These Are the 8 Best Candies for Gingerbread House Decorations

I know that cookies get a lot of the holiday spotlight, but I think that this is really peak candy season. There are all sorts of peppermint chocolates on store shelves, and it’s a good time to cozy up in the kitchen and learn how to make homemade candy. Plus, you can use all sorts of gummies, marshmallows and mints to craft elaborately decorated gingerbread houses.

There are some classic candies that you might think of as particularly good for outfitting a gingerbread structure. Gum drops, licorice and peppermint sticks are all great contenders. But if you really want to get creative with your decor, then you need to think outside the box or the bag. Luckily, I’ve put together the ultimate list for inspiration. You can thank me after you win the gingerbread house decorating contest!

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Pull-n-Peel Twizzlers

Of course, licorice is one of the most iconic Christmas candies and one of the best for decorating gingerbread houses. But sometimes traditional licorice is a little too thick to maneuver, and that’s where the Pull-n-Peel Twizzlers come in handy. You can get really detailed with outlining windows or doors, or you can braid three strands and make a fun wreath. This is by far the most versatile candy in your arsenal. Use leftovers to create these adorable Christmas light cake pops!

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Jolly Ranchers

What sets apart a good gingerbread house from a great one? The windows. Sure, you could just leave them open and decorate around them, but where’s the fun in that? You could make your own sugar glass, but that is time consuming and finicky. The real shortcut to bringing your A-game is by using Jolly Ranchers. Lay your baked gingerbread cookies onto a sheet pan and place a Jolly Rancher in each window. You can melt them to give the illusion of beautiful stained-glass windows.

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Sno-Caps

Besides being my favorite movie theater candy snack, Sno-Caps make excellent gingerbread house decorations. This is especially if you like a more natural “wintry” style of decorating as opposed to a brightly-colored candy vibe. These chocolate morsels literally look like they’ve been topped with snow, making them excellent roof tiles. Just try not to eat them all before they hit the roof.

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Nerds Gummy Clusters

Is there anything that these can’t do? It’s kind of like if a gumdrop got a glow-up. Nerds Gummy Clusters are one of the best candy inventions of the last decade, and I think they should be honored with a spot on your house. The easiest way to use them is to cut them in half, then you can affix the flat, gummy side to the icing. It’s the kind of colorful chaos that every gingerbread house deserves.

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Fruit Snacks

Look, I don’t care if this technically isn’t a candy. It is the best way to make a themed gingerbread house because fruit snacks come in so many different shapes and colors. Plus, they tend to be pretty sticky and malleable, which is great for getting them to stick wherever you want them to on your house. If you’re making gingerbread houses with kids, then getting some Bluey, Minecraft or Barbie fruit snacks is a way to win them over.

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Andes Mints

For a beautiful quiet luxury gingerbread house, look no further than the elegance of Andes Mints. Besides adding an absolutely irresistible fragrance to your house, they make for incredible roof tiles or paneling. They can also be used as a walking path or as shutters. The possibilities are endless, and I would go so far as to say that you could use Andes Mints exclusively to build the chicest house on the (ginger) block.

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Bubble Gum Tape

If you really want your gingerbread house to be “popular,” then you should grab a few rolls of Bubble Gum Tape. It’s perfectly pink, and very on-theme if you want to make a Wicked-inspired house for Glinda. But similar to the Pull-N-Peel Twizzlers, this is incredibly versatile and very malleable. You can use a box cutter (carefully!) to cut it into as many different sizes and shapes as you want. Long, thin ribbons can become wallpaper pieces, or you can cut them into curtain shapes to adorn windows.

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Cream Cheese Candy

This one’s for the overachievers and control freaks like me. Instead of relying on store-bought candy, why not make your own bespoke decorations? Cream cheese candy is exactly the kind of old-fashioned candy that feels as nostalgic as the holiday season. Because you can make them any color, flavor and shape that you want, you can make a beautiful, one-of-a-kind gingerbread house.