Sugar Is Superior To Frosting When Building Gingerbread Houses

The holiday season is time for baking up dozens of cookies (some to leave behind for Santa Claus), decking the halls and yes, making a gingerbread house. Whether it's a playful competition based on who can build the most elaborate structure or who can craft the tastiest one, this holiday tradition is a festive favorite in many households. While the finished product may get all the credit, the work behind the scenes goes unnoticed — but perhaps it shouldn't. Baking fresh gingerbread from scratch, selecting the most eye-catching gum drops for decorations, and assembling the sections into the shape of a house are all key to the process.

Typically gingerbread house kits come with frosting to glue the house together. But if you've ever struggled with assembly, you already know you need something even stronger. Enter: melted sugar. Using melted granulated sugar to hold the gingerbread together might be the secret you need to keeping your gingerbread house sturdy and strong. If you're tired of struggling and watching your house collapse right before your very eyes, this trick will make your spirits bright. You may also want to review some common caramel making mistakes, some of which apply to this process, too.

All you have to do to succeed in this process is get granulated sugar and add it to a pan. You can add a splash of water to give yourself a little more time, though be wary of recrystallization with this wet method, as crystallized sugar getting back into the mix can re-harden the whole pan. Once the sugar has melted, it will resemble hot glue in appearance and texture, though it may be even hotter so exercise caution while handling. 

If it gets a little brown, that's okay so long as you make sure it doesn't go too far. Otherwise, the caramelizing sugar will begin to burn and can taste bitter. Next, simply take your gingerbread house cutouts, carefully dip the edges in the melted sugar, and assemble as needed. It dries quickly, so be sure that your gingerbread is prepped and ready to assemble. 

When it dries, the sugar should be sturdy enough to hold up during decorating. Even better, you probably won't have to hold the pieces together as they dry, unlike what you might have to do with frosting or royal icing. Melted sugar also makes for stunning decorations. If you have extra in the pan after assembly, pour the remaining melted sugar onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let cool. You can use the hardened, glass-like sugar as windows for your house or other elements of your design.