Mini Gingerbread House

Name: Mini Gingerbread House
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 90 g (¾ stick) unsalted butter, softened; 75 g (⅓ cup) brown sugar; 1 small egg, room temperature; ½ tsp vanilla extract; 80 g (¼ cup) molasses (or honey–maple mix); 250 g (1⅔ cups) all-purpose flour; ½ tsp baking soda; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; Pinch ground ginger; Pinch ground nutmeg; Pinch ground cloves; Pinch salt; 200 g (2 cups) powdered sugar, sifted; 20 g (1–2 tbsp) water

by Fadela on Dec 17, 2022 (updated Nov 27, 2025)

Gingerbread cookies shaped into tiny gingerbread houses—crisp, spiced, and perfect for mugs or holiday cake décor.

Gingerbread cookies shaped into tiny houses are a cute holiday twist—crisp, spiced, and full of that classic molasses-ginger flavor.

They’re made with my base gingerbread cookie recipe, the same dough I use for all my Christmas cookie shapes.

You simply glue the pieces together with my powdered sugar icing and add snowy details on top. These mini houses look adorable on hot chocolate mugs, on cakes, or as a fun decorating activity with kids during the holidays.

Why you'll love this recipe

Fun & festive : adorable little houses made from spiced gingerbread cookies.
Easy to decorate : simple royal icing for assembling and adding snowy details.
Perfect for gifting : cute on mugs, cakes, or holiday dessert tables.

Ingredients You Need

Butter: Softened unsalted butter for a smooth dough.
Brown sugar: Dark brown or cane sugar for deep gingerbread flavor.
Egg: At room temperature.
Molasses: Classic gingerbread taste; swap with honey–maple mix if needed.
Flour: All-purpose flour (or a gluten-free blend).
Spices: Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves—or a ready gingerbread spice mix.
Leavening: Baking soda or baking powder.
Vanilla & salt: Boost overall flavor.
Royal icing: Made with powdered sugar and a little water to assemble and decorate.
Sprinkles: Optional, for a snowy finish.

mini gingerbread house on a table with icing details

Tips for this recipe

Use a template: Print or trace a simple pattern so all house pieces match and assemble easily.
Chill the dough: Refrigerate the rolled dough before cutting for clean, sharp shapes.
Roll evenly: Keep the dough at about ¼ inch so every piece bakes uniformly.
Freeze before baking: Freeze the cut pieces 10–15 minutes to help them keep perfect edges.
Let pieces cool: Fully cooled cookies are sturdier and won’t crack during assembly.
Royal icing glue: Pipe thick lines of royal icing for strong, secure walls and roofs.
Cool on a rack: Transfer baked pieces to a wire rack so they stay crisp.

How to make mini gingerbread house

Beat the softened butter and brown sugar for 2–3 minutes until creamy.

bowl with gingerbread cookie ingredients

Add the egg, vanilla, and molasses, and mix again.

bowl with ingredients and molasses
gingerbread cookie dough

Add the dry ingredients (flour, spices, baking soda, salt) and mix just until the dough comes together. Shape into a ball, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.

>> Download the mini gingerbread house template

Roll the dough to about 3 mm between two sheets of parchment. Freeze the sheet of dough for 10–15 minutes, then cut the gingerbread house pieces using your template.

unbaked gingerbread house pieces on a tray

Place the pieces on a lined baking sheet and bake at 347°F / 170°C for 8–10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

assembled mini gingerbread house on a table

Pipe royal icing along the edges and assemble the walls. Add more icing to secure, then attach the roof pieces.

Let the houses dry for about 20 minutes before decorating with more royal icing and sprinkles.

Allow fully decorated houses to dry for about 1 hour at room temperature before serving.

decorated mini gingerbread house on a table

Serving Suggestions

Place the mini gingerbread houses on the rim of hot chocolate mugs for a festive touch.
Use them as edible decorations on cakes, gingerbread layer cakes, or Yule logs.
Serve them on a Christmas cookie platter with classic gingerbread cookies and sugar cookies.
Pack them in small gift bags for homemade holiday treats.

Recipe Varations

Classic gingerbread cookies: Use the same dough to make regular gingerbread men or stars.
Chocolate houses: Replace part of the flour with cocoa powder for a darker, richer flavor.
Spiced citrus: Add orange zest or lemon zest to the dough.
Candy-decorated: Add mini candies, sprinkles, or crushed peppermints on the icing.
Snowy houses: Dip rooftops in melted white chocolate before decorating.

Recipe Questions

Can I make the dough ahead?

Yes, chill the dough up to 48 hours or freeze it for 1 month.

The dough was too warm. Chill or freeze the shapes before baking.

How do I keep the houses from collapsing?

Use thick royal icing and let each step dry before adding the roof.

How long do they keep?

About 1 week in an airtight container at room temperature.

More Gingerbread Recipes

I hope you’ll love this recipe! Rate it ★★★★★ and leave a quick comment — it always helps. Happy baking!