Graham Cracker House

The last several years, we have made Christmas cookies on Thanksgiving week with some friends from Ed's job. This year we decided to try making gingerbread houses using graham crackers! The children loved it! And I'm sure that we'll be doing it again! But I was very glad that I wasn't the only adult! Four adults to five young children was just about right!

If you'd like to try it...here is what you need...

graham crackers - you need 7 crackers per house but plan for extras for breakage!
royal icing (recipe below)
cereal, pretzels, sprinkles, and candy for decorations

Royal Icing

1/4 cup butter
2 egg whites 
1 tsp vanilla 
1/4 cream tartar 
1-2 tsp milk 
4 cup 10x sugar 
Beat well. Add more sugar if needed. We placed the icing in a small bag and snipped off a corner to pipe onto the house.  

First we cut points on two crackers for the ends of the house, to hold the roof.
Then, using icing as glue, we attached the floor, sides and ends of the house, making a box. We allowed this to harden slightly before attaching the roof. Setting the house outside in the cold seemed to speed the process.
While we waited,  we spread icing on two crackers for the roof and the children attached Cinnamonn Toast Crunch for shingles.
Then we attached the roof pieces to the house and again let it harden.
Then the real fun begins! Decorate the house however creativity and imagination dictates!