Egg Free, Dairy Free, Nut Free Gingerbread Houses

With it now turning the time of year to create gingerbread houses, I thought I would share our simple, fun and safe version. The pictures are of the wonderful houses the girls' made last year.

Gingerbread Houses

To make the houses easier and faster to get to the fun of decorating, we used graham crackers. I used hot glue to attach the crackers together because I knew we wouldn't be eating them and I wanted them very sturdy. Then I made a thick paste of confectioner's sugar and soy milk. The girls spread on some of the paste then put on the safe candy. We used licorice to cover the slight opening made where the graham crackers didn't quite come together. The girls spread some more of the paste on the bottom of the paste and sprinkled on flaked coconut to make the snow. They attached a homemade decorated cut-out sugar cookie tree in the yard. For a finishing touch, the girls made snowmen using the paste to stick together the marshmallow body. They used Dots candy for the hat, a folded fruit roll-up scarf and potato stick arms.
*  One note, this paste will stiffen and hold the candies, but we had the most success with the lighter candies. The heavier candies wanted to slide. As long as the girls were patient, they worked and turned out beautifully.