Custom Macaron Boxes

Getting the Insert Size Exactly Right

Macarons vary from bakery to bakery. A classic French macaron might be around forty millimetres across, while mini macarons and oversized ones are common too. The thickness, including the filling, also changes with the recipe. Measure several of your finished macarons, take the largest diameter and thickest height, and add a couple of millimetres of clearance.

For upright rows, each slot needs to grip the macaron lightly so it stays vertical without squeezing the feet. For flat layouts, each cavity should be just larger than the shell. We cut inserts from food-contact grade board on request, or from clear PET trays if you prefer a see-through look. The free proof shows the insert layout with measurements so you can check before we cut.

If you make more than one size, such as standard and mini, it is usually best to have separate inserts rather than one tray that suits neither perfectly.

Ask us about a sample insert if you are unsure: testing a few slots with your own macarons before the full order is the surest way to a snug fit. Our method for measuring shells for an insert covers feet, filling and clearance.

Colour, Print and Finish

Macaron packaging tends to follow two directions. Soft pastels, foil accents and delicate patterns suit traditional patisseries and wedding favours. Bold single colours, black boxes with metallic logos and minimal typography suit modern dessert brands. Either way, the box should complement the macarons rather than compete with them.

Soft-touch lamination gives the outer sleeve a velvety feel. Foil blocking on the logo adds a luxury touch, and embossing gives texture. A printed inside tray, perhaps in a contrasting colour, makes the moment the drawer slides out more striking. White board gives the cleanest print for pastels; coloured board can be used without full print for a simpler, cheaper finish.

Grease-resistant coatings on the inner tray stop buttercream and ganache marking the board, which is important if boxes sit in a display for a day.

A short flavour key printed on the inside lid, matching the order of macarons in the tray, helps customers pick their favourite first and saves staff explaining each colour at the counter. Lamination and foil on the same lid are shown in our soft touch and foil compared guide.

Patisseries, Weddings and Corporate Gifting

Patisseries and cafés sell boxed macarons as takeaway gifts, with sizes for a quick treat and a larger gift. Dessert brands selling online use slim drawer boxes inside a protective mailer. Wedding planners and couples order two-macaron favour boxes for each place setting, often printed with names or initials. Hotels use them for room amenities and afternoon tea takeaways.

Businesses order branded macaron boxes for client gifts and product launches, sometimes with macarons coloured to match the brand. Home bakers starting a macaron business find a smart box is the quickest way to look professional at markets.

Macaron boxes also suit tasting flights. A row of six in graduated colours, each a different flavour, with a small printed card listing the order, turns a box into an experience and works well for afternoon tea venues and dessert bars. The card can sit under the tray or slot into the lid, so it does not touch the macarons.

For subscription boxes, a slim drawer box slips neatly into a letterbox mailer beside other treats. Monthly flavour selections keep subscribers interested, and a box with a blank flavour panel or a removable belly band lets you change the contents without reprinting. Patisseries that sell choux alongside use our choux boxes for the same counter in matching colours.

Keeping Macarons Fresh in the Box

Macarons are best kept chilled and brought to room temperature before eating. Boxes should be filled once the macarons have matured and are firm. Keep filled boxes away from strong-smelling foods in the fridge, as shells absorb odours. A clear window lets customers see the colours without opening the box, which keeps them fresher in the display.

For posting, place the slim box inside a snug mailer with a little padding, and add a note recommending chilling on arrival. Avoid sending in very warm weather if possible, or use an insulated liner. If the row should be seen without opening the box, our window boxes that show the row use a film panel.

Measure Shell Diameter Before Anything Else

Macaron boxes are built around one number: the diameter of your shells after baking. A 35 mm shell and a 45 mm shell need different inserts, and a box drawn for the wrong size either crushes the feet or lets the row slide. Bake a batch, measure five shells across and give us the average with the height of a filled macaron. Then decide how many per box, six in a row for a drawer box, twelve in a grid for a gift box, and whether the lid needs a window or a ribbon slot. Artwork is a lid design and a brand colour for the insert, sent as vector files, and the free proof shows the box and the insert drawn to your shell size. A custom quote comes by email within one working day, from £0.25 per unit depending on style, with minimums low and quoted per job for home bakers and new patisseries. Boxes are made in 4 to 7 working days after approval and delivered free and tracked on the UK mainland. Mixed selections with éclairs and tarts go in our divided boxes for mixed selections.