The Best Holiday Cookie and Gingerbread House Decorating Classes for Kids in LA (2026)
Gingerbread house and holiday cookie decorating classes for kids in LA are some of the sweetest ways to kick off the season, and the best ones fill up weeks before December. From a Santa Monica cookie studio with Grinch and elf-themed classes to a pancake-breakfast gingerbread morning in Manhattan Beach and family cookie classes at Sur La Table, there's an icing bag waiting for every little decorator.
National Bake Cookies Day lands on Friday, December 18, but the smartest move is to book now. Below, we round up kid-friendly gingerbread and cookie workshops across Los Angeles and Orange County, which 2026 dates are already set, which ones usually pop up in December, and how to host your own decorating party at home.
Key Takeaways
Book early: Small classes often cap at 8 to 16 guests and sell out by early December.
Confirmed 2026 dates: The Cookie Studio LA (Nov. 15, Dec. 5, 6, 12 and 13) and Manhattan Beach's Family Gingerbread House Decorating Workshop (Sat., Dec. 5).
Best for little kids: Manhattan Beach's workshop welcomes ages 2 and up with a parent.
Best for ages 7+: Sur La Table's Family Fun: Holiday Cookie Decorating class (ages 7 and up with a paying adult).
Free options: Library branches and city programs often host free or low-cost gingerbread events in December; 2026 dates are TBA.
Bake Cookies Day: Friday, December 18, 2026.
Gingerbread and Cookie Classes in Los Angeles and the Westside
These are the closest options for city and Westside families. Class sizes are small, so check availability as soon as you know your December weekends.
Branches across the City of Los Angeles
2026 dates: TBA (past programs ran in mid-December)
Parking: Varies by branch; check the branch page
Several LAPL branches host free holiday crafting, and gingerbread house decorating has been a December favorite. Last season, the Robert Louis Stevenson Branch in Boyle Heights hosted a gingerbread decorating afternoon for kids 12 and under with all supplies provided. Watch the LAPL events calendar in late November for 2026 programs near you.
Parent Tip: Library events are often first come, first served and supplies run out, so arrive 10 to 15 minutes early and call the branch to ask whether registration is needed.
436 Entrada Drive
Santa Monica, CA 90402
2026 holiday classes: Christmas Traditions (Sun., Nov. 15 and Sun., Dec. 6); Hanukkah Traditions (Sat., Dec. 5); Smiling Is My Favorite!, an elf-inspired class (Sat., Dec. 12); Whoville Holiday (Sun., Dec. 13); all 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Parking: Check the website for parking details
This Santa Monica studio specializes in royal icing cookie decorating, and its holiday lineup is one of the most creative in town. Classes are three hours and beginner friendly, with themed sets that range from classic Christmas to Hanukkah to Grinch-worthy Whoville designs. Some classes note that they're best for ages 10 and up, so check each class page for age guidance and pricing. The studio also holds a Holiday Cookie Sale on December 19 and 20 if you'd rather pick up a finished box.
Parent Tip: Several 2026 holiday classes were down to just a few spots in October. Tweens and teens love this one, and it makes a fun parent-and-kid date.
1819 Ocean Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90401
2026 dates: TBA (last season ran on two December Saturdays at 4 p.m.)
Parking: Check the hotel for parking details
Last holiday season, this oceanfront hotel turned its Merryvale Room into a cookie decorating party, with a decorating kit for up to two kids per ticket, a hot chocolate station, light bites and a seasonal cocktail for parents, plus a photo spot by the Christmas tree. Tickets were very limited. Keep an eye on the hotel's events calendar for the 2026 version.
Parent Tip: Pair it with a sunset stroll along Ocean Avenue and a peek at the holiday decorations on the Third Street Promenade a few blocks away.
Manhattan Heights Park, 1600 Manhattan Beach Boulevard
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Saturday, December 5, 2026: 9 to 11 a.m.
Parking: Check the city's website for parking details
The City of Manhattan Beach's 8th annual Family Gingerbread House Decorating Workshop is a sweet South Bay tradition. Each registration includes one gingerbread house, frosting, candy decorations and a pancake breakfast for up to four participants. Pricing is $60 for residents and $65 for nonresidents, with additional participants $10 (residents) or $11 (nonresidents). It's open to ages 2 and up, and pre-registration is required through the Parks and Recreation Department at (310) 802-5448.
Parent Tip: Can't make it in the morning? The city lets registered families pick up a take-home house that morning between 9 and 11 a.m. Stay in the area that afternoon for the city's 40th annual Holiday Crafts with Santa, also at Manhattan Heights.
Gingerbread and Cookie Classes in Glendale, the Valley and the San Gabriel Valley
Head north and east for big-box cooking classes, community traditions and library programs.
138 Caruso Avenue
Glendale, CA 91210
2026 dates: Check the store's class calendar (holiday classes typically run November through December)
Parking: Americana at Brand parking structure; check the center's website for rates
Sur La Table's two-hour Family Fun: Holiday Cookie Decorating class teaches kids and parents how to work with royal icing on gingerbread and sugar cookies, including mixing colors, flooding and piping. Most cookies are pre-baked, you go home with the recipe, and classes cap at 16 guests. Kids must be 7 or older, and anyone 17 and under needs a paying adult with them. Prices run $69 to $89 per guest.
Parent Tip: Make a day of it at The Americana at Brand, which goes all out for the holidays with its giant tree and festive decor.
6316 Topanga Canyon Blvd, Suite 1150
Woodland Hills, CA 91367
2026 dates: Check the store's class calendar
Parking: Check the website for parking details
Valley families can find the same hands-on Sur La Table cookie classes at the Topanga Village store in Woodland Hills. Expect the same format: pre-baked cookies, royal icing technique, a take-home recipe and a 10% shopping discount on class day. Holiday weekend sessions are the first to go.
Parent Tip: Weeknight sessions during winter break are often easier to book than weekends and make a fun treat on a school-free afternoon.
Memorial Park Pavilion, 222 W Sierra Madre Blvd
Sierra Madre, CA 91024
2026 date: TBA (last season was a Friday afternoon in mid-December)
Parking: Street parking around Memorial Park
This small-town tradition invites families to build their own gingerbread house in the park pavilion. Last season it was open to all ages, materials were provided while supplies lasted, and no registration was required. Check the City of Sierra Madre's community events page in late November for the 2026 date.
Parent Tip: Supplies are first come, first served, so get there right when it starts and bring a sturdy box or tray to carry your masterpiece home.
Library branches across LA County
2026 dates: TBA (past programs ran in mid-December)
Parking: Varies by branch; check the branch page
LA County Library branches frequently host gingerbread house decorating and gingerbread challenges for kids and families in December. Last season, the South Whittier Library held a gingerbread house program for kids and their caregivers that required advance registration. Search the library's events calendar for "gingerbread" starting in late November.
Parent Tip: Registration for library gingerbread programs can close days in advance, so set a reminder for the first week of December.
Gingerbread Workshops and Displays in Orange County
Orange County brings the big-ticket gingerbread magic, from resort displays to city workshops.
3333 Bear Street, Space 241
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
2026 dates: Check the store's class calendar
Parking: South Coast Plaza parking lots and structures; check the center's website
OC families can book the same two-hour Family Fun cookie class at the South Coast Plaza store. Kids 7 and up decorate gingerbread and sugar cookies with royal icing alongside a paying adult, and everyone leaves with a box of cookies and the recipe.
Parent Tip: South Coast Plaza's holiday decor and Santa photos are a short walk away, so plan a little extra time before or after class.
Great Park Live, 8000 Great Park Blvd
Irvine, CA 92618
2026 date: TBA (last season was a weekday afternoon in mid-December)
Parking: Check the Great Park website for parking details
The City of Irvine's Great Park workshop gives each registration a pre-assembled gingerbread house base, decorating materials, refreshments and packaging to take it home. Last season it was open to all ages, required registration through the city's recreation site and filled quickly. Watch for the 2026 listing in the city's holiday programs.
Parent Tip: Stay after for a ride on the Great Park Carousel or the famous orange balloon (weather permitting) for a full holiday afternoon.
