Make a charming Air Fryer Gingerbread House this holiday season. These spiced cookies are simple to prepare and ideal for festive decorating with family or friends.
If you have extra dough, try making gingerbread men for a fun variation.
Gingerbread House Ingredients
Below are the ingredients you’ll need for this easy gingerbread house. Exact amounts and details are in the recipe card further down.
- Brown sugar
- Corn syrup (or molasses if you prefer a less sweet, darker flavor)
- Spices: cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves
- Baking soda
- All-purpose flour
- Salted butter
- Water
Free Gingerbread House Template
This recipe yields a small gingerbread house — a great size if it’s your first time building one. A printable template is available to trace pieces; if you don’t print it, use these dimensions:
Main Walls: 5” wide, 3.75” tall, angled roof 3.5”
Side Walls: 5” wide, 3.75” tall
Roof: 5” wide, 3.5” tall
How to Make a Gingerbread House in an Air Fryer
This method uses an air fryer for quick, evenly baked cookie pieces.
- Make the dough. In a large bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, cinnamon, ground ginger, cloves, and baking soda until smooth. Gradually add the flour and water until the dough thickens. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
- Cut the pieces. Remove chilled dough and roll to about 1/4 inch thick. Use your template or a knife to cut the house pieces: main walls, sides, and roof panels.
- Bake in the air fryer. Place shapes on a small parchment square that fits inside the basket. Keep pieces separated and fold the parchment under the edges so it doesn’t lift. Cook at 370°F (188°C) for 5–7 minutes, depending on thickness and size.
- Assemble and decorate. Let pieces cool completely, then use frosting as “glue” to assemble the house and attach candies.
Can I Make a Gingerbread House in an Oven Instead?
Yes. Follow the same dough instructions. Arrange shapes on a lightly greased baking sheet, freeze for 10 minutes to help them hold shape, then bake at 375°F (190°C) for 13–15 minutes. Cool completely before assembling or frosting.
The pictured air fryer has a compact design and easy controls, which help when baking small cookie shapes.
Tips for Making Gingerbread
- Molasses yields a darker, less sweet cookie; corn syrup makes a lighter, sweeter dough.
- Use dark corn syrup or molasses for a deeper color if desired.
- Cut windows and doors before baking if you prefer holes; otherwise, pipe details with icing after baking.
- Store finished cookie pieces in a sealed bag; they stay fresh for 2–3 weeks.
How to Decorate a Gingerbread House
Use royal icing or thick frosting as adhesive for candies. Let creativity guide you — a wide variety of candies and snacks work well:
- Cereal pieces for shingles
- Peppermints and candy canes
- Nuts and chocolate chips
- Licorice, gumdrops, mini marshmallows
Air Fryer Gingerbread House
Equipment
- Ninja Air Fryer (or any similar air fryer that fits your shapes)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup corn syrup or molasses
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 stick salted butter, room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons water
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until creamy. Add corn syrup, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and baking soda; mix until smooth.
- Slowly add the flour and water until the dough comes together and is thicker but still pliable.
- Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for 30 minutes to firm up.
- Remove dough from wrap and roll to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut gingerbread house pieces using your template or a knife.
- Place shapes on a small parchment square that fits inside the air fryer basket. Fold parchment under the edges so it stays flat. Make sure pieces do not overlap.
- Air fry at 370°F (188°C) for 5–7 minutes, adjusting for thickness and size. Allow pieces to cool completely.
- Assemble with thick frosting or royal icing, decorate with candies, and enjoy.
Nutrition
Per recipe (approximate): Calories 2421 kcal; Carbohydrates 376 g; Protein 28 g; Fat 95 g; Saturated Fat 59 g; Sugar 173 g; Sodium 1919 mg.
Nutrition info is an estimate and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.
Tried this recipe?
Share your creation on social media and tag the original creator if you wish.
The recipe and photos are the property of their original author and are provided here as a guided recipe.