Gingerbread Ghosts
A little holiday spirit, a whole lot of gingerbread magic...
Concept Story
A spirited cast, a classic holiday tradition, and a playful twist on edible storytelling...
When the CBS team saw the fashionable gingerbread characters I create each year for my niece and nephew, they were inspired to request a custom holiday collection featuring the quirky, lovable cast of Ghosts.
As a genuine fan of the show myself, I was thrilled to take on the project. The final deliverable was a reel highlighting key moments in the creation of each gingerbread character for CBS to feature on their social channels during the holidays.
Design Story
Bringing Ghosts to life in cookie form meant embracing the characters’ iconic outfits — and adapting them to the charming proportions of gingerbread people.
I designed and 3D-printed custom cookie cutters to ensure the shapes and proportions felt consistent with my signature style. Each costume was hand-built and hand-painted, with careful attention to texture, color, and detail.
From Thor’s furry collar to Sass’s fringe and leather, Flower’s intricately hand-painted patchwork skirt to Alberta’s strands of frosting pearls, every element was crafted to honor the spirit of the characters.
Royal icing and fondant were custom-color-matched for each design, layered and textured to bring depth, whimsy, and visual richness to this festive cast of edible mischief-makers.
Flavor Story
A classic holiday treat with a fashionable twist.
Each cookie began with a traditional gingerbread base — warmly spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and cloves to deliver a lively bite that matched the mischievous personalities of the Ghosts cast.
The decorations — made from a combination of marshmallow fondant and royal icing — were infused with vanilla bean, cinnamon, and ginger, adding delicate layers of flavor and sweetness to complement the bold, spiced cookies.
Reflections & Takeaways
This project was a festive blend of fandom, tradition, and craftsmanship.
Having the opportunity to combine my love for edible fashion with a show I genuinely enjoy made the process even sweeter. Translating the personalities and costumes of Ghosts into gingerbread form challenged me to think about storytelling at a miniature, playful scale — where every piped detail and color choice added life to the cast of characters.
It was a reminder that even classic holiday traditions can be reimagined into tiny, unforgettable storyworlds with a little imagination (and a lot of icing).