1600 S Disneyland Drive
Anaheim, CA 92802
2026 details: TBA
Parking: Check the Disneyland Resort website for hotel parking
The Grand Californian's towering gingerbread house display is one of the most photographed holiday sights at the Disneyland Resort, and in past seasons the hotel has also hosted mini gingerbread house decorating workshops for resort hotel guests, booked through Guest Services. Disney hasn't announced 2026 details yet, so check with the hotel before you go.
Parent Tip: During the busiest holiday weeks, lobby access can be limited to registered hotel guests, so visit on a weekday morning if you're coming just to see the display.
30801 S Coast Highway
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
2026 dates: Gingerbread display Nov. 23, 2026 to Jan. 3, 2027; decorating classes in December (dates TBA)
Parking: Check the resort for parking details
Montage Laguna Beach is building a life-size gingerbread display this year, a sweet re-creation of the resort and its ocean view, on view from November 23 to January 3 with complimentary hot chocolate, cider and cookies. The resort's family holiday programming also includes gingerbread house decorating in December. Reservations and pricing go through the resort.
Parent Tip: Time your visit for late afternoon so you can see the display and then catch the sunset over the cove.
How to Host a Gingerbread Decorating Party at Home
No class on the calendar? A kitchen-table gingerbread party can be just as magical, and you control the guest list, the candy and the clean-up.
Start with a pre-built house or a kit for younger kids, since assembling walls and roofs is the hardest part. Let the "glue" icing set for at least an hour before the candy goes on, and give each child their own plate or cardboard base so houses don't slide. Small bowls of gumdrops, mini marshmallows, peppermints, pretzels and cereal make great decorations, and a few piping bags or zip-top bags with the corner snipped off are all you need for icing.
For cookie decorating, bake sugar or gingerbread cutout cookies the day before so they're completely cool. Little ones can spread icing with a butter knife and go wild with sprinkles, while older kids can try outlining and "flooding" with royal icing.
Parent Tip: Cover the table with parchment paper or a disposable tablecloth and set out wet wipes before you start. Snap a photo of every creation for the family holiday card.
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Takeaway
Gingerbread and cookie decorating classes are one of the easiest ways to make December feel magical for kids, but the best ones in LA book up fast. Grab a spot now at The Cookie Studio LA or the Manhattan Beach workshop, keep an eye on Sur La Table's calendar, and watch library and city sites for free gingerbread events as December gets closer.
And if the calendar fills up, a kitchen-table decorating party with a few kits, lots of candy and plenty of icing is still guaranteed to be the sweetest night of the season.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can kids decorate gingerbread houses in Los Angeles?
Kids can decorate gingerbread houses at city and library programs, such as the Family Gingerbread House Decorating Workshop in Manhattan Beach on December 5, 2026, LA Public Library and LA County Library branch events, and the Sierra Madre Gingerbread Jamboree. Resorts like Montage Laguna Beach also offer December decorating.
How much do gingerbread decorating classes cost in LA?
Prices vary widely. Free library programs cost nothing, Manhattan Beach's family workshop is $60 to $65 for up to four people, and Sur La Table's Family Fun cookie class runs $69 to $89 per guest. Hotel and resort experiences are usually priced higher, so check each website for current rates.
What age can kids start cookie decorating classes?
Many family gingerbread workshops welcome toddlers with a parent; Manhattan Beach's workshop is open to ages 2 and up. Sur La Table's Family Fun class requires kids to be at least 7 with a paying adult, and some studio classes, like those at The Cookie Studio LA, suggest ages 10 and up.
When should I book holiday cookie decorating classes?
Book as soon as schedules are posted, ideally in October or early November. Small classes often cap at 8 to 16 guests, and December weekend sessions sell out first. Free library and city programs are usually announced in late November and may require registration.
When is National Bake Cookies Day 2026?
National Bake Cookies Day is Friday, December 18, 2026. It's a perfect excuse to book a decorating class with the kids or host a cookie baking party at home during the start of winter break, then share your sweet creations with neighbors, teachers or friends.
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