Use graham crackers as backing to make the walls more sturdy, if desired.
Ensure you have royal icing to hold together your house. To make your own, beat 1 egg white with an electric mixer on high speed until foamy. Gradually add 2 cups confectioners’ sugar and ½ tsp. water and beat on high until stiff peaks form. Multiple batches may be needed.
Build each part of the Haus separately on a flat work surface or sheet pans lined with parchment paper, let dry completely, then assemble and decorate.
Piping bags with a round tip (large size for thick line of icing)
Optional: leaf tip for icicles
Serrated knife (to cut pretzel rods)
Sheet pans or large flat work surface lined with parchment paper
Directions
Fit the round top to the piping bag and fill the bag with royal icing.
For 2 side walls, use 18 pretzel rods. For each side wall, arrange 9 pretzels rods side-by-side on the work surface.
Glue the rods together with thick lines of icing (build along the flat surface, not up). Let dry completely.
For 2 gabled walls, use 30 pretzel rods. For each gabled wall, arrange 15 pretzel rods side-by-side on the work surface. Leave the 9 pretzel rods closest to you uncut.
Cut each of the remaining 6 pretzel rods shorter than the one before, so that they form a triangle, with the smallest piece at the top and the largest at the base. Tip: before gluing, cut the pretzel rods for the 2nd gabled wall to match so that both walls are the same size.
Pipe a thick layer of icing on top of the center beam and the top of the cabin walls. Add sticks at a slope on both sides, creating a roof.
For 2 roof pieces, use 8 graham crackers (and pretzel minis for the shingles). For each roof piece, arrange 4 graham crackers side-by-side on the work surface. Glue the long sides together using a thick line of icing.
For the shingles, use icing to glue pretzel minis to the roof piece in rows, starting at the bottom edge, making each layer overlap the one before to resemble shingles. Let dry completely.
Allow everything to completely dry.
Decorate with candy and gingerbread people. Admire and enjoy!
