What Size Should a Bakery Box Be?
A bakery box should be 6 mm longer and wider than the product and at least 10 mm taller than its highest point. That gap keeps frosting, glaze and toppings clear of the lid while the product still sits snug.
| Product | Typical height | Inside height to ask for |
|---|---|---|
| Mini cupcake with frosting | 45 mm | 55 mm or more |
| Standard cupcake with a piped swirl | 89 mm | 99 mm or more |
| Glazed ring donut | 35 mm | 45 mm or more |
| Stack of four 4 in cookies | 48 mm | 58 mm or more |
| Macaron lying flat | 22 mm | 32 mm or more |
| Slice of layer cake | 100 mm | 110 mm or more |
Measure the tallest item in a batch and not the average one, because hand finished bakes vary. Our dieline generator draws any of these sizes flat before you order, and the board inside the box is the next thing to settle.
Is Bakery Packaging Safe for Direct Food Contact?
Our bakery packaging runs on food grade SBS that meets FDA food contact rules, and the food side of the board is never printed. Moist and fatty foods such as frosted cupcakes, donuts and buttery pastry fall under 21 CFR 176.170.
Dry foods such as plain cookies and hard candy fall under 21 CFR 176.180. A water based barrier coating on the inside face holds back butter and oil, and its grease resistance can be measured with the TAPPI kit test.
Grease soaked board is often refused by recycling programs, so a good barrier also keeps the box cleaner for your customer. A safe board still needs the right structure to keep soft goods in one piece.
How Do You Keep Soft Bakes Intact on the Way Home?
Soft bakes stay intact when an insert or divider holds each piece in its own space. Cupcakes sit in round holes, macarons in rows and donuts in flat cells, so nothing slides when the box tilts.
A clear PET window between 150 and 250 micron shows the product without opening the lid, and we keep it at least 6 mm from every fold. Catering orders and deliveries that stack boxes several high move to E flute board, which is about 1.6 mm thick and holds its shape under weight. Once soft bakes are protected you can match each product to its own box style.
Which Bakery Boxes Fit Cakes, Pies and Mixed Desserts?
Whole cakes go in custom cake boxes with a cake board, and pies go in custom pie boxes with a low window lid.
Dessert boxes for a mix of brownies, bars and slices use the same card dividers as our holiday treat boxes.
A single cupcake sold as a favor fits single cupcake boxes, while a gift arrangement of 7 to 19 cupcakes fits cupcake bouquet boxes.
Cookies, rolls and pastries sold loose leave the counter in custom bakery bags with a window and a grease resistant lining.
Every style here is baked goods packaging on the same food grade board, so the next question is what the label must say.
What Goes on the Label of a Packaged Bakery Box?
If you sell the box packed at retail, the label carries the product name, net quantity, ingredient list, allergen statement and the name and address of the maker.
The FDA Food Labeling Guide sets out how each of those lines should read. Bakeries that sell only over their own counter are often exempt, so check the rule for your outlet before you print. A clear back or side panel on the dieline leaves room for a printed label or a sticker, and the front stays free for your brand.
How Is Your Logo Printed on Custom Bakery Boxes?
Your logo is printed on the outside of custom bakery boxes in offset CMYK or matched Pantone inks, so the color holds from one reorder to the next. Natural kraft takes one or two dark inks for a handmade look.
Hot foil, spot UV and embossing lift a logo on a gift box, while a matte or gloss lamination protects the print from fingers and condensation. Read our artwork guidelines for bleed and color settings before you send the file, and then the order itself takes only a few steps.
How Do You Order Custom Bakery Boxes Wholesale?
Send your product sizes, the count per box and the quantity through our quote form to price your custom boxes wholesale with a dieline for each size.
- Minimum order is 100 boxes per size and design and it comes down on rigid, corrugated and larger sizes
- Price breaks arrive at 500 and 1,000 units on one artwork and not across mixed designs
- Production takes 8 to 10 business days for folding carton and 10 to 12 for rigid and wrapped
- A plain sample takes 3 to 5 business days and a printed one takes 7 to 10
- No setup or tooling fees apply because the die and the plates sit inside your unit price
- Shipping is free across the United States on every order we take
Test a plain sample with your real bakes before you order bakery boxes in bulk, so you can check the fit and lid clearance by hand.
The Customized Boxes