Since we’ll all be missing the annual Sheraton Gingerbread Village this year, why not create your own village (or decorate cookies) at home instead? It’s easy with to-go sugar cookie and gingerbread house kits, where local Seattle bakers have done all of the hard work, leaving you with the fun task of decorating. Read on to plan your frosting-filled, at-home adventure this winter.
Stroll the Gingerbread Candy Shoppe
KidsQuest's annual Gingerbread Workshop will be (you guessed it...) a bit different this year. Held at Bellevue Square on December 16-19, families will go on a candy journey through an old time, classic gingerbread candy shoppe. Along the way, kiddos get to pick out their favorite decorating sweets before grabbing a gingerbread house kit to decorate at home. Remember to reserve your gingerbread kit before heading over for this new twist on an old fave activity.
Cost: $50/non-members; $45/non-members; additional kits available for $45.
Bellevue Square
575 Bellevue Square
Bellevue, WA 98004
Event details
Holiday Overload at Seatown Sweets
In addition to their batch of classic Christmas cookie shapes (Santa, mittens, trees and stockings and the occasional ugly sweater), Seatown is one of the few bakeries that offers cookies appropriate for Hanukkah featuring stars, menorahs and dreidels too. Kits come one dozen “naked” vanilla sugar cookies, one tub of frostings, sprinkle packets and two colored frosting piping bags. There are three kits to choose from: Christmas Kit, Tacky Sweaters and Hanukkah.
Good to know: Please allow a minimum of two days for your order to be complete. Cookies can be picked up at the store or they can shipped to make it that much easier.
Cost: $25
12815 N.E. 124th St. Suite Q
Kirkland, WA 98034
425-605-9537
Online: seatownsweets.com
Shine Bright on The Sweet Side
The Sweet Side is offering a nice mix of cookies in the shapes of Christmas trees, candy canes, snowflakes and even lightbulbs, all highlighted by a nice mix of sprinkles. It's up to you to find the time to decorate your box of 18 cookies with the four colors of icing and sprinkles to boot. Time to plan your wintery weekend project!
Good to know: Please allow a minimum of two days for your order to be complete. Cookies can be picked up at the store anytime between noon and 6 p.m., or they can be shipped to you.
Cost: $40
254 N.E. St.
Seattle, WA 98105
Online: the-sweetside.square.site
Make Memories with Musang
Musang is more than a restaurant. It’s a community builder that offers a variety of classes throughout the year. This Christmas, they've got a couple classes to put on your radar: parol-making classes (which sound amazing) and Parent & Me cookie decorating classes offered a few times in December. Even if you can't make it to class (or they sell out) you can your kids can create a similar experience with their cookie kits at home (psst.. they also have parol making kits to go). Each kit has six cookies, three icing piping bags in red, green and white and sprinkles.
Good to know: Pick up your holiday cookie decorating kits on Sunday, December 13 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Or, book a spot at a Parent & Me Holiday Cookie Decorating class offered on the same day.
Cost: $25
2524 Beacon Ave. S.
Seattle, WA 98144
206-708-6871
Event details
Gluten Free? Not a Problem with Nuflours
Why should everyone else have all the fun? Nuflours offers a build-your-own gingerbread house that is gluten free, plant-based and vegan. It comes with everything your family needs to build a basic house including candy for curb appeal. Who needs gluten when you can piece together this basic gingerbread house (complete with instructions) and pose gingerbread people in this festive scene? Let's get building!
Cost: $25
518 15th Ave. E.
Seattle, WA 98112
206-395-4623
Online: nuflours.com
Become a Star with a Four Seasons Chef
You may not be a world class pastry chef, but you can learn to decorate like one because this kit comes with something extra special: admittance to a virtual decorating class with the Four Seasons Hotel Seattle Pastry Chef, Danielle Grogan. At the end of the class, the chef will pick a holiday cookie champion for best design. When you sign up for this decorating class via Zoom, families will get a bunch of undecorated cookies and plenty of decorating supplies in the kit. Parents can order an add-on mimosa kit for $20 to add extra festivity to the experience.
Good to know: The class meets on December 13 at 11 a.m. Kits must be picked up ahead of time on December 11 or 12. Kits cannot be mailed.
Price: $30
99 Union St.
Seattle, WA 98101
206-749-7000
Event details
Paint Your Cookies with KJ’s Bakery Cakery
Why frost when you can paint? KJ’s Bakery Cakery is offering “Paint Your Own” Cookie Kits where the design is actually printed on top of a frosted sugar cookie. All you need to do is color within the lines with edible paint. It couldn't get easier than ordering your kit that includes four frosted sugar cookies with a variety of Christmas pictures, a variety of edible paint and brushes. We're crushing hard on this simple decorating idea even toddlers can handle.
Cost: $15
204 Central Ave. N., #102
Kent, WA 98032
253-277-2516
Online: kjscakerybakery.com
Jenny’s Ugly Sweater Cookies
These edible sweater cookies can be classy or ugly, dressed up or down depending on your preference. The best part? They don’t itch like your actual ugly sweater. Each kit contains eight sweater-shaped sugar cookies, butter cream icing in three colors (red, green and white) unfilled piping bags and sprinkles. You provide the creativity behind the obnoxious designs.
Good to know: Cookies can be picked up at the shop or sent to your home. And rumor has it that Jenny just might be popping up at her Jenny Cookies pop-up store at Alderwood Mall this year through December 31.
Cost: $30
12400 20th St. N.E.
Lake Stevens, WA 98258
425-322-4847
Online: jennycookiesbakeshop.com
Build a Gingerbread House on the Farm
There are two major steps when creating a gingerbread house says Farm Kitchen Bakery. First, construct your house using royal icing and allow it to set for at least eight hours. Then, let your imagination go wild and decorate to your heart’s content. What could go wrong? Actually, this is one of those projects that even if it fails, it's still delicious. Order a kit and your fam will get hand-crafted house pieces, royal icing, pastry tubes and more than a pound of festive holiday candies.
Good to know: You can pick up your kit in person at the farm or they can ship one to you.
Cost: $32
24309 Port Gamble Rd. N.E.
Poulsbo, WA 98370
360-297-6615
Online: farmkitchenbakery.com
—Jeffrey Totey
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