How to Make a Gingerbread Trailer in 10 Easy Steps

Author:
Rebecca Mealey
Updated date:
Sep 16, 2022

Rebecca is a retired special education teacher. She earned a master's degree at Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, GA.

Here is a view of my completed gingerbread trailer.
rebeccamealey

A Gingerbread House on Wheels

Don’t you hate it when you see something really cute but no directions are given? Or when they are given, but they’re not very clear? I know I do.

That’s why I am going to go the extra mile to show you how to create a gingerbread house that your friends and family will get a kick out of in just 10 easy steps. I've included photos of my process to help you follow along.

Before getting started, gather all the supplies you will need for your gingerbread trailer.

Materials Needed

Here's a list of suggested materials for your gingerbread trailer. Before you begin, I recommend gathering everything you need and having it in front of you.

Base: quart-sized beverage carton (e.g., milk, juice, eggnog)
Roof and sides: graham crackers
Door: Milano cookie
Trailer hitch: giant-sized marshmallow and two candy canes
Wheels: chocolate-covered mini donuts
Windows: Keebler fudge round minis
Deck: two to three Kit Kat bars for floor and stairs, pretzel sticks for rails
Lights: mini M&Ms
Picnic table: regular-sized marshmallow, cocktail umbrella, and mini-marshmallows for chairs
Satellite dish: mini Keebler fudge stripe cookie, one pretzel stick
Other decorations: Life Savers, powdered sugar for snow, toy cars, and sugar cubes for cinder blocks

The royal icing is the cement that will allow your graham cracker walls to stick to your carton base.

Step 1: Make Royal Icing

You must make royal icing. You can use regular icing for decorating, but royal icing is the cement that will hold your trailer together. Here is the royal icing recipe I use. It calls for cream of tartar, not meringue powder. It is easy to make and works well. Cream of tartar is also easier to find than meringue powder.

Ingredients

3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
2 egg whites, beaten

Directions

Sift the sugar and cream of tartar together.
Add eggs.
Beat with electric mixer for about 5 minutes until it peaks and holds its shape.

Add half graham crackers to the top and sides of the iced carton.

Step 2: Ice the Carton

Spread royal icing on the top and sides of the carton.

Use smaller graham cracker pieces to fill in any gaps.

Step 3: Add Graham Cracker Halves

Break the graham crackers into halves and stick them on the top and sides of the iced carton.

Step 4: Fill in Gaps

Use graham cracker quarters to fill in any gaps.

Scroll to Continue

Step 5: Make a Foundation

Make a foundation of Starlight mints. A marshmallow can be used at each corner. Use royal icing to glue the trailer to its peppermint foundation.

M&Ms make for wonderful Christmas lights.

Step 6: Add the Lights.

Pipe on icing and add mini M&Ms for the lights.

The deck and steps add detail and authenticity to the project.

Step 7: Add a Deck and Steps

Make the deck and steps with Kit Kat bars. Use royal icing to glue the pretzel stick railings together. Let them dry separately. Glue on a Milano cookie door. Add a yellow M&M doorknob. You don’t have to worry about neatness when making the deck rails. Just cover them with a layer of "snow" decorator icing.

Get creative! Use what you have on hand to give your gingerbread trailer character.

Step 8: Embellish with Details

Finish decorating with lifesavers candies, fudge rounds cookies for windows, and a mini fudge stripe satellite dish attached to a pretzel stick.

Candy canes work well as a mock trailer hitch.

Step 8: Add a Trailer Hitch

Form a trailer hitch from two candy canes and attach it to the gingerbread trailer with royal icing. Prop it up on a large marshmallow.

If you can, take the wheels off your toy cars and prop them up on sugar cube cinder blocks.

Step 10: Decorate the Yard

Add the yard decorations. Consider adding toy cars, old tires (chocolate mini donuts), maybe a car with no tires on sugar cube cinder blocks, and a marshmallow table with a cocktail umbrella stuck in it surrounded by mini marshmallow chairs. Use the powdered sugar left over from the icing to add a sprinkling of snow.

Comments

Rebecca Mealey (author) from Northeastern Georgia, USA on December 18, 2019:

Thanks, Peggy. Happy holidays!

Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on December 17, 2019:

What a cute idea! While I will not be making any type of gingerbread house, your complete and detailed instructions may inspire others to do so. I never knew what went into making royal icing.

Rebecca Mealey (author) from Northeastern Georgia, USA on December 15, 2019:

Thanks, Nikki! It was lots of fun!

Nikki Khan from London on December 15, 2019:

Quite a nice festive season idea Rebecca. My son would fall in love with for sure.

Merry Christmas my dear!

Rebecca Mealey (author) from Northeastern Georgia, USA on December 11, 2019:

Thanks, RJ, yes, I wanted to focus on clear steps. Thanks! The graham crackers make it a snap!

Ruby Jean Richert from Southern Illinois on December 11, 2019:

This is such a cute idea, Your step by step directions is great. Now, will I make it? Probably not, but if I had a small child, Yes. Thank you.

Rebecca Mealey (author) from Northeastern Georgia, USA on December 11, 2019:

Thanks, FlourishAnyway. It was lots of fun!

FlourishAnyway from USA on December 11, 2019: