Gingerbread house & gingerbread men

A homemade gingerbread house is the highlight of every Christmas baking season – and our gingerbread house cutters give you walls, roof and gables that fit perfectly, from a small 3D house to a large house set. Gingerbread man cookie cutters range from mini to 21 cm, as a whole family, with plunger, embossing or fluted edge – perfect for decorating with royal icing. Whether you are planning a cosy crafting afternoon with the kids, looking for an edible gift for the neighbours or baking honey gingerbread for the Advent platter, here you’ll find the shapes that make your gingerbread not only delicious but also sturdy and pretty.

Ideas: from witch’s cottage to gingerbread family

Gingerbread is wonderfully versatile. These ideas add variety to your Advent and make eyes light up, young and old alike:

• The classic gingerbread house: with the large gingerbread house set or the 3-piece cutter set you get walls, roof panels and gables in matching sizes. Glued with royal icing and decorated with sugar pearls, almonds and powdered sugar snow, it becomes the centrepiece of the Christmas table.
• Mini houses for the rim of a mug: the small 3D house or the 7.5 cm embossed house are ideal for tiny houses that perch on the rim of a mug of hot chocolate – just cut a small slit in the base before baking.
• Gingerbread greenhouse: an original alternative to the classic house – with windows of melted boiled sweets it looks like a little winter garden.
• The whole family: with the gingerbread family set or the «Happy Family» cutter you can bake mum, dad and children – personalised with names in sugar writing, they make lovely place cards for Christmas dinner.
• The giant: the 21 cm gingerbread man is a real gift – decorated, wrapped in cellophane and tied with a bow, it replaces any greeting card.

Tips: building a sturdy gingerbread house

To keep your house from collapsing by the second Sunday of Advent, dough, baking time and assembly are key. Ideally, allow two days:

• Use a firm gingerbread dough that rises little during baking and roll it out evenly to about 5 mm.
• Cut the pieces directly on the baking paper and slide paper and dough onto the tray together – so the edges don’t distort.
• If the panels have risen slightly, trim them with the cutter while still warm; walls and roof will then fit together exactly.
• Let all pieces cool completely and ideally dry overnight before you start building.
• Use thick royal icing as glue and support the walls with glasses or tins until the icing has set.
• Only add the roof once the walls stand firmly, and save the decorating for last.

Combinations for a winter village

One house is lovely, a whole village is magical. Place a forest made with shapes from the Christmas trees category next to your house – snowy, with a star or stacked into a 3D tree. Fluted gingerbread men populate the village square, and small gingerbread men with plunger and embossing already show their details before you even start decorating. A path of sugar pearls, a lake of blue icing and powdered sugar snow complete the scene. Combined with stars and snowflakes, it creates a harmonious winter landscape that delights your guests and looks wonderful in photos.

Buying guide: what to look for

Gingerbread houses and gingerbread men place different demands on cutters. These points will help you choose:

• House size: for a table centrepiece the large gingerbread house set is ideal; for gifts and decoration, small 3D houses and the embossed house are perfect.
• Figure size: mini and small gingerbread men bake quickly and fit in any cookie tin; 10 and 13.5 cm sizes offer plenty of surface for decorating, while 21 cm makes a big entrance.
• Embossing and plunger: they press outlines and patterns straight into the dough – saving decorating time and easy for children too.
• Combination sets: the «House & gingerbread man» set brings both classics together and is an ideal way to start.

FAQ about gingerbread house and gingerbread man cutters

Which dough is best for a gingerbread house?

A firm gingerbread or honey gingerbread dough that hardly rises during baking. Dough that is too soft distorts and makes assembly difficult.

What do I use to glue the house together?

Thick royal icing works best. It dries rock hard and doubles as a pretty snow effect on roof edges and windows.

How far ahead can I bake the house?

The pieces can be baked a few days in advance and stored dry. Well-dried panels are actually easier to assemble.

What size is ideal for gingerbread men?

For the cookie platter small sizes up to 10 cm, for gifts and name cards 13.5 cm or more.

Can children help?

Absolutely. Cutting out and decorating gingerbread men is great fun for children; assembling the house is best left to the adults.

Find more shapes for Advent in the Christmas cookie cutters overview and everything for the festive season in our Christmas category. Our Christmas cookie recipes show you how to bake perfect gingerbread.