Planning a celebration and wondering how many macarons you should order? You’re not alone. It can be surprisingly difficult to know how many you need, especially when macarons are being served alongside cake, other desserts, or a full dessert table.
The good news is that you don’t need to overthink it. Once you know how macarons will be served, the number of guests and whether you want them as a small treat or the main dessert, you can work out a good quantity quite easily.
So, How Many Macarons Do I Need?
As a simple starting point, allow 2–3 macarons per person when they are being served as one of several desserts.
If macarons are the main sweet treat at your event, allow around 4–5 macarons per person. This is the usual advice but considering that not everyone has a ‘macaron tooth,’ I would keep it to 3-4 macarons as a desert.
Here’s a quick guide:
| Guests | 2 per person | 3 per person | 5 per person |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 20 | 30 | 50 |
| 20 | 40 | 60 | 100 |
| 30 | 60 | 90 | 150 |
| 50 | 100 | 150 | 250 |
| 75 | 150 | 225 | 375 |
| 100 | 200 | 300 | 500 |
These are useful starting points rather than strict rules. Your final quantity will depend on the type of event, the other food being served and how long the macarons will be available.
How Many Macarons for a Birthday Party?
For a birthday party where there is a birthday cake, cupcakes or other desserts, 2–3 macarons per guest is usually a good starting point. One thing one forgets to consider are the kids. We cater for the adults, but the children love these things and can scoff them like regular biscuits. So, in that case, you might have to rethink the numbers.
For example, if you’re expecting 20 guests, 40–60 macarons would give everyone an opportunity to enjoy one or two while leaving enough for people who want another.
If the macarons are being used as the main dessert rather than alongside cake, you may want to increase this to around 3–4 per person.
For children’s parties, you may also want to consider how many other sweet treats will be available. If there’s a dessert table filled with cupcakes, sweets and cake, you probably don’t need hundreds of macarons.
How Many Macarons for a Wedding?
Weddings are a little different because macarons can be used in several ways.
They might be:
- Served as a dessert
- Displayed on a dessert table
- Given as wedding favours
- Used alongside the wedding cake
- Included in individual guest gift boxes
If macarons are simply one option on a dessert table, 2–3 per guest is a sensible starting point.
If you’re using them as wedding favours, you can calculate the number based on the number of guests receiving a box rather than the number of macarons being eaten at the reception.
For example, 60 guests receiving two macarons each would require 120 macarons.
How Many Macarons for a Baby Shower?
Baby showers are perfect for macarons because they can be matched beautifully to the event’s colour palette and theme.
If you’re serving macarons alongside cake and other desserts, allow approximately 2–3 macarons per guest.
For 30 guests, that would mean around 60–90 macarons.
If macarons are the main sweet treat, consider increasing the quantity to approximately 3–4 per person.
You can also choose different colours and flavours to create a beautiful display without needing every guest to eat a large number of macarons.
What If I’m Having a Dessert Table?
A dessert table gives you more flexibility.
If you’re offering macarons alongside cake, brownies, cupcakes, cookies, chocolates and other sweets, you don’t need to provide enough macarons for every guest to eat several.
In this situation, 2–3 macarons per person is a good starting point.
For example:
50 guests × 2 macarons = 100 macarons
or
50 guests × 3 macarons = 150 macarons
The second option gives guests more choice and creates a fuller-looking display.
Should I Order Extra Macarons?
Usually, yes.
It’s better to have a few macarons left over than to run out halfway through your celebration.
Ordering around 10% more than your calculated quantity can be a sensible approach, particularly if macarons are an important part of your dessert table.
For example, if you’ve calculated that you need 100 macarons, ordering around 110 gives you a little breathing room.
You should also consider whether children will be attending, whether guests are likely to take macarons home, and whether you’ll be serving them over several hours.
Don’t Forget About Flavours
Quantity isn’t the only decision you’ll need to make. If you’re ordering a larger box, choosing a variety of flavours can make the experience much more enjoyable.
For example, instead of ordering 100 macarons in one flavour, you might choose five flavours with approximately 20 of each.
This gives guests the opportunity to try different combinations and makes your display much more colourful.
For a mixed box, it’s also worth including a combination of familiar favourites and something a little more adventurous.
What Size Macaron Box Should I Order?
The right box size depends on how you’re planning to serve them.
A smaller box may be ideal for:
- A personal gift
- A small birthday
- A thank-you
- A dinner party
Larger quantities work well for:
- Weddings
- Baby showers
- Corporate events
- Birthday celebrations
- Dessert tables
- Party favours
If you’re unsure, don’t worry. You don’t have to calculate everything perfectly before getting in touch. The number of guests, the type of event and the other desserts you’re serving are usually enough information to help determine a suitable quantity.
A Simple Macaron Calculator
Here’s an easy way to estimate your order:
Macarons as one of several desserts:
Guests × 2–3 = approximate quantity
Macarons as the main dessert:
Guests × 3–4 = approximate quantity
For example, if you’re hosting a birthday party for 40 people and serving cake as well as macarons:
40 × 2–3 = 80–120 macarons
If macarons are the main dessert:
40 × 3–4 = 120–160 macarons
It’s a simple starting point, and you can adjust it depending on your celebration.
Planning a Celebration?
At Box of Nom, we create handcrafted French macarons for birthdays, weddings, baby showers, corporate events and special celebrations in Cape Town’s Northern Suburbs.
If you’re not sure how many macarons you need, tell us how many guests you’re expecting, what you’re celebrating and what other desserts you’ll be serving. We’ll be happy to help you work out a quantity that suits your occasion.
Ready to plan your macarons?
Visit our Order page to request a personalised quote and start creating something special for your celebration.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many macarons should I order per person?
If macarons are one of several desserts, allow approximately 2–3 macarons per person. If they are the main dessert, consider 3–4 per person.
How many macarons do I need for 20 guests?
For a dessert table with other treats, around 40–60 macarons is a good starting point. If macarons are the main dessert, consider approximately 60–80.
How many macarons do I need for 50 guests?
For a mixed dessert table, approximately 100–150 macarons should provide a good starting point. If macarons are the main sweet treat, consider around 150–200.
Should I order more macarons than I need?
Ordering around 10% extra can be helpful, particularly for larger celebrations. It gives you a little flexibility if guests want seconds or a few macarons are damaged during setup.
Can I mix different macaron flavours?
Absolutely. A selection of flavours gives guests more choice and can make your dessert table look even more attractive. You can also choose flavours and colours that complement your event theme.
Explore our collections or visit our Order page to request a personalised quote. We’d love to create something special just for you.
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