The Worst Gingerbread House Kit Of All Is Sweet But Far Too Messy

The holiday season is prime time for sweet treats. This includes cakes, pies, and cookies, particularly gingerbread cookies and gingerbread houses. If you have the time and inclination, you can craft a Christmas gingerbread house recipe from scratch. However, seeking out a reliable gingerbread house kit is considerably more convenient. Among a number of popular options, Sweet E's DIY Gingerbread Candy House Kit managed to secure last place in our ranking of gingerbread house kits for its overwhelmingly saccharine scent and far-too-messy assembly.

Per our assessment of different gingerbread house kits, Sweet E's version simply doesn't measure up. Although a sweet gingerbread house can be pleasing to prepare, this kit does not come together efficiently or effectively. This (otherwise delicious) edible holiday treat is lovely to look at from the picture on the box, but managing to replicate it with the ingredients provided is fairly challenging. 

According to our reviewer, the frosting did not get sticky enough to hold the soft gingerbread pieces together, and the cookies themselves were far too moist and crumbly. While freshly baked cookies are typically a dessert worthy of indulgence, for the purpose of creating a sturdy gingerbread house, you'll need firmer cookie pieces that provide more structural integrity. The brightly-colored candies certainly give this gingerbread house a unique aesthetic, but the difficulty in assembly outweighs its good looks.

The two most fun things about making your own holiday gingerbread house are the act of actually building it, and the delicious destruction for snacking on it later. Of course, it takes one to get to the other. Unfortunately, Sweet E's DIY Gingerbread Candy House Kit hardly allows enough time to build and admire your creation before succumbing to structural issues and creating far too much mess.

Although our reviewer considers this the worst gingerbread house kit, there are a number of positive reviews on the Sweet E's Bake Shop website that compliment how the kits "look so good" once assembled. Despite weak points in construction, many customers seemed particularly enthused by the "fresh" and "delish" cookies, and tasty royal icing. Among the many pro tips to make and decorate the best gingerbread house, the most important often include pointers for improving structure, which can't hurt following with this kit.

All in all, the fun of building a gingerbread house is not entirely in the pursuit of perfection. While Sweet E's DIY Gingerbread Candy House Kit falls short on its technical expectations, even a mess can be enjoyable. With a few creative additions to the kit, your gingerbread house might even survive long enough to take a few pictures before you break it down and eat it.