If decorating gingerbread houses is one of your family’s most beloved Christmas traditions, send up a silent thanks to the Brothers Grimm. They chronicled Hansel and Gretel’s fairy tale journey into the forest, where they found an edible house made of gingerbread and candy—that not so coincidentally was inhabited by a witch. This holiday craft, one of many passed down from German immigrants, has stuck.
And speaking of sticky…handling all that icing can be one messy affair around the dining table. (Ever found one of those gumdrop buttons stuck to the floor months later? Yeah, me neither.) For families who’d rather avoid the mess in your house and are willing to splurge on a special outing, we’ve gathered some go-to spots around DFW where your kids can decorate their own miniature gingerbread houses—plus, where to see elaborate, professionally built displays and even meet with costumed characters.
Looking for more family fun ideas this holiday? Search our calendar to find upcoming Christmas events near you.
Gaylord Texan’s Gingerbread Decorating Corner
When: November 14, 2025–January 4, 2026; several offerings daily
Why go? OK, the defining reason to visit the Gaylord each holiday is without a doubt its ICE! exhibit—this year starring Buddy the Elf—but for even more of a taste of their Christmas activities under the atrium, head toward Mission Plaza on the lower level. There you’ll meet the Gaylord’s own costumed gingerbread man named Nutmeg and decorate either cookies ($19.99 for six Buddy cookies or $29.99 for eight gingerbread cookies) or a gingerbread house ($39.99 family kit). Perhaps time this to be your last activity at the resort, so you’ll keep your arms free for snow tubing and ice sliding. Bundle packages available.
Grapevine, 817/778-1000; Book your tickets at christmasatgaylordtexan.com
Camp Gingerbread at NorthPark Center
Photo courtesy NorthPark Center
When: Saturdays December 6 & 13, 2025; 10am–4pm
Why go? No registration is required, just walk up to the shopping center’s level two near the cafés. It’s $15 to decorate one oversized gingerbread man cookie, or $12.50 each for two or more cookies. Don’t have time to stay? Take the kits home for the same price. These two build days benefit Dallas’ nonprofit Shared Housing Center, which provides affordable housing and services for those in need. We suggest going during the second offering (on December 13) so you can also see the newly assembled Gingertown Dallas.
Photo courtesy NorthPark Center
Starting at 5pm on December 9, teams of local architects (some of which also participated in the annual Parade of Playhouses) will come together to build an elaborate mini gingerbread village, one of the largest in North Texas, with around 45 individual structures. The frosted village will be on display on level one in Nordstrom Court through New Year’s Day, and all donations benefit the Dallas-based Children’s Craniofacial Association.
Learn more at northparkcenter.com/holiday.
Scottish Rite for Children’s Cookies & Castles
Photo courtesy Scottish Rite for Children
When: Family Day on Friday, December 13, 2025; sessions from 10am–noon and 1:30–3:30pm
Why go? To help raise funds for this hospital’s mission of providing pediatric orthopedic care, the Dallas Alumnae Chapter of Tri Delta hosts this 18th annual Family Day. They’ll have an enormous candy bar set up in the middle of the ground-floor atrium, where you’ll choose any number of candies and goodies from the display jars, then take them back to your table for decorating an already fully assembled gingerbread house. (They’ll have popcorn for snacking too but won’t be serving any other food for lunch, so be sure to eat a big breakfast beforehand.) It’s $85 to join the family day and each ticket includes admission for one guest, or $75 for a to-go kit. Self-parking and valet available.
Register online at cookiesandcastles.com.
Kids’ Night Out at Flour Power
When: Fridays, December 5 & 12, 2025; 5:30–8:30pm
Why go? If you prefer a drop-off activity (to free up some time to do some Christmas shopping, let’s say?), take a look at these cooking schools, which regularly host classes for children as young as 3. On December 12, from 5:30–8:30pm, the Frisco and Allen locations host their annual Gingerbread House Decorating nights. These particular Lil’ Chef / Tween Chef classes are open for 5- to 12-year-olds. For $70, they’ll make their own house, plus more hearty foods: “Elf Hat Calzones” and “Grinch Kabobs,” with hot chocolate, too, of course.
And on December 5, the Denton cooking school is hosting its own Christmas Cookie Crew workshop. For $49, they’ll first cook a main course of “Rudolph Red Nose Bites” and then not only decorate gingerbread and sugar cookies but also learn how to roll them out and bake them, which makes these classes stand apart from others we found.
Sign up online at flourpowerstudios.com to secure your kids’ spot.
Play Street Museum Fort Worth
Photo courtesy Play Street Museum
When: Friday, December 19, 2025; 6:30–8pm
Why go? This Town Square-themed playspace near Fort Worth’s River Hills neighborhood offers a Gingerbread House Decorating Party for your 1- to 8-year-olds. And, plot twist, these houses are specifically built for crafting, says owner Courtney Bennett. These papier-mâché houses stand up better while decorating and are less likely to break or crack under the weight of the kids’ enthusiastic application of all those Airheads candies (always a kid favorite there).
Each kid also gets a gingerbread sugar cookie to decorate during the party, and playtime with gingerbread toys and books in the play area. Book your spot online before they fill up. Admission is $30 per child and includes up to two adults for this Friday night party. We suggest heading that way early and grabbing dinner from one of the nearby kid-friendly restaurants like The Rim. With their kids’ menu and a patio, you’ll be set. If you’re a Play Street Museum devotee, come back for special pajama times and meet and greets with Santa this season.
Register for your spot at ftworth.playstreetmuseum.com.
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