How to Make Small Gingerbread Houses With Graham Crackers

Gingerbread houses are a holiday favorite, but they can be difficult to make, especially for younger children. Use graham crackers and small milk cartons for a variation on the gingerbread house that is easy and inexpensive. This simple holiday craft works great in classrooms as well as with small children as home. It can also be used to complement the story Hansel and Gretel.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 2 cups Powdered sugar 1/2 cup Milk Plastic sandwich bag Scissors Graham crackers Small plate Chocolate bar gumdrops candies Candy-coated chocolate circles Marshmallows (small, regular and jumbo) Toothpicks Sprinkles Teddy bear-shaped graham crackers Plastic knife Food coloring

1. Add one tablespoon of milk to two cups of confectioner's sugar. Continue adding the milk one or two tablespoons at a time until the frosting is thick. If you add too much milk the frosting will be too thin for the craft. Add more sugar to stiffen it up.

2. Place half the icing in a plastic sandwich page. Cut off one corner of the bag. Now, you can squeeze the icing through the hole and make designs and piping.

3. Spread a layer of icing around the milk carton. Press sections of graham cracker to cover all four sides of the milk carton. Use two large crackers on the sloped top of the carton for a rook. Use a thick layer of icing beneath the roof crackers to make sure they do not slide off. Allow the graham cracker house to set for a few moments before decorating.

4. On a small plate, place a layer of whit icing to resemble snow. Press the graham cracker covered milk carton onto the plate. Pipe a line of white icing along the corners of the house and roof to cover any open spaces between the graham crackers.

5. Cut or break a rectangle of the chocolate bar to make a door. Squirt icing on the back and press it to the graham cracker gingerbread house. Slice colored gumdrop candies in half and layer them on the roof to make shingles. You can also spread a layer of icing on the roof and add sprinkles to make it look like a snow-covered roof.

6. Make a walkway leading from the chocolate door with small chocolate candies as pebbles. Place large green gumdrops around the yard for bushes and flowers. Stick teddy bear-shaped graham cookies into the icing so they stand up.

7. Stick a toothpick into a jumbo marshmallow. Slide a medium marshmallow onto the toothpick. Add a small marshmallow at the top. Use icing to decorate the snowman and place him in the "snow" icing beside the house.

Tips & Warnings

• Use food coloring to make separate batches of green, red, or gold icing for decorating. Let the kids make a whole town of gingerbread houses for a Christmas table or party.
• Do not make large quantities of icing at first. Make the icing a little at a time as you use it to avoid letting it dry out or get too stiff.

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