Macaron packaging is a grid problem. Almost every decision follows from how many shells you sell in a box and how they are arranged, so settle the layout before you think about the box at all. To order, go to macaroon boxes.
Start with the shell, then the grid
A standard French macaron shell tends to land between about 1.5 and 2 inches across, set by your piping template, and gains a little height once filled. Measure a filled one, at the widest point of the shell and at full height including the ganache line. Then choose the grid:
| Count | Common layout | Box character |
|---|---|---|
| 3 to 4 | Single row | Slim gift or favour box, often ribboned |
| 6 | 2 x 3 or a single row of 6 | The everyday retail pack |
| 12 | 3 x 4 or two rows of 6 | The gift standard, usually where a window or a rigid box earns its cost |
| 24 and up | Stacked trays | Event and corporate, needs a tray per layer so nothing bears weight |
Box internal length is the grid width plus the insert walls plus a small clearance, and the same in the other axis. Internal depth is the filled shell height plus enough clearance that the lid never contacts a top. Say internal explicitly on the quote.
Insert options
- Die-cut card insert with circular cavities. The workhorse. Cheap, folds flat, holds each shell upright. The cavity should be a touch larger than the shell so it seats without being pressed in.
- Moulded pulp or plastic tray. Deeper support, better for transport, and stackable for multi-layer boxes.
- Divider strips. Fast to assemble, but square cells let a round shell rotate and rub, which scuffs the surface.
- No insert. Only for very short journeys. Macarons that touch each other arrive with cracked shells.
Because the die is included, a cavity cut to your own piping size costs no more than a generic one, which matters here: a shell that is loose in its cavity is the main cause of transit damage.
Box construction and windows
Macarons are bought with the eyes, so a window is the single highest-impact feature, and a top window over a 12 grid shows the full colour range at once. It adds a film layer, which complicates the recycling story, so weigh that if end-of-life is a priority. For construction, a folding carton with a tuck or a lid is the everyday choice, while a two-piece rigid box with a ribbon pull is the gift-market route. A drawer style reveals the grid slowly and holds the shells more securely in a bag than a lift-off lid, which can separate.
Handling and transport
- Keep the lid clear of the tops. Contact plus vibration equals a scuffed or cracked shell.
- Design the box so it is carried flat. A ribbon or a die-cut handle encourages the right grip.
- If these ship rather than being collected, the macaron box is the inner and it needs a corrugated outer with cushioning around it, sized using the method on sizing a corrugated shipping box.
- Confirm food-contact suitability for your application and jurisdiction, and get it stated on the quote.
Minimums, price and lead time
The minimum is 100 boxes and pricing starts from about $0.48 per unit at bulk volumes, confirmed on your written quote. The die, the plates, design support, US shipping and a digital proof before anything prints are included. We make in West Chicago in the US and Guangzhou in China, and turnaround is quoted per product in three lanes: rush (expedited production plus air freight), standard (air) and cost saver (sea), from about 7 business days plus 2 to 5 for delivery. Rigid gift constructions sit at the longer end.
Order at macaroon boxes. If you also sell filled choux, the related spec notes are on the choux boxes guide.
Send your shell diameter, your counts and whether you want a window through the quote form and we will come back with a cavity layout, an internal dimension and a written price.
