I need to make about 30-40 graham cracker gingerbread houses for kids.
I tried using frosting last year to stick the walls and roof together, but the houses just fell apart.
Are there any good edible glue recipes out there??
The thing you want to go for is actually "Royal icing."
It's made with either raw egg whites or meringue powder (Wilton's Meringue Powder is available at most Michael's, iParty, or oter craft type store, or online) and the effect is that dries to a hard finish, like candy. This is what bakers use on those fancy cookies with swirly frosting designs. You could never do that with regular icing.
If you google "royal icing," you get many results, but here's one to get you started:
http://www.joyofbaking.com/RoyalIcing.html
Iceing would probably be the best thing, but because it will take time to set, you should put something under overhanging structures (like roof's) to support them whilst it drys,
also since the strength will be limmited, if you do make a roof, make something in the middle to take the weight.
put the iceing on thickly, you might be able to disguise it as snow.
Ok. Put a half cup or so of white granulated sugar in a pan, and heat it up until it melts. Then dip the edges into the melted sugar and stick them on quick before they dry.
It's like gingerbread house superglue. Mine have never fallen apart when I used that method, and you only have to wait 10-20 seconds or so before it's solidly stuck together. Just keep the kids away from the hot sugar until it cools down. Then if you want the look of frosting in the cracks, you can frost it after the sugar dries.
You need to use a powdered sugar type frosting. You can put it in a large ziplock bag and lightly heat it to keep it workable and soft, then it will dry nice and hard after it is in place on your house. Trim a tiny bit off the corner of the bag so that you can pipe it properly.
Beat all ingredients until very stiff. Use as glue for assembling house. Icing will harden as it sits, so add a few drops of water as needed or do as I suggested by putting it in a ziploc.