4 Ways to Turn Gingerbread Cookies into a Woodland Wonderland Holiday Display

Sheena Chihak, RD
·2 min read

A classic gingerbread house is a sweet way to warm your winter home decor. An entire woodland wonderland, however, takes the edible art concept to new creative heights.

Start with our Classic Gingerbread Cutouts recipe for the tan cookie pieces, then turn to our Christmas Sugar Cookie Cutouts recipe for the red and green characters. Decorate with Royal Icing, assemble as one (or all) of the displays below and everyone will be asking, "Where did you buy such a cute gingerbread cookie scene?"

Tip: Follow these three steps to tint the sugar cookie dough for red cardinals and green trees:

  1. Choose your color. Paste food coloring works best for tinting. Use a toothpick to add a small amount to the dough.

  2. Knead color into dough. Gently blend the color into the dough using your hands or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.

  3. Adjust the color. Add more color and continue to knead until the desired shade is reached. Cookies will bake to a slightly lighter shade than the dough.

Related: 16 Gingerbread Recipes to Win the Cookie Exchange

Mantle

1. Decorate a Mantel

A light dusting of sugar "snow" coats a mantel adorned with gingerbread cookie cottages and animals, plus sugar cookie trees. Attach a small cookie scrap with icing to the back of each cutout to create a "kickstand" to prop it up.

Mason Jar

2. Create a Mason Jar Food Gift

A Mason jar filled with trees and a gingerbread reindeer is a sweet way to spread holiday cheer. Wrap the top of this easy food gift with battery-operated fairy lights to complete the magical scene.

Pedestal

3. Make a Holiday Centerpiece

A sweet gingerbread cottage nestles among a flock of woodland friends crafted from our best gingerbread cookie recipe. A glass dome shelters the scene on a wooden cake stand.

Terrararium

4. Create a Terrarium

Fill a large glass cookie jar with a couple inches of granulated sugar to set the scene for a whimsical forest. Add a few fresh rosemary "bushes" and wrap the lid with twine to play up the rustic woodland look.