardened like a rock and it didn’t take that long. I will never use any other icing but this. Thank you!
Thank you for this beautiful review Meagan! What a cute idea to make an Easter themed house too! There is much fun Easter candy to decorate with!!
I was wondering how far ahead this recipe can be made and how long it could be stored? It looks so good can’t wait to try!
Hi! The icing can be made a few days ahead but has to be stored completely sealed or it will dry out. It also needs to be brought back to room temp before using. I do like it fresh better as it’s the perfect consistency.