Free Printable Gingerbread House Patterns, Recipes and Templates

Making a holiday gingerbread house is one of our favorite family traditions. Not being the most artistic person, I cheat and get the gingerbread house kit. But I've found a better way: free printable gingerbread house patterns, recipes and templates. People approach gingerbread house making from two schools of thought: the first school is all about the art. They painstakingly design intricate trees and decorations and create a thing of beauty. Then there is our youngest son's school of thought: slap together a ramshackle gingerbread shed, lather with frosting, cover every inch in candy and devour upon completion. Whichever school you subscribe to, you'll want these free printable gingerbread recipes, templates and patterns.

Ultimate Gingerbread (click here) is a complete website dedicated to the tradition of gingerbread house making. Ultimate Gingerbread has dozens of free printable patterns, recipes tips, ideas, suggestions, pictures and they even host an annual gingerbread house making competition to support a local Christian school. I was amazed at the unique ideas and styles of gingerbread house. My little store bought kit would pale in comparison with these gingerbread mansions. The website has a support forum as well, which would have really come in handy a few years ago when our gingerbread house's retaining wall gave way.

King Arthur flour (click here for pdf) has put together a complete 14-page guide with paper template that you can cut out and use for your gingerbread house construction. There are good reliable recipes for workable gingerbread dough and decorative icing. I really like the quality of King Arthur flour and their step by step illustrated guide to make the gingerbread house.

slice-heaven.com has seven free printable gingerbread house patterns, including one church pattern, one elf house pattern and a row house pattern. These are reprinted from the original Wilton baking products manual and are available free. I think you'll like the variety gingerbread house styles and the ease of making them.

Have fun exploring these creative gingerbread house venues and printing off patterns for your own house. I encourage you to make your gingerbread house a family endeavor. It's a delicious, creative, interactive family bonding experience. I do recommend that each person make his own gingerbread house, so that debates over design don't end up with the whole house on the floor! For more great recipes, visit my blog www.greatrecipes4u.blogspot.com . For more Christmas free printables, crafts, gift ideas, shopping tips and yuletide lore, visit me at www.thechristmasseason.blogspot.com . My your holiday season be as sweet as a gingerbread house.