Celebrations

Macarons for a birthday

Planning the sweets for a birthday raises the same questions every time: how many to get, what everyone will actually eat, and when to order. This guide covers how macarons fit a birthday table, from the count per guest to flavours that suit both children and grown-ups.

For a birthday, plan about two to three macarons per guest when there is also a cake, or four to five if they are the main sweet. They suit the occasion because each one is a single bite, a mix of flavours pleases children and adults at once, and a box travels well as a gift.

How many
About 2-3 per guest, 4-5 if the main sweet
Order ahead
A few days before a set date
Keeps
Chilled at 4-6°C, about 4 days
Mixed crowd
Mild flavours for kids, bolder for adults
Serving
Out of the fridge 15-20 min before

Why do macarons work for a birthday?

A birthday table usually holds a cake already, so the rest of the sweets need to be easy to pick up and share. A macaron is one bite, so nobody has to commit to a whole slice of anything, while a box of several colours looks like part of the decoration rather than an afterthought. Because the flavours run from gentle to grown-up, one assortment covers a table of children and relatives. And if the party is somewhere else, a closed box carries far better than a frosted cake.

How many macarons should you order per guest?

Start from a simple rule: around two to three macarons per person when a birthday cake is also on the table, since the cake does part of the work. If macarons are the headline sweet with no cake, count four to five each. Round up rather than down, because the pretty ones go first and a few guests always come back for a second favourite.

Macarons to order by guest count
GuestsMacarons to orderNote
4-612-18Three each, with a few spare
8-1024-30A mixed box so everyone finds a favourite
12-1636-48Room for seconds; spread across flavours
20-2560-75More than one box; order a few days ahead
Macarons as the main sweet4-5 per guestScale down if a cake is served too

If the guest list is still moving, order for the number you are sure of and add a small box closer to the day rather than cutting it fine.

Which flavours please a mixed crowd of kids and adults?

Children tend to go for the clear, sweet ones: vanilla, chocolate, raspberry, strawberry. Adults reach for the deeper flavours, such as salted caramel, pistachio, coffee or lemon. An assortment that carries a few of each keeps both ends of the table happy, and the different colours double as the look of the dessert.

  • Gentle and sweet for younger guests: vanilla, chocolate, raspberry
  • Deeper for the grown-ups: salted caramel, pistachio, coffee, lemon
  • Keep one or two crowd-pleasers in the mix so there is always a safe choice

How can you present them on the table or give them as a gift?

Stacked into a small tower, macarons stand in for a cake and still take a candle on top. Laid out by colour on a flat plate, they read as part of the table setting. Set one at each place as a sweet place card, or hand the birthday guest a ribboned box to open. For a gift sent to someone else, the box is ready to give as it arrives.

  • A macaron tower as the centrepiece, with a candle for the wish
  • Arranged by colour on a platter for the dessert table
  • One at each setting as an edible place marker
  • A ribboned box to give or to send to the birthday person

How far ahead should you order, and how do they keep?

Because every batch is made by hand, order a few days ahead for a set date so your flavours and box size are reserved. Filled macarons keep well chilled, at roughly 4 to 6°C for about four days, which means you can collect them a day or two before the party without any rush. Take them out of the fridge fifteen to twenty minutes before serving so the filling softens and the flavour opens up.

Worth knowing before you order for a group: macaron shells contain almonds and egg, and most fillings contain milk, so under EU food-information rules the allergens are declared. Tell us when you order if a guest has an allergy. In Riga we bring the box by courier in thermal packaging, so it arrives cool and intact.

Settle the count from the table above, pick a few flavours for the mix, and choose your date. That puts the order together.

Questions and answers

How many macarons should I order for a birthday?

For a birthday, order about two to three macarons per guest if there is also a cake, or four to five if they are the main sweet. Round up, since some guests come back for a second favourite.

Which macaron flavours please both kids and adults?

Children usually like the mild, sweet flavours such as vanilla, chocolate and raspberry, while adults prefer bolder ones such as salted caramel, pistachio and coffee. A mixed assortment with both sides suits the whole table.

How far ahead should I order macarons for a party?

Order macarons for a set date a few days ahead, because each batch is made by hand and your flavours and box size are reserved for you. You can pick the box up a day or two before the party, since they keep well chilled.

How do I present macarons on a birthday table?

You can stack macarons into a small tower with a candle on top, lay them out by colour on a platter, or set one at each place as an edible place card. A ribboned box also works as a gift for the birthday person.

Do macarons contain allergens?

Yes, macaron shells contain almonds and egg, and most fillings contain milk, so under EU rules these allergens are declared. Tell us when you order if one of your guests has an allergy.

Updated: 11 November 2026

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