Gingerbread is having a moment! But funny enough, growing up the flavor of ginger snaps and tradition of making gingerbread houses has always been a family favorite. There's there's something about the spicy yet warming with each bite!
With Christmas just a few short days away, I put together a little setup with gingerbread sweets and whimsical decor that you can easily replicate for any holiday brunch buffet or dessert table!
Greenery during the holidays is your best friend
Yup, you heard that right. During the holiday season, greenery woven into any decor will make it feel extra festive! I started with a wreath from our grocery store and then greenery from a local garden center all around the buffet. Use the greenery to frame an outline of your table, buffet or whatever you are using to display your decor and sweets. Plus, the wreath added some extra height as I leaned it against the wall!
Mix fresh and paper decor embellishments
Once your greenery is laid out, take assorted flowers (again, another grocery store purchase!) and cut each stem short to stick into the greenery. While not necessary, it adds a beautiful fresh touch to the display and gives you the opportunity to incorporate pops of color like red hues or sticking to a neutral color palate with white.
Against the back of the setup I also added these adorable gingerbread paper fans from Bonjour Fete that added another themed yet cozy element to the scape. For my final gingerbread element, I somehow managed to find the coveted and viral Pottery Barn gingerbread house in the fall - I wish I could share the link but they are completely sold out! There are similar ones at Home Goods or Michael's or even an kit from the craft store to make an 'edible' one!
Indulge in a gingerbread menu
Now for the tasty part, picking the ultimate gingerbread menu! I chose the classic homemade ginger snaps and mini gingerbread eggnog trifles. While the ginger snap recipe is a family secret, I found a few gingerbread cake recipes from Food & Wine and Food Network as inspiration. However, you can also use any of the following as gingerbread inspiration:
Gingerbread martinis (how cute would a bar be?!)
Gingerbread cake
Gingerbread cookies with royal icing
Gingerbread cupcakes
Gingerbread waffles (a breakfast spread would be adorable!)
My biggest piece of advice is always add extra spices, especially ginger, cloves, all spice and cinnamon to really enhance the flavors of whatever dessert or treat you are making!
Don't forget to add complementing serving-ware
As an extra detail, make sure to select serving-ware that complements your setup. With the warm brown tones of gingerbread, I added wooden boards to display the desserts as well as an antique wooden ink box and gold cake stand to add varying heights. In doing so, you really bring the space together for a gorgeous yet cohesive look!
