better homes and gardens gingerbread house template

Gingerbread House City

This snowy gingerbread city makes a stunning holiday centerpiece. We're sharing one of our favorite gingerbread house ideas including a free printable template. It's an easy Christmas decoration the kids can help make.

Instead of a traditional gingerbread house, create this stunning gingerbread village Christmas centerpiece. Made with sheets of spiced dough and displayed in a large glass jar, this is one gingerbread house idea you won't forget.

Gingerbread Snow Globe City

Get the gingerbread house pattern and start baking! All you need to create the gingerbread village is baked cookies, sugar, a large glass jar, and decorative ribbon. Use it as a Christmas mantel decoration or centerpiece. It also makes a great holiday gift.

Download the Gingerbread House City Template

Scoring cookie dough

Step 1: Prep Your Dough

Trace the pattern onto prepared gingerbread cookie dough. Carefully score cookie dough with a sharp knife without slicing all the way through. Scoring the cookie dough makes it easier to separate the gingerbread cookies after baking.

Get The Gingerbread Cutouts Recipe

Wire rack brick work on house

Step 2: Add Texture

Use a wire rack to give your gingerbread house the look of brickwork. Try using different shaped racks to create a unique look for each house. Press firmly but do not cut through dough. Leave one house blank to add siding. Remove excess dough scraps.

Scoring siding in cookie dough

Step 3: Make Siding

Use a dough scraper as a straightedge to create siding on your gingerbread house. Be careful not to slice through gingerbread. Try making siding wide or narrow depending on the look you like.

Scoring windows in cookie dough

Step 4: Add Details

Use a plastic tool to score doors, windows, and other desired details. Get creaticve and include additions like shutters, window panes, and door knobs. The more detailed you make each house, the more the finished centerpeice will come to life. Try using multiple tools to vary the thickness of lines. Place gingerbread on a cookie sheet and bake according to recipe directions.

Sprinkling powdered sugar on cookies

Step 5: Add Snow

After baking, sprinkle powdered sugar over cooled cookies. Use your fingertips to gently rub in the sugar to create a snow-dusted look. The sugar will settle into your cut details, emphasizing them more. This helps add a dimensional look to your finished gingerbread house.

Gingerbread Snow Globe City

Step 6: Create the Gingerbread City

Arrange the cookies in a large glass jar filled with 2 to 3 inches of granulated sugar to serve as a foundation for the cookie houses. Place the houses in the jar in an overlapping pattern. Add smaller cookies for trees. Finish the look with a pretty ribbon bow.