Edible Architecture: Highlights From the 2025 National Gingerbread House Competition
Following a hiatus due to Hurricane Helene, the National Gingerbread House Competition made its sweet return to Asheville at the Omni Grove Park Inn.
Once upon a time, two siblings, abandoned in the German wilderness, stumbled on a peculiar sight: a cottage crafted entirely from cake and sugar. While the classic folktale of Hansel and Gretel veers into dark territory, it also laid the foundation for a sweet holiday tradition that continues to enchant artists, engineers, and interior designers to this day—the art of gingerbread house making.
Each year, this tradition takes center stage at Asheville’s Omni Grove Park Inn & Spa with the highly anticipated National Gingerbread House Competition. After last year’s event was sidelined by Hurricane Helene, the 2025 competition marks a triumphant return to this beloved holiday tradition, underscoring the strong sense of community that has emerged around it. Since its inception in 1992 as a modest local contest, the event has evolved into a prestigious national showcase, attracting both accomplished pastry artists and eager amateur bakers.
This year, the competition featured 235 entries from 25 states, each required to be at least 75 percent gingerbread and fully edible. A panel of judges evaluated the creations based on several criteria, including overall appearance, originality, creativity, difficulty, precision, and thematic consistency. Notably, the competition introduced two new awards: the Community Spirit Award, which honors the entry that best reflects community or cultural heritage, and the Rising Star Award, recognizing exceptional first-time participants.
Scroll through to see the winners of the 2025 National Gingerbread House Competition.
Grand Prize Winner
Mary Hulsman, an accountant from Concord, NC, claimed the Grand Prize with her delightfully askew design "The Tiny Gnome Builders."
Adult Second Place
Heather Nadeau from Cary, NC, secured Second Place in the Adult category with "The Birch Mouse Burrow," an inventive entry crafted from ingredients like ramen noodles and dark chocolate, per Guns and Garden.
Adult Third Place
Michael Villella from New York, NY, captured Third Place in the Adult category with his exquisite entry, “Wassail Break.”
Teen First Place
Courtland High School from Spotsylvania, VA, won First Place in the Teen category with "Mosaic Stairway of Ginger." They also received the award for the best use of color in the Chef Nicholas Lodge Awards for their striking combination of gold and blue.
Youth First Place
Bailey Nadeau, daughter of second-place Adult winner Heather Nadeau, took First Place in the youth category for "Muddlefoot’s Mushroom Madness."
Child First Place
Finley Doyle from Midlothian, VA, won First Place in the Child category (ages 5-8) with her clever entry, "Grammy’s Kitchen," where Grammy and her young protégé build—what else?—a sweet-looking gingerbread house.
Community Spirit Award
The new Community Spirit Award was presented to the Cotton Headed Ninny Muggins from Unionville, NC, for their colorful gingerbread creation, "The Rainbow Bridge."
Longest Standing Competitor + People’s Choice
Merry Spafford from Loudon, TN, was recognized as the Longest Standing Competitor for her impressive 22 years in the competition. She also won the People’s Choice Award for her entry "Chrismice on Santa Watch."
Judging
Celebrity cake artist Yolanda Gampp returned to judge the competition this year alongside John Cook, executive pastry chef at The Omni Grove Park Inn; Steven Stellingwerf, pastry chef, author, and teacher; Jae Park, pastry sous chef at The Omni Grove Park Inn; and Ashleigh Shanti, chef/owner of Asheville restaurant Good Hot Fish and 2020 James Beard finalist.
All photos published with permission of the Omni Grove Park Inn & Spa; featured image: Michael Villella, New York, NY, “Wassail Break.”