☕🍪 Handmade Gingerbread Cocoa Card: A Cup Full of Christmas Cheer
- This Chick Loves Paper
- Sep 28
- 6 min read
Updated: Nov 22
What’s more magical on a cold winter’s night than curling up with a mug of hot cocoa and a plate of cookies? 🍪☕ Add extra whipped cream (shimmery, of course) and a candy cane for good measure, and you’ve basically got Christmas in a cup.
That’s the vibe I bottled up in this Handmade Gingerbread Cocoa Card, brimming with holiday detail. From peppermint swirls to a whipped cream topping that literally sparkles, this handmade card is Christmas cheer layered in cardstock. And just when I thought it couldn’t get any sweeter, Little Man looked at it and said, “This is one of your best cards yet—there’s so much detail!” 💜 Cue the proud crafter tears!
Now grab your cocoa and your glitter gun, and let’s make this card together. 💥
📦 Supplies That Sleigh Your Handmade Gingerbread Cocoa Christmas Card!
(Because even Santa needs a supply list!)
📜 Cardstock (Stampin’ Up!)
• Pecan Pie 8-1/2" x 11" Cardstock – Gingerbread men
• White Willow 12" x 12" (30.5 x 30.5 cm) Cardstock – Card base, cream topping, marshmallows, candy, candy cane, hat accents
• Early Espresso 8-1/2" x 11" Cardstock – Card base layer, scarves, hot chocolate
• Poppy Parade 8-1/2" x 11" Cardstock – Mug, Santa hats, candy, candy cane
🎨 Inks & Embellishments
• Stampin’ Up! Whisper White Craft Stampin’ Pad – Gingerbread details
• Antique Pearls – Eyes + hat pom-poms
• Shimmery White Embossing Paste – Whipped cream shimmer
✂️ Stamps & Thin Cuts
• Gingerbread Man Bundle (English) – Stamps + coordinating dies for gingerbread, hats, scarves, candy, peppermint swirls
🛠 Tools
• Stampin’ Up! Cut & Emboss Machine – For die cutting + embossing
• Paper Trimmer – For precise cuts
• Multipurpose Liquid Glue – For strong, detailed adhesion
• Foam Tape – For popped dimension
• Stampin’ Up! So Swirly Embossing Folder – For textured background
• Cricut – For mug, whipped cream, and “Merry Christmas” sentiment
✂️ Step-by-Step: Whip Up This Gingerbread Cocoa Christmas Card
1. Swirl It Like Snowfall
Cut an Early Espresso card base to 11” x 8-1/2” and score at 5-1/2”. Layer on a White Willow panel measuring 5-1/4” x 8-1/4” and run it through the So Swirly Embossing Folder.
This swirl pattern is pure winter whimsy! It looks like steam rising from cocoa or snow swirling in an old-fashioned Christmas movie.
Pro Tip: Embossing folders are your fast-track to texture without bulk. Think of them as “instant backgrounds” that make your card look layered—even before you add layers.
2. Gingerbread Pals, Fresh from the Oven
Stamp and die cut gingerbread men, hats, scarves, candy canes, and peppermint swirls using the Gingerbread Man Bundle. Use the cardstock colors listed above for that sugar-cookie-meets-candy-shop palette, and suddenly you’ve got a whole tray of paper-baked cuties ready to decorate.
Pro Tip: Don’t stop at classic gingerbread! Try
• Early Espresso for rich chocolate cookies,
• Very Vanilla for buttery shortbread men,
• Or even go bold with Basic Black, Daffodil Delight, Granny Apple Green, and Petunia Pop to whip up a spooky batch of Halloween gingerbread friends.
One bundle, endless flavors of fun!
3. Cricut Saves Christmas
No marshmallows in the bundle? No problem. I hopped into Design Space and cut the mug, whipped cream, and sentiment with my Cricut.
Pro Tip: When your stash doesn’t have it, Cricut it! Mixing Cricut cuts with Stampin’ Up! dies gives you endless possibilities without waiting on the mailman.
