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Pricing guide · Baked goods

How to price macarons: cost per macaron and what to charge

Macarons are cheap in ingredients but expensive in skill and failure rate. Cracked or hollow shells are waste — build that into the price.

Example batch cost

$7.19

Cost per macaron

$0.30

Price at 30% food cost

$1.00

Macarons cost calculator

Ingredients

$2.00
$0.77
$0.90
$0.20
$0.92
$2.40
Cost per macaron$0.30Suggested per macaron$1.00

French macarons with buttercream

Total ingredient cost$7.19
Cost per macaron$0.30
Suggested price per macaron$1.00

Enter your price to see food cost % and profit.

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The app keeps your ingredient prices. When butter goes up, every dish that uses it updates — no re-typing.

Worked example: French macarons with buttercream

This batch makes 24 macarons. Here is where the money goes, most expensive first:

IngredientUsedCost
Macaron box (6)4 piece$2.40
Almond flour100 g (+10% waste)$2.00
Butter (filling)115 g$0.92
Eggs (whites)3 each$0.90
Icing sugar350 g$0.77
Caster sugar100 g$0.20
Total for 24 macarons$7.19

That is $0.30 per macaron. At a 30% food cost the price should be at least $1.00. Across the usual 25–35% range for baked goods, that is $0.86 (at 35%) to $1.20 (at 25%) per macaron — before your time and overheads.

What drives the cost of macarons

  • •Almond flour
  • •Failed shells and uneven batches
  • •Presentation boxes

Tips for pricing macarons

  • ✓Add 10–20% waste to almond flour (or reduce “It makes”) to cover failed shells
  • ✓Sell in boxes of 6 or 12 — singles rarely cover the handling
  • ✓Seasonal flavours and custom colours justify premium pricing

Sell boxes of 6, 12 and 24, and towers for weddings.

Don’t forget your time and overheads

Ingredients are only part of the price. For baked goods, your time (mixing, proving, baking, decorating, packing) is often the biggest cost — add an hourly rate on top, plus 10–20% for energy, equipment and fees.

See how to add labour and overheads to a bakery price →

Keep your macarons prices up to date

Save this recipe in the free CostMyDish app. Your ingredient prices live in one Library — when macaron box (6) goes up, every recipe that uses it recalculates, and you see which items need a new price.

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Common questions about pricing macarons

How much does it cost to make one macaron?+

In our example (French macarons with buttercream, makes 24 macarons), the ingredients cost $7.19 in total, or $0.30 per macaron. Enter your own prices in the calculator for your exact cost.

What food cost % should I use for macarons?+

For baked goods most businesses aim for 25–35%. At 30%, the example works out to at least $1.00 per macaron before labour and overheads.

Why are macarons so expensive?+

They need precise technique, have a high failure rate and are packed by hand. Ingredients are a small part of the price.

How do I account for failed macaron shells?+

Either add a waste % to the shell ingredients or set “It makes” to the number of good macarons you usually get.

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