And if you’ve got a Cricut sitting nearby, grab the mug cut here and make this project even easier! It’s one of those shapes you’ll use again and again for cocoa cards, coffee themes, and even tea-time projects. A true “sip happens” kind of cut. 😉
4. Layering Like a Latte Artist
This handmade Gingerbread Cocoa Christmas
Card is all about dimension... because
flat cocoa? Not on my watch.
• The mug is double-layered, but the base is single, giving it that natural tapered mug shape.
• The overflowing cocoa + whipped cream gets multiple stacked layers, so it looks like it’s spilling over with sweetness.
• The scarves + hat brims? Triple-stacked. The brim is the only place I popped with foam tape for extra lift.
• Topped with Shimmery White Embossing Paste, because if your whip isn’t sparkling, are you even crafting?
Pro Tip: Stacking cardstock layers instead of piling on foam tape gives a cleaner, sturdier finish—perfect for cards that travel in the mail.
5. Assemble Your Sweet Scene
Position your gingerbread pals, staggering one slightly higher than the other, so they look like they’re peeking out of the cocoa mug. I used the rim of the mug as my placement guide—it helps everything line up naturally without looking too stiff.
Next, tuck the candy cane behind the whipped cream for that cozy “just stirred” effect, and add the peppermint candies off to the side like little holiday sprinkles. Finish with pearl eyes on your gingerbread friends and a swipe of Stampin’ Up! Shimmery Embossing Paste across the whipped cream to make it glisten like freshly fallen snow.
Then glue it all down and…
BOOM 💥! A Handmade Gingerbread Cocoa Card that looks good enough to sip.
✨ Why This Handmade Gingerbread Cocoa Christmas Card Hits the Sweet Spot
This handmade gingerbread cocoa Christmas card is cozy, whimsical, and festive all at once. Every little detail—from the embossed swirls to the shimmering whipped cream. makes it feel like a handmade hug you can tuck into an envelope. It’s officially Little Man-approved, and I’d call that the ultimate seal of Christmas card magic.
🔮 Explore More: Handmade Christmas Cards that Sleigh
If this cocoa-inspired design has your creative wheels spinning, keep the momentum going with more festive cards! Snowflakes, poinsettias, ornaments, and holly leaves all use the same techniques, embossed textures, layered die cuts, and just the right touch of shimmer. Once you master the “recipe” of layering and sparkle, you can remix it into endless handmade Christmas card designs. Because why stop at cocoa when you can craft a whole holiday menu? 🎄
📸 Show Off Your Sweet Creations
Now it’s your turn! What cozy Christmas magic can you craft?
Upload your Handmade Gingerbread Cocoa Cards (or any holiday card you’ve made with shimmer and sass) to the Members Gallery.
Let’s turn this season into a gallery full of handmade cheer and inspire each other with cards that look good enough to gift and frame.
💥 One Last Sip of Cocoa & Crafting Confidence
Cards like this prove that handmade isn’t just paper and glue. It’s a story, sparkle, and joy wrapped up in cardstock. This Gingerbread Cocoa Christmas Card is more than just a holiday project... It’s comfort in paper form, a detail-packed keepsake, and a memory that made my Little Man proud.
So grab your supplies, whip up some shimmer, and craft a Christmas card that sleighs. You’ve got this, and I’m cheering you on with cocoa in hand.
Whip up the shimmer, pass the peppermint, and craft your way into Christmas cheer. 💥
April – This Chick Loves Paper
🛒 Grab Your Supplies & Get Crafting!
All photos and projects are subject to copyright © ThisChickLovesPaper.com.
Images © Stampin’ Up!®
The content in this blog is the sole responsibility of April Raine – This Chick Loves Paper as a Stampin’ Up!® Independent Demonstrator. The use of and content of classes, services, or products offered is not endorsed by Stampin’ Up!®
Cozy up with a Handmade Gingerbread Cocoa Christmas Card from This Chick Loves Paper! Learn how to make this festive Christmas card with Stampin’ Up! cardstock, the Gingerbread Man Bundle, Cricut details, and shimmery whipped cream that sparkles with holiday cheer.
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